What to check, what to ask, and the red flags that save you from rogue traders. Written by roofers — against our own interest.
NFRC registration. The National Federation of Roofing Contractors is the industry body that vets members for competence, insurance, and trading standards. Check any claimed registration at nfrc.co.uk — it takes 30 seconds. We're registered and happy to have it verified.
Public liability insurance. Minimum £2m — we carry £5m. Ask to see the certificate, not just a claim that they're insured. If a roofer damages your property or a third party during work, their insurance pays. Without it, you pay.
Written, itemised quote. Not a verbal price, not a text message, not "about £3,000." A proper quote lists every element: scaffold, materials by type, labour, waste disposal, VAT status. The total is fixed — no extras unless you approve additional work in writing during the job.
Written guarantee. "We guarantee our work" means nothing without a document specifying what's covered, for how long, and what happens when something fails. Our 10-year guarantee is a written document that covers workmanship failure, transfers with the property, and is backed by our continuous trading presence since 2005.
Door knockers. "We were working next door and noticed your roof." Legitimate roofers don't cold-call — they're too busy with referrals and scheduled work. The door knocker wants cash before you think, check, or get a second opinion.
Cash-only demands. No invoice, no guarantee, no recourse. If it fails, they've vanished.
Pressure tactics. "This needs doing today or your roof will collapse." Nothing on a roof deteriorates so fast that you can't take 48 hours to get a second opinion. Fear-based selling is the hallmark of scam operators.
Price dramatically below competitors. Either they'll cut corners on materials and specification, or they'll "discover" problems mid-job that inflate the bill far beyond the original quote.
No fixed address or landline. A legitimate roofing business has premises, a phone number that stays the same, and a website with real information. Mobile-only operators are harder to trace when things go wrong.
Are you NFRC registered — and what's your membership number? What insurance do you carry — can I see the certificate? Will the quote be written and itemised? What fixings do you use — galvanised or stainless? What mortar specification for my chimney — lime or cement? Is scaffold included or extra? What guarantee do you offer — is it written? Can you provide references from work in my area? A legitimate roofer answers all of these without hesitation. Evasion on any point is a red flag.
Get at least two written quotes from NFRC-registered roofers. Compare line by line, not just the total. Check what each quote includes — a lower headline price with exclusions often costs more than a higher all-inclusive price. We include everything in our quotes: scaffold, materials, labour, waste disposal, and VAT. The price we quote is the price you pay.
If you have a dispute with a roofer in York, contact North Yorkshire Trading Standards. For NFRC members, the federation operates a complaints procedure and can mediate disputes. This is one of the tangible benefits of using an NFRC-registered contractor — there's an independent body to turn to if things go wrong.
It's genuinely against our commercial interest to help you evaluate roofers — including us. But rogue traders damage the reputation of the entire trade, and every homeowner who gets burned by a cowboy is a homeowner who distrusts all roofers afterward. By helping you identify the legitimate operators, we raise the bar for everyone — including ourselves. If you apply every check on this page to us, we pass. That's the point.
Honest advice from a local York roofer. No call-out fee.
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