How Roofing Quotes Work in Ireland
What a proper written quote covers, what the red flags are, and why ours lands within 48 hours
What a proper written quote covers, what the red flags are, and why ours lands within 48 hours
Most of the trust problems in Irish roofing start at the quote stage. A number given verbally after a five-minute look from the footpath is not a quote, it is a guess, and guesses are what move once the scaffolding is up.
A proper written quote has seven things on it:
If any of those are missing, you do not have a quote. You have a sales pitch.
The single biggest difference between a scoped quote and a guessed one is the attic inspection. From the outside, two 1980s concrete-tile roofs can look identical. Inside the attic, one has sound battens and dry felt, and the other has nail-sickness, torn sarking and water tracks down the gable wall. That gap can be several thousand euros on the same visible roof, and an external-only inspection cannot tell them apart.
An external inspection cannot see whether the battens underneath are the original softwood, now 40 or more years old and brittle, or whether a previous owner has already re-battened. It cannot trace where water has actually travelled, only where it is dripping. So the number that comes from an external-only look is really a guess dressed up as a quote, and the guess becomes a variation once work starts.
Every Recommended Roofing survey includes an attic inspection. That is why the written quote that follows is fixed, and why we are comfortable putting the price in writing before we start. The Blanchardstown case study shows the same principle on a full replacement: once the old covering came off, the battens and felt were in a condition that the external view gave no hint of.
A quote should land while the problem is still live in your head. If you had a storm on Sunday night and water stained a bedroom ceiling on Monday, you should not still be waiting for a written number the following week.
Our process:
If the job is complex, a protected structure in Cork city, a flat-roof build-up, a commercial EPDM job with deck replacement, we will say so on the day and give a realistic turnaround. What we will not do is leave you chasing.
“Really happy with service provided. They were extremely helpful and efficient from start to finish. An assessment and quote were provided the day after I first got in touch, and the repair was completed within a week. The issue and proposed solution were clearly explained, and I really appreciated that they recommended a proportionate repair rather than simply suggesting everything needed to be replaced. Very professional, straightforward and efficient service. Would definitely recommend!”Alice Daniels, Dublin, ★★★★★ on Google
After 2,000 or more projects since 2019, the warning signs repeat. Here are the ones worth knowing:
"Cash price, today only." A real contractor does not need you to decide at the kitchen table. Prices do not expire at midnight. VAT at 13.5% is a legal requirement, not a negotiating lever.
No VAT number on the quote. Every legitimate Irish roofing business has one. Ours is IE04393055LH, printed on every quote. If the paperwork you have been given carries no VAT number, you have no comeback.
Verbal only. "I'll do the whole roof for twelve grand" said in the driveway is worth exactly what it is written on.
"We'll sort the scaffolding when we get to it." Scaffolding is a known cost. It is either needed or it is not, and if it is, it should be itemised at quote stage, never added as a surprise once work has started.
The guarantee is "lifetime" with no detail. Lifetime of what? Covering which work? A genuine guarantee names the years and the scope. Ours is a minimum 3 years on repair work, up to 10 years on major repairs, and 10 years plus a Lifetime Leak Guarantee on every full roof replacement, stated in writing before contracts are signed.
Deposit demanded up front on a small job. For work under €10,000, no reputable Irish roofer should be asking for money before the job is done.
Won't show credentials. Ask any contractor for their CIRI registration, their insurance certificates and their VAT number. A roofer who hesitates is telling you something. We are members of the National Guild of Master Craftsmen, CIRI-registered, carry €6.5 million public liability and €13 million employer liability, and we actively encourage customers to check all of it before appointing us.
Every written quote we issue covers:
That last point is worth sitting on. On a €15,000 re-roof, you hold two-thirds of the money until the job is finished and you are happy with it. There are no stage payments in between.
Guarantees are only worth something when they are specific. Here is what ours say:
All three are handed over in writing before contracts are signed. They are automatic, not an upsell, not a registration, not something you have to ask for. Our crews are directly employed; we do not subcontract, so there is a clear line of accountability if anything ever needs to come back to us. You can read more at our reviews page and case studies.
These are the ranges we work to in 2026. Every number is indicative, the fixed figure comes after the survey and the attic inspection. VAT at 13.5% applies on top of all figures below.
