Cost to Replace Roof Tiles

Want to know how much it costs to replace some roof tiles?

Whenever we have high winds in the UK, you can be sure that thousands of homeowners will have lost a few tiles.

In the following roof tiling guide, we break down what is involved in replacing roof tiles based on both labour and supply expenses, including roofer fees and individual roof tile costs.

On average, you can expect to pay a roof tile replacement cost of around £200.

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How Much to Replace Roof Tiles?

In total, it costs approximately £170 to replace five broken tiles assuming that there is no scaffold required or any access issues.

If a ladder is needed as well as a certain amount of cement bedding, to replace five tiles will set you back around £225. If scaffold is required and the tiles are difficult to find, a five-unit replacement could land around £500.

You may also be wondering how much does a new roof cost? If you’d like to have the entire roof retiled, the cost of a new roof is about £10,000 or more!

There are various factors which can influence the overall cost. For instance, the number, size and type of roof tile will significantly impact the supply cost, which in turn will shape the overall cost.

Other important factors include where you live in the UK, how easy it is to access your roof and the nature of your roof. So for a variety of reasons related to the supply and labour costs, the price of replacing roof tiles can fluctuate.

Replacement Roof Tile Prices

Supply Only Costs

As mentioned in the previous section, the type of roof tile used will come at a different cost. For instance, clay tiles tend to cost between £0.60 and £2 per unit.

Concrete roof tiles, on the other hand, generally cost around £0.90 to £3 per tile. For slate roof tiles, you’ll need to budget for between £0.80 to £2.80 per tile while the roof tiles price when it comes to Marley roof tiles is about £0.90 to £2 each.

Additional Costs

When having your roof tiles replaced, there is various tasks you may wish to have undertaken. Let’s take a look at how much these jobs might cost.

Render House Exterior

To have your home rendered can cost from a little over £2000 to as much as £8000 or more. On average, it costs about £4000.

The price ultimately depends on the size of your home, how complicated the work is and the methods used. For instance, it will cost significantly less to have a small bungalow rendered than it would for a large detached house.

Another vital factor to consider is the materials used and the specific rendering process employed. Another essential factor is the final process quality.

You can save money by performing the job DIY vs hiring a qualified contractor to spend a bit more for the highest quality job. While everyone likes saving money, generally, it is better to hire a professional for a less stressful and higher quality experience.

Painting House Exterior

It is estimated to cost about £850 on average to have the outside of a two-storey three-bedroom house painted in the UK.

Of course, this is an approximation, and a variety of factors can influence the actual cost you’ll face. Such factors include the design and size of your home, the daily/hourly rates of the painter and the materials being used.

When you hire a professional painter, you’ll generally be paying for the cost of all the supplies and materials needed on top of their labour. It is often necessary to have scaffolding erected prior to having the outside of your house painted.

You will find that in some cases a smaller company will charge with a lower rate to perform this work compared with a large painting organisation.

It’s often overlooked as a cost factor that where you live will determine the price of any tradesperson job. On the one hand, if you live in a costly city like London, you’ll probably face higher rates for their work than if you live in the north of England.

A painter and decorator will probably make suggestions as to the best materials and highest quality paints that could be used on the project.

Scaffolding Hire

It may be necessary to hire scaffolding for having roof tiles replaced. For the average home in the UK, it will cost about £4500 to hire scaffolding.

It is now a legal requirement that tradespersons use platforms or scaffolding for access purposes if working from a height. While ladders may be used for short jobs, in the case of prolonged work from a height, ladders are now discouraged via legislative avenues.

For plenty of jobs, like chimney restoration, roofing work, painting outside on upper levels of a building and so on, scaffold will be necessary.

In the majority of cases, homeowners don’t actually need to contact a scaffolding company themselves. However, if you need to hire scaffolding yourself, then you must get a reputable and professional company.

You can use the free service on this website to help connect with reliable and local tradespeople. This will allow you to compare prices and find the right person/company for you!

Solar Roof Tiles

You may wish to have some solar roof tiles added to the top of your home. To have 1KW solar tiles added to a roof, you’re probably looking at paying around £10,000.

In the case of 2KW solar tiles, the price rises to approximately £12,000. You can expect to pay a total somewhere close to £14,000 for 3KW solar tiles or £16,000 in the case of 4KW solar tiles.

