Guide

How to check a roofer before you hire

Short answer

Check the firm on Companies House if it is a company. Search the NFRC member list and the NFRC Competent Person Scheme. Ask to see the insurance certificate. Get at least two written quotes. Never pay the full price before work starts. Each check takes minutes and costs nothing.

Updated 9 October 2026 · 3 min read · 9 sources

Check the business

First, confirm that the business is real and trading. This is the quickest check.

If the roofer trades as a limited company, search its name on Companies House. Check that the status is Active, that the address makes sense, and that accounts are not overdue. Many good roofers are sole traders, so they will not appear there.

Check that the phone number, address and name match across the quote, the website and the van.

Check the registers

Search each register yourself. Do not rely on a logo on a website or a van.

NFRC: the National Federation of Roofing Contractors lists its members online. It says it checks contractors before they join and every three years.
NFRC Competent Person Scheme: members can self-certify re-roofing under Building Regulations. The scheme is on the GOV.UK list of competent person schemes.
TrustMark: a government-endorsed quality scheme that lists registered tradespeople.
Stone Roofing Association: it lists members on its website. This can help for stone slate work.

Check insurance and guarantees

Ask to see a current public liability insurance certificate. Check the firm name and the expiry date.

Ask what guarantee the roofer gives, for how long, and if it is insurance-backed. An insurance-backed guarantee can still pay out if the firm stops trading. The NFRC Competent Person Scheme says its contractors provide a 10-year workmanship guarantee.

For re-roofing, ask who will notify building control. You should get a compliance certificate at the end.

Check the quote

A good quote is written and specific. Compare at least two.

It names the materials, such as the type of slate, lead or felt.
It says what access is included, such as scaffolding.
It says what happens if the roofer finds rotten timbers.
It gives a start date, a likely length of job, and the payment stages.
It says whether VAT is included.

Check how you pay

Never pay the full price before work starts. A small deposit for special materials can be normal. Pay further stages as work is done.

Pay by bank transfer or card, not cash, so you have a record.

If you sign a contract in your home, you usually have 14 days to cancel. If you ask the roofer to start within that time, you may have to pay for work already done.

Warning signs

Be careful if a roofer does any of the following.

Knocks on your door and says your roof needs urgent work.
Asks for cash, or for full payment up front.
Will not give a written quote or a landline or address.
Says a discount ends today.
Finds more problems once the scaffolding is up, with no photos to show you.

When to call a roofer, and what it may cost

Start these checks as soon as you see a problem, so you are ready to choose a firm. Urgent leaks still deserve a quick check of the business and the register.

For prices, see our cost guides: Roof repair costs in the Cotswolds, Re-roofing cost, Cotswold stone roof cost, and Chimney and lead flashing cost.

On this site, we show the register checks we did for each firm, with the date and a link. We do not check the quality of the work. Always do your own checks too.

Questions

Does a roofer have to belong to a trade body?

No. Membership is voluntary. It shows the firm passed that body's checks. Many good roofers are not members, so look at all the evidence.

What if a roofer is not on a register we list?

The firm may trade under another name. Ask the roofer for the name they are registered under, and search again.

Should I ask for references?

Yes. Ask for two or three recent jobs like yours, nearby. Look at the roofs from the street if you can.