Indicative 2026 price range, excluding VAT at 13.5%, in euro
| Job | Indicative range (excl. VAT) |
|---|---|
| Roof leak repair | €400, €2,500 |
| Emergency storm damage work | €1,500, €8,000 |
| Emergency securing or weatherproofing | €200, €800 |
| Full re-roof, concrete tile (3-bed semi) | €8,000, €18,000 |
| Full re-roof, natural slate (3-bed semi) | €12,000, €28,000 |
| EPDM or GRP flat roof | €90, €140 per m² |
The ranges are wide because roof area, pitch, chimney count, access and the condition of the structure underneath all move the price. Our price guide and roofing cost calculator are useful starting points before we come out. For roof repairs and smaller jobs, the quote is scoped the same way: attic inspection, written breakdown, fixed price.
The temptation is to line up three numbers and pick the lowest. Line up three quotes instead and check that they are quoting the same job.
Nine times out of ten, once you normalise three quotes to the same scope, the gap narrows dramatically, and the cheapest number turns out to have been cheapest because something was left out of the scope. Our guide to vetting a roofer in Cork and the equivalent for Dublin walk through this in more detail.
We provide free written quotes across Cork, Limerick, Galway and Dublin. Related guides by city:
To arrange a free, no-obligation written quote, get in touch here and we will be out within a few working days, with a written quote in your inbox within 48 hours of the visit. Cork customers can call us on 021 2040925, Limerick on 061 788600, Galway on 091 622895, and Dublin enquiries are handled through the contact page.
Yes, for any work we could carry out. A free, no-obligation written quote is standard practice and includes the site visit, the attic inspection, and the written breakdown emailed within 48 hours. A standalone pre-purchase or insurance inspection report is chargeable, because it is a different product.
A written quote should land within a few working days of the site visit at most. At Recommended Roofing, ours arrives within 48 hours. If a contractor is taking two weeks to produce a quote, they are either overloaded or not interested in the work, either way, it is a signal worth noting.
VAT at 13.5% is the reduced rate for most residential construction work in Ireland. Any legitimate quote shows it as a separate line, and the VAT number of the contractor appears on the paperwork. If VAT is not mentioned at all, you are likely looking at an undeclared cash job, which also means no legal comeback if something goes wrong.
Only where scaffolding is actually needed, on very high buildings or on busy streets with heavy pedestrian traffic. Most jobs do not need it. Where it is needed, it should appear as a separate itemised line, never buried in the overall price. You are also entitled to source your own scaffolding if you can arrange it cheaper.
A specific one. At Recommended Roofing, repair work carries a minimum of 3 years, up to 10 years on major repairs. Replacement work carries a 10-year workmanship guarantee plus a Lifetime Leak Guarantee on every full roof replacement. All guarantees are handed over in writing before contracts are signed.
For a pitched-roof survey, someone needs to be home to allow access to the attic. For a flat-roof or commercial survey, external access is often sufficient if the roof is reachable safely.
Then we quote a repair. We will tell you honestly whether the roof needs a full replacement or whether a targeted repair will do the job, and we regularly recommend repairs on roofs we could have sold a replacement on. That is the point of the written breakdown: the recommendation is in the paperwork so you can see the reasoning.
For jobs under €10,000, no deposit is required, payment is on completion. For jobs of €10,000 or more, a 33% deposit is required up front, with the balance paid on completion. There are no stage payments in between.
Check that each quote covers the same scope: the same slate or tile type, the same membrane specification, and whether scaffolding and waste removal are included or excluded. A quote that looks cheaper is often cheaper because something has been left out.
At minimum: CIRI registration, a VAT number printed on the quote, and proof of public liability insurance. Recommended Roofing is CIRI-registered, carries €6.5 million public liability and €13 million employer liability, and is a member of the National Guild of Master Craftsmen. We encourage customers to check all of it before appointing us.
Indicative ranges for 2026: a roof leak repair runs from €400 to €2,500, and emergency storm damage work from €1,500 to €8,000. VAT at 13.5% applies on top. The exact figure depends on the cause, access requirements and how far water has already travelled. A free written quote after a site visit and attic inspection gives you the fixed number.
A properly scoped quote should not change. The reason we inspect the attic as well as the exterior before quoting is so that we can see the condition of the battens, felt and timbers before we put a number in writing. A quote produced from an external-only inspection is a guess, and guesses become variations once work begins.
Roof Repairs in Ireland. Free survey, written fixed-price quote, 10-year guarantee.