Solar panels have become an increasingly common sight on the roofs of homes across the UK in recent years as solar energy has developed and prices have come down drastically.

Now, you can even purchase solar roof tiles! Despite not being as obstructive as solar panels, they are more costly and not as efficient. However, they are still gaining more popularity across the UK. They are very durable, having more than three times the strength of regular roof tiles.

You can use the free service on our website to post the details of the job you’re looking to have completed with your contact details for help in finding the right person/company for the job!

Roof Cleaning

To have your roof cleaned and treated could cost around £900, although the price will vary based on a range of different factors.

For instance, the accessibility of the roof and the size of the roof will help determine the price a roof cleaner will set. You should also anticipate the cost to be less if you need both a treatment and clean undertaken at the same time.

In terms of individual tasks, to have your roof moss treated you’ll need to pay around £5 per m² to £12 per m². The cost of having a roof pressured washed is about £10 per m² to £15 per m².

Repairing & Replacing Roof Joists

You may require that roof joists be repaired or replaced. These are structural beams, generally wooden that run horizontally and are used to support the roof and connect opposing walls. It’s not unusual for the joists to weather and rot with time to the point that work will be needed to fix them or that they will need to be replaced entirely.

On average, it costs about £250 to £500 per beam for repair work on roof joists to be undertaken. This assumes that you have a three-bedroom house. In the majority of cases, you’ll need the help of a roofing specialist or carpenter.

To have an entire roof replaced can cost between £2500 and £4000 on average. The structural engineer or roofer who you hire will probably offer one of three different options; with the use of specialist repair plates, the replacement of the full joist and truss or repairing beams with the help of timber resin-based materials.

Labour Costs and Timescales

The labour cost of replacing roof tiles will range significantly depending on the extent of the work. To have five roof tiles replaced could cost between £150 and £400 in labour costs depending on factors such as if scaffold is needed and how accessible the roof is. To replace an entire tiled roof could come with a total labour fee of approximately £2000!

The labour cost is included in the overall price. In the UK, a roofer tends to charge between £18 and £25 per day although this will really depend on where you live in the country.

If you need about 5-10 roof tiles replaced, the setup of scaffold and other equipment may take 2-3 hours while the replacement work itself will also likely take 2-3 hours or perhaps a bit more. To take down the materials/equipment and tidy up, a roofer may take another hour or so.

For more extensive work, the replacement of roof tiles could take days or even 1-2 weeks. To replace a fully tiled roof will generally involve about a fortnight of work. The length of the job will also depend on how easy the roof is to reach and the nature of the weather at the time. The labour and time scale can also be influenced by the size of the house and the type of roof shingles used.

Cost Factors of Replacing Roof Tiles

There are a variety of factors that determine how much it costs to replace roof tiles. In this section, we’ll take a look at each factor in more detail.

Location of Property

Where you live is an essential factor in the total cost because tradespersons/trade companies charge different rates throughout the country. As discussed earlier, tradespersons in a city such as London tend to charge a higher amount in labour costs than those in many other parts of England.

Ease of Access

How accessible is your house roof? This will also shape the total roof replacement cost or roof tile replacement cost (for several) in the case of your home. If it is a large property or especially difficult to reach, it may cost you more because of the length of the job but also because this means that a platform or scaffolding is more likely.

Size and Type of Roof Tiles

How large the roof tiles are the type used are also important aspects of the job price. Many roof tiles are generally 265mm x 165mm in size, but it is not uncommon to find tiles that are 600mm x 600mm or even 1200mm x 600mm. As for the type, slate, concrete, clay and Marley are among the most common ones used.

Number of Roof Tiles

Aside from the size and type of roof tiles, perhaps the most significant factor in the total price of a roof tile replacement job is the number of tiles that are being replaced. A small job may involve just 5-10 tiles being replaced while a larger job could involve 100s or even 1000s of roof tiles being replaced.

Scaffolding Hire

As already mentioned, if scaffolding is needed, this will bring up the overall cost of the job. In most cases, this will be required unless the job is particularly quick.

Cost of Replacing Roof Felt Under Tiles

If the roof felt is also in need of replacing, this will add to the total cost of having your roof tiles replaced. Of course, the type of roof felt being replaced is an additional factor to consider for the price tag.

