Planning a repair or a full re-roof in Worthing? 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.
Describe your roofing job and request quotes from roofers. Add the roof type, access notes and any visible damage so prices cover labour, materials and any making good. Describe the job and get quotes to compare availability and approach.
This checklist covers the main factors that affect scope and price.
Typical guide prices (ballpark):
Prices below are adjusted for the South East 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.
GOOD TO KNOW
Cost depends on roof size and pitch (steeper roofs need more scaffolding and take longer), the material (slate costs more than concrete tile), access, and whether the existing roof structure (timbers, felt) needs work too, not just the visible covering. A straightforward repair is quick; a full re-roof including scaffolding commonly takes 1-3 weeks.
GOOD TO KNOW
Older roofs often used bituminous felt underneath the tiles, which can perish and needs replacing during a re-roof; modern breathable membrane lasts longer and manages moisture better. If you're having a full re-roof, this underlay is worth confirming as part of the spec, not just the visible tiles.
GOOD TO KNOW
Natural slate is durable and often required on period or listed properties for appearance reasons, but costs more than concrete or clay tile. Metal (zinc) roofing suits modern extensions and flat/low-pitch areas. The right material often depends as much on the property's style and any planning restrictions as personal preference.
GOOD TO KNOW
A south-facing roof slope generally gets the most useful sun for solar panels, though east/west-facing roofs can still work reasonably well. A roofer or solar installer assessing suitability will look at pitch, orientation, shading from nearby trees or buildings, and roof structural capacity together.
RULES & STANDARDS
The National Federation of Roofing Contractors is the largest UK roofing trade body, representing over 60% of the industry. NFRC members are vetted on technical competence and financial standing, and some offer an insurance-backed guarantee on top of their own workmanship guarantee — worth asking whether this applies to your quote.
QUALITY & GUARANTEES
A proper quote should specify materials (tile type, felt/underlay grade), whether scaffolding is included or separate, what happens to existing timbers if they're found to be rotten once work starts, and the guarantee length on both materials and workmanship.
RULES & STANDARDS
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.
WORKMANSHIP STANDARDS
Ask for photos of the completed work (roofers can see angles you can't from the ground) and keep any guarantee paperwork with your house documents. It's worth a visual check from the ground after the first heavy rain to confirm guttering is draining properly.
AREA GUIDE
Worthing developed as a Regency and Victorian seaside resort, and much of its seafront still reflects that era of purpose-built holiday architecture. Victorian and Edwardian terraces along and near the front sit alongside inter-war suburban housing and post-war estates further inland. Seafront properties face the same coastal weather exposure common to English resort towns, which can affect exterior materials more than equivalent inland housing. Worthing's inland suburbs, built later and further from the coast, are generally more conventional to work on than the older seafront terraces.
Worthing’s seafront terraces and inland housing present distinct roofing challenges. Historic Regency and Victorian roofs on the seafront typically use slate or clay tiles with traditional lead flashings around chimneys and valley gutters — coastal exposure accelerates weathering, so older flashing, slates and chimney detail often need matching and careful leadwork repairs. Inland inter‑war and post‑war roofs are likelier to be tiled or have flat‑roof extensions; these tend to require modern felt, EPDM or GRP solutions rather than traditional materials. Roofing work often needs scaffolding or tower access, especially for the higher, ornate Victorian cornices and chimneys found on the seafront.
Choosing a roofer with NFRC membership or accredited through the Competent Roofer scheme gives assurance on standards and insurance-backed guarantees. When dealing with older terraces expect the roofer to survey for matching slates/tiles and oversized or corroded fixings, and to factor in extra time for accessing parade‑front properties where parking and scaffold plats are constrained. Ask potential contractors for examples of slate/lead repairs, confirmation of their NFRC/Competent Roofer status and a clear plan for scaffold placement and waste removal, particularly for seafront jobs where tidal weather can influence scheduling.
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