How Much Does an Emergency Roofer Cost?

Typical 2026 prices put an emergency call-out at around £150 to £300, a temporary repair at £150 to £500 and out of hours surcharges at £100 to £300 or more. A same-day temporary make-safe is often £150 to £400. The permanent repair is quoted separately. Local quotes will vary, but these figures give you a starting point when water is coming in and you need help fast.

What counts as a roofing emergency

A true roofing emergency is when:

• Water is actively pouring into your home
• A large section of the roof covering has blown off in a storm
• The roof structure is in danger of collapsing

These faults need making safe quickly to stop the damage spreading to your ceilings, walls and electrical wiring. A few slow drips in the loft during heavy rain, or a single slipped tile that is not letting water through the underlay, can usually wait for a normal appointment.

Do not panic if you spot a minor problem from the ground. Calling a roofer out of hours will usually cost you more than a standard visit. If the weather is dry and the forecast is clear, you have time to get standard quotes rather than paying emergency rates. Wait until morning if the problem is not causing active damage inside the house.

When a roofer arrives, they will look for the specific part of your roof that has failed. On pitched roofs, the problem is often related to the covering itself. This could be broken concrete and clay tiles, or cracked natural and fibre cement slate. The wind can also dislodge the ridge (the peak of the roof), the hip (the sloping junction), the valley (the internal angle where two roof sections meet), or the verge and eaves (the edges of the roof).

Water often gets in through damaged lead flashing, which is the metal used to seal the joints around chimneys and walls. If the tiles fail, the secondary barrier is the underlay, which is often called felt or a membrane. This sits over the timber battens. If the underlay is old or torn, water will reach your ceilings. You might also have damage to the fascias, soffits and guttering, which are the boards and pipes that manage rainwater at the roofline.

Flat roofs have a different structure and usually fail when their waterproof covering tears or degrades. The base is a timber deck. A warm roof has insulation above the deck, while a cold roof has it between the joists. The waterproof covering on top will usually be one of several flat roof systems. These include built-up felt (usually torch-on), EPDM rubber, GRP fibreglass, single-ply and liquid coatings. Any of these can split or lift in high winds, requiring an emergency make-safe.

Typical call-out and temporary repair costs

When you ring a roofer for an urgent visit, you are paying for them to drop their scheduled work and travel to you immediately. Typical 2026 prices put an emergency roofer call-out at £150 to £300. Ask whether the fee includes any time on site, because this varies.

If the job takes longer than an hour, roofers generally charge an hourly rate. Typical 2026 prices put hourly rates at £30 to £45 in the UK, although a narrower £35 to £45 is also quoted. This rate depends on their experience, the complexity of the work and your location. Prices are naturally higher in London and the South East.

An emergency visit is usually about making the roof safe and watertight, not completing the final fix. A temporary repair typically costs between £150 and £500, and a same-day temporary make-safe is often £150 to £400. This might involve pulling a waterproof covering over a damaged flat roof, applying a temporary sealant, or repositioning a slipped tile to stop water coming through the underlay.

The roofer will secure the roof against the weather and then return to complete the permanent repair once the weather improves or they can source the exact matching materials. This permanent fix will be quoted separately. You must find out if temporary repair costs will be deducted from the permanent repair quote, as they might not be. Ask for the answer in writing before the work starts.

Out of hours and weekend surcharges

Roofing emergencies rarely happen at a convenient time. If you need attendance outside normal working hours, you will pay a premium. Typical 2026 prices show out of hours, weekend or bank holiday attendance carries a surcharge of £100 to £300 or more on top of standard costs.

Out of hours surcharges may be a flat amount, or out of hours and bank holiday call-outs may sit at the top of the range or above it. You need a clear explanation of exactly what this premium is before you give them your address.

If the leak is contained with buckets and the weather is calming down, ask yourself if the job can wait until Monday morning. Avoiding the weekend surcharge could save you a significant amount of money without putting your property at further risk.

Scaffolding and access equipment

Access equipment is often the largest extra cost on a roofing job and is priced separately from the roofer's labour. Minor work can sometimes be done from a roof ladder or small tower, but larger repairs require proper scaffolding to keep the workers safe. Nobody can tell exactly what access is needed until they see the property.

The table below shows typical access costs for different types of equipment.

These figures are typical 2026 prices that overlap, so they and should not be added together. Local quotes will differ. If your permanent repair is delayed by bad weather, check if you will be charged extra to keep the scaffold up.

Questions to ask on the phone

When water is dripping through the ceiling, it is easy to agree to anything just to get someone to your house. Take a breath and ask a few direct questions before you agree to a visit. A reputable roofer will answer these clearly.

Ask these questions on the phone:

• What is your call-out fee and does it include the first hour?
• What is your hourly rate once the first hour is up?
• Is there a minimum number of hours you charge for?
• Will the cost of the temporary make-safe be deducted from the permanent quote?
• What is your trading address and company name?
• Do you carry public liability insurance?
• Will you confirm your rates by text or email before you start the journey?

Getting the rates in writing before they arrive stops any arguments on the doorstep. If a trader refuses to send a quick message confirming their call-out fee, find someone else.