What's Involved in Replacing Roof Tiles?

We’ll now take a look at what replacing roof tiles involve. The method needed can vary depending on the extent of the job, the nature of the property and the type of roof tiles used.

Step 1 - Setup

Firstly, a hired professional will need to prepare for the work. This is assuming that all of the materials and equipment have been sourced. In some cases, this will mean simply setting up a ladder, but it may involve setting up scaffolding. If the latter is needed, a contractor will first look for the perfect spot to set up that is stable and level. Then, they will assemble the scaffold frame.

This is before they can lay down the wooden planks. Then, the scaffold access is fixed to the structure. Finally, the tradesperson will add the guardrails. The contractor will then make any other necessary preparations such as attaching their harness.

Step 2 - Replacing the Tiles

For removing the old tiles, it’s necessary to slightly lift the tiles that overlap the ones being replaced. Two pieces of timber can be used to hold these shingles up. A roofer will then employ a brick trowel to pull up the tile that needs to be removed over the baton beneath. They can then slide it down and out to remove it.

The new tile should be placed onto the brick trowel. The steps needed to remove a tile should be reversed to fit the new tile in position. It’s important that the overlapping tiles are correctly and safely back in place.

It’s also essential that the new tile is in place properly and does not interfere with the tiles surrounding it. This process may be repeated for any other tiles that are in need of replacing.

Step 3 - Finishing Up

After this, the roofer will take down any platform, scaffold, equipment, etc. that was used as part of the job as well as tidying up. The old tiles will be disposed of in the process.

Can I Replace Roof Tiles Myself?

You can replace roof tiles as a DIY job, but you must know what is involved and take all of the necessary safety steps. If you are unsure of anything, then you should hire a professional!

Usually, no work of this nature will need to be signed off on unless the tasks will fundamentally alter the appearance of the roof, for instance.

There are many dangers involved in working at a height. For one, there is the risk of falling, and there are also dangers associated with removing tiles from a height as these could fall and crash down below.

Not only should you consider hiring scaffolding if you’re performing this work by yourself, but you should look at an appropriate harness to undertake the job safely.

What Type of Roof Tiles are There?

As alluded to earlier, there are differences between the various types of roof tiles available. In each of the following subsections, we will explain what each type is, how they’re made when they’re used as well as listing their pros and cons.

Clay Roof Tile Cost

These traditional roof tiles remain particularly popular to this day. They can add a beautiful finishing touch to the roof of any home. They are durable and environmentally friendly.

For the making of clay tiles, sand is added to the surface of the clay before the tile is moulded and pressed so that any excess clay may be removed using a wire. This ultimately involves baking moulded clay. Clay tiles are generally used regardless of the location due to their properties.

Pros:

✔ Durable

✔ Environmentally friendly

✔ Low maintenance

✔ Various styles available

Cons:

✖ Heavy

✖ Brittle

✖ Not easy to install

✖ Costly

Thatched Roof Tile Cost

These tiles are a great alternative to having an actual thatched roof installed. Having thatched roof tiles added is a cheap and fast approach compared to installing a new thatched roof.

These tiles are made with a combination of natural materials. These tiles are generally suitable for most homes although not if there are overhanging trees nearby which you are unwilling to trim back.

Pros:

✔ Great for insulation

✔ Unique and often appealing look

✔ Durable

✔ Environmentally friendly

✔ Ages well

Cons:

✖ May be a fire hazard

✖ Maintenance may be needed

✖ Overhanging trees should be trimmed

Concrete Roof Tile Cost

These roof tiles are a mixture of cement, sand and water. These tiles are created by moulding the materials mentioned above under high pressure and heat. Sometimes concrete likes are finished with a material similar to paint being added to their surface.

Concrete tiles feature extra waterlocks or interlocking ribs along its edges to prevent water seeping through. Due to their qualities, concrete roof tiles are suited to virtually any home.

Pros:

✔ Durable

✔ Require minimal maintenance

✔ Resistant to fire

✔ Versatility

Cons:

✖ Vulnerable to weathering

✖ Not entirely resistant to the wind

✖ Can break

✖ Heavy

Slate Roof Tile Cost

Slate roof tiles consist of metamorphic rocks which are taken from sedimentary-type rocks of volcanic clay and ash. Slate is usually a long-lasting product. Slate roofs are known as ‘hundred-year-old roofs’.

