The short answer
It depends on the fault, the access and the roof, so the only reliable figure is a written total after a survey. As a national guide, Checkatrade's October 2026 table gives £170 to £500 for replacing as many as five slipped or broken tiles, and its June 2026 table gives £280 to £360 a day for a roofer. Scaffold and VAT can move the total, and a temporary make-safe is a different job from the lasting repair that follows it.
Typical UK price ranges for urgent roof work, the factors that raise or lower the total, and the questions that stop surprises.
A make-safe and a repair are two jobs
Urgent roof work often has two parts. The make-safe stops water coming in: a cover over the damaged area, a temporary seal, a slipped tile put back. The repair then removes the cause. They may happen on one visit if the fault is simple, or on two if materials, access or dry weather are needed. Our page on what a roof make-safe is describes the first stage.
A make-safe is priced as a total once the roofer has seen the roof, because it depends on how high it is, how much has to be covered, whether ladders are enough, and how much debris has to be cleared. No single price suits every house, and be wary of anyone who quotes a fixed figure over the phone without seeing the roof.
The lasting repair is quoted in the same way, as a single written total. If the make-safe was done on the first visit, ask whether any of it can be reused or whether it will be taken off. Keep every receipt and photograph. If you are claiming on insurance, tell the insurer before the lasting work, as our answer on choosing your own roofer for a claim explains.
Typical UK ranges for common urgent repairs
The figures below come from national cost guides and are not Crown prices, and none of them allows for what a survey might uncover. Checkatrade's October 2026 table shows £170 to £500 when up to five tiles have slipped or broken: about £170 for a simple job, around £225 with ladder access and bedding, and around £500 where scaffold is needed.
Its June 2026 repair table lists lead flashing repair at £50 to £70 per metre, stepped flashing at £80 to £120 per metre, and dry ridge repair at £50 to £70 per metre. Roof repair by area runs from £90 to £120 per square metre for concrete tile up to £150 to £220 for natural slate, up to 3 square metres, excluding VAT. Chimney repairs, April 2026, run from £250 to £1,000 for flashing, £300 to £1,000 for repointing and £180 to £520 for a cap. A Velux repair, July 2026, is £165 to £1,050.
Checkatrade's June 2026 figure for a roofer's time is £35 to £45 per hour or £280 to £360 per day. Treat all of these as a yardstick, since your roof, your access and the exact fault set the real price.
What moves the total
Access is usually the biggest variable. Checkatrade's October 2026 tile table starts at £170 for an easy job and reaches £500 where scaffold is needed, so on a small repair the access can outweigh the roof work itself. Poles standing on the public highway need a licence issued by the highway authority; ask who applies for it, since we arrange this together with the scaffolder. Our page on emergency scaffolding for roof repair covers this.
The material matters. A concrete tile is cheaper than natural slate, and a discontinued profile can mean sourcing reclaimed tiles. The extent of hidden damage matters too: rotten battens, torn underlay or a soaked deck turn a simple tile swap into a patch repair. Weather can add a return visit if mortar or membrane has to wait for a dry day.
The time of the call is a further factor, since an out-of-hours visit usually costs more than a planned one. Ask about any call-out fee at the start, and what it covers.
Getting a price you can compare
Citizens Advice advises collecting three or more quotes in writing. In an emergency that may be out of reach for the make-safe, but it is possible for the lasting repair once the water is held back. Ask each roofer for a written total, a plain statement of what is being repaired, and a yes or no on VAT and scaffold. Checkatrade's repair table is shown excluding VAT, so a quote that omits it will rise by 20 per cent once it is added.
Be cautious about pressure. A roofer who insists on a large payment up front, will not put a price on paper, or says everything must be replaced without showing you the fault, deserves a second opinion. Ask for pictures taken on your roof, so that the fault is something you have seen for yourself.
We survey first, then hand over the figure in writing before any work starts. Send us pictures of the damage, the type of covering and the height of the house, and we will say which parts of the roof the survey checks first. For more on how repairs are priced, see emergency and general roof repairs.
More on this in Emergency & General Roof Repairs in Crawley
Two more price questions
Is an emergency repair always dearer than a planned one?
Not always, but an out-of-hours visit, a rush for materials or scaffold at short notice can add to the total. A simple tile or ridge fix is often the same job whenever it is done. Ask whether the price is for the make-safe only or the lasting repair, and what could change it once the roof is open.
Should I pay a deposit for an urgent roof repair?
Be wary of large payments before any work. For a small make-safe, paying on completion is normal. For bigger repairs needing materials, agree what any deposit covers, get it in writing and keep the receipt. Citizens Advice advises checking a trader's references and being careful with anyone who only gives a mobile number.