Consumer rights and building regulations

You are vulnerable during an emergency and some traders will try to take advantage of that. The most important rule is to avoid paying with cash. Citizens Advice recommends paying by debit or credit card where possible, otherwise by bank transfer, and do not pay with cash. Paying by credit card gives you Section 75 protection on purchases over £100 and up to £30,000.

If a deposit is unavoidable on a long job, do not agree to more than 25 per cent. Genuine traders will not rush you. According to Citizens Advice, they should not put pressure on you to pay straight away if they are genuine.

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, work must be done with reasonable care and skill. If it is not, you can ask for it to be put right or for your money back. Remember that a quote is a fixed price, while an estimate is not. Contracts agreed at home, by phone or online normally carry a 14-day cooling-off period. However, if you ask for emergency work to start inside that period, you must pay for what has been done. If you have a dispute, Citizens Advice is the best place to get guidance.

Whether building regulations apply to the permanent fix depends on how much of the roof is affected. In England, repairing or re-covering a roof does not normally need a building control application if less than 25 per cent of the building envelope and less than 50 per cent of the roof is affected. Above that, approval is needed and the insulation may have to be upgraded.

Approval is also needed for structural alterations, where a new covering performs significantly differently in fire, or where it adds 15 per cent or more to the weight. Replacing a glazed or polycarbonate conservatory roof with a solid one takes the conservatory out of its exemption, so building regulations apply to the new roof. Rules differ in Scotland and Northern Ireland, so always check with your council rather than guessing.

You can check a roofer's scheme memberships to gauge their credentials. CompetentRoofer is a government-authorised competent person scheme run by the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC). Registered roofers can self-certify roof refurbishment in England and Wales, meaning you receive a building regulations compliance certificate without going through the council. TrustMark is the government-endorsed quality scheme for work in and around the home. Membership of these schemes is a good sign, though not a guarantee of perfect work.

After the visit and avoiding rogue traders

Once the temporary repair is done and the roof is watertight, you have time to plan your next steps properly. Ask the roofer to write down exactly what they did for the temporary fix and what you paid for it. Keep any paperwork safe. If they took photos of the damage while on the roof, ask them to send you copies.

You should get written quotes from at least three traders for the permanent fix. Small repairs are usually a fixed price or a day rate, but larger work is priced per square metre plus access. Waste removal and VAT may or may not be included, so you must ask. Nobody can see rotten timber until the old covering is off, so a good quote says exactly how extras will be priced. Knowing what a good roofing quote should include will help you spot a professional firm. Staged payments are normal for large permanent repairs, but you should only make the final payment when the job is completely finished.

Storms and bad weather bring out rogue traders who knock on doors offering quick repairs. They often spot a loose tile or moss from the street and use scare tactics to talk you into unnecessary work. Devon County Council and Heart of the South West Trading Standards advise that you should not agree to have work done by anyone who cold calls. You should also contact your insurer before agreeing to any weather-related work, as insurers often have approved traders and may arrange repairs themselves.

Rogue traders often demand cash, give vague one-line quotes and provide no physical address. They might try selling you a whole new roof for a local fault, make false roof coating and painting claims, or sell you pressure washing as maintenance. They may also offer guarantees that are worthless if the firm folds because they are not insurance-backed. Never go without the building regulations certificate if your job requires one.

Never be tempted to climb onto the roof to inspect the damage yourself or attempt a DIY repair. The Health and Safety Executive warns that all work on roofs is highly dangerous, even if a job only takes a few minutes, and almost one in five deaths in construction work involve roof work.

Common questions

Does home insurance cover a leaking roof?

The Financial Ombudsman Service says home and buildings insurance policies usually cover financial loss caused by storm damage, but many policies exclude certain types of damage such as wear and tear or gradual damage. Read your policy documents to see exactly what is included.

How long does a temporary roof repair last?

A temporary fix like a waterproof cover or a sealed tile is only designed to keep the water out for a short time until the weather clears. It is not a long-term solution and will eventually fail if left exposed to the wind and rain. You should arrange the permanent repair as soon as possible.

Will the roofer fix the leak on the first visit?

They will usually stop the water coming in by making the roof safe and watertight. However, they may not have the exact matching tiles or materials in their van to complete the permanent repair on the spot. Understanding why your roof is leaking helps explain why a full repair often takes a second visit.

What is the difference between a quote and an estimate?

A quote is a fixed price. An estimate is just a rough guess, so the final cost could be higher. Always insist on a written quote.

Your next steps

Before you hire anyone for an emergency or a permanent repair, work through this simple checklist to protect yourself:

• Check if the leak is actively damaging your home or if it can wait until normal working hours.
• Ask for the call-out fee, hourly rate and any out of hours surcharges on the phone.
• Get the trader to confirm their prices by text message before they travel.
• Pay for the emergency visit by debit or credit card, never with cash.
• Get at least three written quotes for the permanent repair once the roof is safe.

Taking a few minutes to check a trader's details can save you from a costly mistake. When you are ready to get quotes for the permanent repair, you can find a roofer near you using our directory to compare local professionals based on their customer reviews.