These tiles are fire-resistant, water-resistant, and durable, and each piece has a unique look due to it being a natural product. Slate tiles are often used for both interior and exterior uses.

Pros:

✔ Long-lasting

✔ Low maintenance

✔ Aesthetics

✔ Increases the value of a property

Cons:

✖ Heavy

✖ Expensive

Building Regulations & Planning Permission for Replacing Roof Tiles

There are various building regulations which apply to roof work. Thankfully though, planning permission is rarely needed for roof tiling. The relevant exceptions are if the work involves structural alterations, replacing or repairing 25% of the roof or more such as if the roof thermal insulation needs to be improved or the performance of the new covering will be substantially different should a fire occur.

You can read more information on building regulations and planning permission via the Planning Portal.

It costs about £100 to submit full plans for a building regulation application. In addition, it will set you back between £200 and £400 for any necessary inspections. You, a hired agent or a tradesperson, may apply for planning permission on your behalf.

It may take around eight weeks for planning permission to be approved. Planning Portal provides all of the information you’d need to access regarding planning permission guidelines.

Do My Roof Tiles Need Replacing?

There are many signs you should watch out for which suggest that your roof tiles need to be replaced.

Here are some signs you should look out for:

• Water damage
• The growth of moss and mould
• Light is coming through the roof
• Sagging or loose roof tiles
• Flashing is damaged
• Debris accumulating in the guttering
• Attic leaks
• Rotting underlay

Benefits of Replacing Roof Tiles

There are many advantages to replacing your roof tiles. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Structural Integrity

If the roof tiles of your home need repairing or replacing, installing new ones is important for the upkeep of the property. The structure itself could deteriorate and suffer damage over time if broken or damaged roof tiles are kept on the roof in such a condition. Having healthy and robust roof tiles is an essential part of roof maintenance.

Weatherproofing

Adding new roof tiles which are more weather-resistant can help with weatherproofing your roof. Beyond that, even if you have the same type and quality of roof tiles added as the replacements, new roof tiles will better be able to resist the elements than worn and damaged ones.

Appearance

Adding new roof tiles can give your roof and home as a whole a new lease of life! Roof tiles can discolour and fade with time so replacing them with new, fresh and colourful shingles is a great way to improve the aesthetics of your house.

Increase Value of Property

We mentioned earlier that slate roof tiles can bring up the value of your home. Indeed, any new roof tiles will likely help with this since the newer the roof tiles are and the fresher it looks, the more your property will be worth. This is because of the plethora of advantages that new, sturdy roof tiles offer.

Reduce Maintenance/Repair on Roof in the Future

By keeping on top of the strength and durability of your roof, you can reduce the need for maintenance and repair work in the future. By allowing aged and worn roof tiles to remain present, problems can accumulate with time.

As a result, replacing old roof shingles can really help in the long-term. This can, as a result, save you both time and money.

Stops Leaking

Broken, damaged or worn down roof tiles are more susceptible to water infiltration. As a consequence, by having new roof tiles added, it can prevent water leaks making it into your attic and other areas of the home.

Removing Roof Tiles Cost

You may wish to have roof tiles removed because you are having new ones installed or you want to have an alternative roof added such as that consisting of lightweight panels. Assuming about 2 hours of work to remove five roof tiles, you’ll probably be looking at a labour cost of £150 in total.

You can perform this work DIY, but you should once again consider what is needed and any necessary safety steps (e.g. wearing a safety harness).

Hiring Contractors to Replace Roof Tiles Checklist

Before hiring a professional contractor, there are a few points you’ll need to consider.

In terms of qualifications, roofers do not require specific certifications in this regard. While some may have qualifications like a Level 2 NVQ Diploma, most roofers learn on the job and have gained years of experience through practical work alone.

Ideally, you should find a contractor with plenty of previous and relevant experience and ones with good customer reviews. It’s even better if they are part of an accreditation.

FAQs

Sources

https://oregonroofguys.com/roofing-contractors/pros-cons-clay-tiles/
https://roof-stores.co.uk/clay-roof-tile-guide
https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/common_projects/47/roof/3
https://love.firerock.us/blog/pros-and-cons-of-a-slate-roof