New Roof Cost: Fao Thebuilder

[losgigs]

Wonder if the builder or anyone else involved in roofing would mind giving an 'average' cost of reroofing a 3-bedroom semi. I realise that without seeing the property it's quite a long shot, but have been quoted £10,000 (incl VAT) and feel this is pretty high. Any views please?

[jackthehat]

What materials/works are contained in the quote?

[paddywak]

I don't know for sure but it seems rather excessive, my mate had his done 3 bed room semi same as yours, old tiles removed new wood work liner and tiles last year,and I can't remember what he paid but it was a lot less then ten grand.

[The Builder]

I'll give it a shot. So that's roughly £8,300 plus tax.

Age of house - roughly?
What's on the roof now? Concrete tiles? Slates?
Good access for scaffolding ?
Chimneys?
Roof "joined up" to next door, or parapet wall?
Just one slope up the front, one slope at the rear, or hip (slopey bit) at the end?

[losgigs]

The house is mid 40's and has clay tiles at present. One chimney and no join between the 2 halves of the semis. Scaffolding has already been erected as initially the company were just going to do a repair for a leak, but now they have had a closer inspection, they are advising that entire roof is replaced. This made us slightly suspicious - why didn't they say this in the beginning? Are they just out to get bigger job? It's a large, well-established company though. Other houses in the are don't appear to have new rooves.

[losgigs]

Forgot to say there is a hip aswell.

[The Builder]

Full scaffolding... all 3 sides for a leak?

[losgigs]

No, so far they have just put scaffolding in the area where the leak was - near the hip. Your estimate of £8300 + tax was pretty close.

[marg14a]

That's far too much try a specialist roofer not general builders

[The Builder]

Lol .......... sorry... that wasn't my estimate. I was just converting your figure to one without tax.
I haven't worked it out yet :o)

[Mick-Talbot]

Sounds like they are taking the piss

[losgigs]

I realise that - was just agreeing that we were talking about the same total! Glad it gave you a laugh and thanks for giving your comments.

[The Builder]

With respect to the other posters...... it's essential to compare like with like.

Clay, "plain tiles"........ little ones approx 10.5" by 6"
Thousands of them. Time to lay them would be much longer than modern concrete tiles.
Leadwork around the chimney ....... not every semi has a chimney. This area is vulnerable and time must be spent on it.
Much more battening than other types of roof.
No link to next door therefore lead soakers up and down the parapet wall (important and time consuming)
Tile cutting on the hip takes time.

Proper clay "Rosemary" tiles are expensive. Are they replacing them, or re-nailing?
My guess is they are re-nailing. If a total replacement, then you have got a very good price indeed :o)
Lots of tiles will break. With plain tiles, lots will already be broken. They would have included for making up the shortfall.

Have I got it about right so far los? Before I think about figuring out the estimate?

[Mick-Talbot]

Who is laughing?


Scaffolding has already been erected as initially the company were just going to do a repair for a leak, but



I am basing it on that sentence.

[Mick-Talbot]

oops, you mean the builders 'lol' ?

[losgigs]

Sorry not to have all details to hand, but think they would be replacing old smaller tiles with new larger ones. Can't be more precise afraid. The property is actually my Mother's not ours, but we have to oversee all the work as she can't do so herself. Not even in the same town as us, just to complicate matters.

[losgigs]

Don't worry, Mick.Yes I was referring to the builder's comment. :)

[Mick-Talbot]

Now I am even more convinced.

How much scaffold has been erected ....for a leak?

[Mick-Talbot]

I think a more important question than the cost is ...........does the work actually need doing?

[losgigs]

Precisely what we thought, Mick. That's why we will be getting another couple of qoutes tomorrow. Just wondered what the views of any experts (or anybody's) were on AB.

[jackthehat]

The thing is, that even a 'reasonable' quote can start to spiral upwards......

You need to establish just what works are actually necessary, in the first place.