Planning a repair or a full re-roof in Edinburgh? Roofers can fix slipped tiles, renew felt, replace leadwork and repair flat roofs. Share the property height, roof shape and any fragile areas so quotes include access equipment and safe working time. Include photos where possible.
Need a roofer? Provide the roof type, age if known and where the problem shows up to receive focused quotes. Describe your job and get quotes from roofers.
This checklist covers the main factors that affect scope and price.
Typical guide prices (ballpark):
Prices below are adjusted for the Scotland area, based on regional labour-cost data (ONS).
Costs can change with property size, access, condition and whether making good is needed.
Use this checklist when comparing and hiring for your job.
ROOFING KNOW-HOW
What you need to know to plan ahead, budget properly and hire the right Roofer.
SEASONAL CONSIDERATIONS
Roofers generally can't safely work in high winds, heavy rain, or icy conditions, so scheduled roofing jobs sometimes shift by a few days around bad weather — factor this into timing if you need work finished by a specific date, particularly in autumn/winter.
FREQUENTLY ASKED
"A few loose tiles are always urgent" — sometimes, but not always; a roofer can usually tell you if it can wait for a scheduled visit. "Moss means the roof needs replacing" — not necessarily, see roof cleaning above. "Flat roofs always leak eventually" — modern EPDM/rubber flat roofing lasts decades if properly installed.
INSURANCE & COVER
For a leak during a storm, contain the water inside (a bucket, moving belongings) rather than attempting a repair on a wet or high-wind roof yourself. Photograph any visible damage from the ground for an insurance claim before it's repaired. Tarping over a damaged section is a common temporary fix while a full repair is arranged.
USEFUL TO KNOW
Roofing has a higher-than-average rate of doorstep cold-calling scams (particularly after storms), so checking a roofer's trading history, a verifiable business address, and reviews referencing specific local jobs matters more here than for some other trades.
RULES & STANDARDS
Do I need planning permission for a new roof? Usually not for like-for-like replacement, but altering the roofline, adding a dormer, or working on a listed building often does. Do I need Building Regulations sign-off? Yes for most re-roofing work involving insulation changes — a competent roofer will handle or advise on this.
WORTH KNOWING
Even without individual listing, a property in a conservation area can have restrictions on visible roofing changes — different tile colours, added skylights on street-facing slopes, or replacing natural slate with a synthetic alternative. Check with your local planning authority before ordering materials.
REGULATIONS & SAFETY
First, check NFRC membership or equivalent trade body registration. Second, ask for photos of similar completed jobs, ideally local ones. Third, clarify what happens if underlying roof timbers turn out to need work once the old covering is removed — a very common mid-job discovery.
WORTH KNOWING
Flat roofs (felt, GRP fibreglass, or rubber/EPDM) typically need replacing more often than a pitched tiled roof, but repairs are usually quicker and cheaper. A flat roof extension on an older pitched-roof property is common and often uses a different material and roofer specialism than the main roof.
LOCAL AREA
Edinburgh's Old and New Towns sit within a UNESCO World Heritage boundary, and that status shapes what can and can't be changed on many buildings across the city. Georgian terraces and crescents dominate large parts of the centre, with sandstone tenements typical of the wider city, alongside inter-war suburbs and post-war housing further out. Stone stairs, shared closes and stringent conservation controls are routine here in a way they aren't in most UK cities, so permissions can take longer than the work itself. A job in the New Town is a genuinely different proposition to one in a 1960s estate on the edge of the city, even though both carry the same Edinburgh postcode area.
Roofing in Edinburgh is dominated by period materials and architectural detail: much of the central area features slate roofs, clay tiles and traditional lead flashings on chimneys and dormers, while estates built after the war are more likely to have felt or flat roofs on extensions. Working on a Georgian or sandstone tenement roof often requires matching reclaimed slate, careful leadwork and sensitive conservation of original chimney stacks; scaffolding and close‑controlled access through narrow closes are routine considerations.
Competent roofers carrying out re‑roofing or flashing repairs should be members of recognised schemes such as the NFRC or Competent Roofer to evidence standards of workmanship and insurance. For flat roof replacements on modern extensions, installers may propose EPDM, GRP or modern felt systems, but in conservation areas planners can be strict about visible profiles and materials. When hiring, choose roofers experienced with slate matching and historic leadwork if you live within the World Heritage boundary, and ask for proof of scheme membership and examples of similar conservation work. Expect a detailed access plan, scaffolding costs and an inspection of chimney condition before quotation.
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