How long is a new roof guaranteed for? What a roof guarantee should cover

There's no legal minimum, so it depends on the roofer and the job. A full roof replacement should come with a written workmanship guarantee lasting years, not months, plus separate manufacturer warranties on the materials. Ours is a 10-year workmanship guarantee with insurance backing on full roof replacements. Repairs are different: they carry a shorter warranty, because the rest of the roof isn't new.

Three different promises

• The workmanship guarantee is the roofer's promise that the roof was fitted properly. It matters most, because roofs rarely fail because a tile was faulty. They fail at the details of how it was laid: the valleys, the flashings, the ridge and the verges
• The manufacturer warranty covers the materials themselves, such as the tiles, the membrane or the dry-fix ridge system. It's backed by the maker, under the maker's own terms
• Insurance backing protects the workmanship guarantee if the roofer stops trading. Without it, a guarantee is only as good as the company that gave it

Two roofers can both say "10-year guarantee" and mean very different things. Ask which of the three you're actually getting, and get it in writing.

What we give

• Full roof replacements: a 10-year workmanship guarantee with insurance backing
• Other installations and repairs: the guarantee or warranty is stated in your written quotation, so you know exactly what applies before you agree to the work
• Manufacturer warranties apply under the manufacturer's own terms
• On re-roofs, your deposit is protected through our IWA (Independent Warranty Association) membership

Flat roofs have their own wrinkles, especially the "20-year guarantee" headline. Our flat roof guide covers those.

Why repairs carry a shorter warranty

A repair fixes one part of an older roof. The roofer can stand behind the work they did, but not behind the tiles, felt and battens around it that they didn't replace. A short warranty on a repair is normal. Be wary of a long guarantee on a patch repair: it can't realistically cover the roof around it.

The paperwork to keep

• The written quote, showing exactly what was included
• The guarantee certificate, naming who backs it and for how long
• Manufacturer warranty documents, where they're issued
• The building regulations compliance certificate. Replacing more than 25% of a roof covering in England has to comply with building regulations, and a roofer registered with a competent person scheme such as NFRC CPS can self-certify the work

Keep them together. A buyer's solicitor will ask for them when you sell, and a missing building regulations certificate is the one that causes trouble.

Questions to ask before you sign

• How long is the workmanship guarantee, and will I get it in writing?
• Who backs it if your company stops trading?
• Which manufacturer warranties apply, and what do I need to do to keep them valid?
• What does a repair warranty cover, and for how long?
• Will you issue a building regulations compliance certificate?