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How do you brief a roof replacement?
A roof replacement in Cheshire means the covering comes off and a new one goes on, and the brief should say which roof, which material and who is dealing with approval. This guide is the briefing, not a method for doing the work.
Last reviewed:What are you actually replacing?
Roof replacement, in the sense of this guide, is a new covering on an existing roof. It is not a repair of one slipped slate, and it is not the roof of a new extension, which is a new structure. The Planning Portal's re-roofing page says that after a period of time the roof on existing buildings will need to be replaced, and that in most situations this work will need building regulations approval [S1].
The houses this guide starts from are in Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach. Anyone in the UK can post a job.
Which material, and will it weigh the same?
If the existing covering is replaced with a different material, for example slate to tiles, the Planning Portal says approval under the building regulations is likely, to check structural stability where the replacement is significantly heavier or lighter, and to meet fire safety and energy efficiency [S1]. It says that if the new covering is significantly heavier or lighter, the structure may need modifying or strengthening, and you are advised to check with a structural engineer or surveyor before commencing [S1].
As a roof is a thermal element, the work to re-cover should also include improving the thermal insulation [S1]. On a flat roof, if the roof with integral insulation is replaced, you may be required to upgrade that thermal element [S1]. Say whether your roof is pitched or flat, because those sentences are not interchangeable.
Where the percentage tests sit
A separate Planning Portal page says you will not normally need a building control application to repair or re-cover a pitched or flat roof when less than 25 per cent of the building envelope and less than 50 per cent of the roof are affected [S2]. You will need approval if you exceed those limits, if you make structural alterations, if the new covering behaves very differently in a fire, or if it increases the weight of the covering by 15 per cent or more [S2]. A whole-roof replacement is the case to describe to building control rather than to assume it sits under those limits.
GOV.UK lists replacing roof coverings on pitched and flat roofs among works that can need building regulations approval, which is different from planning permission, and you might need both [S3]. You do not arrange the approval yourself if you use someone registered with a competent person scheme [S3]. NFRC says its scheme in England and Wales applies where more than 50 per cent of the roof area is replaced, and that membership is voluntary [S4].
GOV.UK: find your local council for building control. QuoteZila is not affiliated with this organisation.
Planning permission: the Planning Portal says work to the roof of a house, for example re-roofing, that does not materially affect its external appearance will usually not require planning permission [S5]. The Class C limits it then sets, including not projecting more than 150 millimetres from the plane of the existing roof slope, are about alterations such as rooflights, and enlargement of the roof is a different class [S5]. A straight re-cover that looks the same is the appearance test [S5]. A house containing a flat is outside the allowances that page describes [S5].
What the roofer's paper should contain
Citizens Advice says some traders charge for quotes, so ask first, and to get written quotes from at least 3 traders [S6]. A quote is a fixed price and an estimate is a rough guess [S6]. NFRC says to invite up to three contractors and not to choose only because a figure is the lowest, and that a refurbishment estimate can change once the covering is off and the sub-structure is seen [S4]. It recommends an insurance-backed guarantee [S4].
HSE says sloping roofs require scaffolding so people and materials do not fall from the edge, with edge protection at the eaves of a terrace, at the rear and the front [S7]. Where the work is short, measured in minutes, properly secured ladders and proper roof ladders may be used [S7]. Flat roof edges can use a secure double guardrail and toeboard [S7]. All roofs should be treated as fragile until a competent person confirms they are not [S7]. Put the access in the quote. This guide does not tell you to remove a tile.
HSE: work at height. QuoteZila is not affiliated with this organisation.
If a deposit cannot be avoided, Citizens Advice says not to agree to more than 25% [S6]. VAT registration starts when taxable turnover goes over £90,000 in the last 12 months, or is expected to within 30 days [S8].
| Ask them to write | So you can compare |
|---|---|
| Pitched or flat | The approval route differs [S1] |
| Material | Same as existing, or a change of weight [S1] |
| Insulation | Included in the re-cover [S1] |
| Area | Whole roof or a defined part, against the limits [S2] |
| Access | Scaffold or another arrangement [S7] |
| Sub-structure | What happens if timber is soft [S4] |
| VAT | Included or not [S8] |
Jobs you might post
These are examples, not taken from real job posts.
- Concrete tiles on a two-storey pitched roof, many slipped, you want the covering replaced like for like. Ask who notifies building control. Photos from the ground only.
- Flat felt roof over a rear extension, you want it replaced and you want them to say whether insulation is upgraded [S1].
- You are considering a lighter sheet instead of slates. Ask them to involve a structural engineer before they price the strip [S1].
Anyone in the UK can post or register. QuoteZila is a new, early-stage project, so replies depend on who has joined near you [QZ5]. Up to five matched local businesses can quote [QZ2]. QuoteZila is free for customers and local businesses [QZ1].
Read HSE roof work and GOV.UK building regulations approval beside the quote.
This page is general information, not professional or legal advice. QuoteZila does not check Gas Safe, WaterSafe, NFRC, NICEIC or other registrations against the register on your behalf: look them up yourself.
Honest status: QuoteZila is new. We're starting in Cheshire, beginning with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach, and growing area by area. Anyone in the UK can still post a job or register a business. How fast you get quotes depends on how many local businesses have joined near you. Businesses can register and receive jobs straight away. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire.
Posting a job is not open yet
Roofers and builders are the trades. Scaffolders if access is separate. A leak that may only be a repair is the roof repair cost guide. A new roof on an extension is a different brief: roof installation. All services.
Questions about replacing a roof
Is a replacement the same as a repair?
No. A repair leaves most of the covering in place. A replacement takes the covering off. The Planning Portal says that after a time an existing roof will need to be replaced, and that in most situations that work needs building regulations approval. Some repairs do not need an application. Say which you think you are buying.
Does the new covering have to match the old one?
If you change the material, for example slate to tiles, the Planning Portal says approval is likely, so the roof is checked for structural stability where the new covering is significantly heavier or lighter, and for fire safety and energy efficiency. Ask a structural engineer or surveyor before the work starts if the weight will change a lot. This page does not tell you to calculate that weight.
What about planning permission?
The Planning Portal says re-roofing that does not materially affect the external appearance will usually not need planning permission. Building regulations are separate. GOV.UK says you might need both, and that replacing roof coverings on pitched and flat roofs is among the works that can need building regulations approval.
Who is allowed on the roof?
HSE says roof work must be done by trained competent people, and that sloping roofs need scaffolding so people and materials do not fall from the edge. All roofs should be treated as fragile until a competent person says they are not. This guide does not tell you to strip tiles.
Does QuoteZila check roofers?
No. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire. You can report a quote or a business from your job page.
Related trades
Cost guides
Related pages
- New Roof Installation: What the Quote Covers. Installing a new roof in Cheshire, such as on an extension, is a structural design. This guide says what the quote must cover. It is not a building method.
- Bathroom Installation: What to Settle First. Installing a bathroom in Cheshire is usually not a planning application unless it is part of an extension. The fan and electrics still need a line.
Sources
- QZ1: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila pricing line.
- QZ2: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila FAQ.
- QZ5: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila home callout.
- S1: Building regulations: Re-roofing, Planning Portal. Accessed 2026-10-28. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/roof/building-regulations-re-roofing
- S2: Work to an existing roof, Planning Portal. Accessed 2026-10-28. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/roof/building-regulations-work-to-an-existing-roof/
- S3: Building regulations approval, GOV.UK. Accessed 2026-10-28. https://www.gov.uk/building-regulations-approval
- S4: Choosing a roofing contractor: homeowners, National Federation of Roofing Contractors. Accessed 2026-10-28. https://www.nfrc.co.uk/find-a-member/choosing-a-roofing-contractor/homeowners.html
- S5: Roof - Planning Permission, Planning Portal. Accessed 2026-10-28. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/roof/roof-planning-permission
- S6: Before you get work done on your home, Citizens Advice. Accessed 2026-10-28. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/before-you-get-building-work-done/
- S7: Roof work, Health and Safety Executive. Accessed 2026-10-28. https://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/safetytopics/roofwork.htm
- S8: When to register for VAT, GOV.UK. Accessed 2026-10-28. https://www.gov.uk/register-for-vat