Roofing is one of the highest-value maintenance decisions a homeowner makes, and the consequences of choosing poorly — substandard work, failed guarantees, or overpriced contracts — are expensive to remedy. This guide sets out what to look for in an Exeter roofer, what questions to ask, and the warning signs that should cause you to look elsewhere.
To choose a roofer in Exeter, check for NFRC or trade body membership, a written itemised quote specifying materials and fixings, public liability insurance, and a workmanship guarantee. Avoid doorstep traders and any contractor unwilling to provide a proper survey before quoting.
Two things should be confirmed before you agree any roofing work in Exeter.
NFRC Registration: The National Federation of Roofing Contractors requires its members to demonstrate competence, carry appropriate insurance, and operate to recognised industry standards. NFRC membership is verifiable online. It is not a guarantee of quality but it is a meaningful baseline check that distinguishes contractors who have submitted themselves to external verification from those who have not.
Public liability insurance: £5 million is the industry standard. Ask any prospective Exeter roofer to provide evidence of insurance before work starts — a reputable contractor will provide this immediately. A contractor who cannot or will not provide insurance evidence should not be on your roof.
Both of these are ask-before-you-ask, not negotiables. A roofer who pushes back on either request has told you something important.
Getting three quotes for roofing work in Exeter is sound advice, but only if you understand what you are comparing. Three quotes that are not based on identical specifications are not comparable — they are three different jobs at three different prices.
Consumer protection under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires that services be carried out with reasonable care and skill, giving homeowners recourse against substandard roofing work.
Source: Consumer Rights Act 2015
A properly specified quote for a re-roof or significant repair should include: the tile or material specification (not just ‘like-for-like’); the fixing specification (stainless nails, type and gauge); whether battens are included or replacement-as-required; the lead code for any flashing work; the access method (scaffold or tower); waste disposal; and the guarantee period and what it covers.
When comparing three quotes on a Devon re-roof, the cheapest is almost never the best value if the specification is vague. The cheapest concrete tile on smooth galvanised nails with a five-year guarantee is a genuinely different product from modern clay tile on stainless ring-shank fixings with a ten-year written guarantee — and the price difference over a 20-year horizon is not in the cheap quote’s favour.
No reputable roofer quotes a significant job without a proper survey. A survey should involve the roofer going onto the roof, not just looking from the ground or from a ladder on the eaves.
For a re-roof, the survey should assess: the deck and batten condition; nail condition on the existing tile; underlay condition and whether it is a secondary waterproofing barrier or has failed; the chimney stack and flashing condition; valley condition; and the state of the gutters and fascias that will receive the new covering.
For a repair, the survey should identify the actual cause of the reported problem and check for related issues in the adjacent roof area. The presenting symptom — a ceiling stain after rain — can have multiple causes, and a one-look-at-the-obvious-tile diagnosis is not a survey.
A survey that takes less than 15–20 minutes for a standard Devon 3-bed semi has not covered the ground. A survey that produces a written condition report is a survey that has been taken seriously.
We are NFRC registered, carry £5m public liability insurance, and provide written fixed-price quotes with 10-year workmanship guarantees. Free survey, no call-out fee. Call 01392 759 295.
📞 Call 01392 759 295These are the warning signs that should cause you to stop the conversation and call someone else.
Unsolicited door-knock with an ‘urgent’ problem: Storm chasers who knock on doors claiming to have spotted urgent roof damage while working in the area are among the most consistent sources of roofing complaints in Devon. The urgency is manufactured. A genuine issue can be verified by your own independent survey before any work is agreed.
Large deposit demanded before work starts: A materials deposit of 20–30% is normal for large jobs. A request for 50%+ of the job value before any work starts is not.
No written quote: Any job over £500 should be quoted in writing with a clear scope. A verbal agreement on a roofing job leaves you with no recourse if the work changes or the bill arrives different from the conversation.
Unable to provide insurance documentation: If requested and not provided within 24 hours, assume it does not exist.
Pressure to sign same-day: Legitimate roofers are not going to lose the work if you take 24 hours to read the quote properly.
‘Can you provide evidence of your public liability insurance?’ The answer should be immediate and yes.
‘Are you NFRC registered?’ Verifiable at nfrc.co.uk.
‘What is the tile specification and fixing specification?’ The answer should name the tile product and confirm stainless fixings.
‘Are battens included in the re-roof?’ The answer should state what is and is not included, based on the survey finding.
‘What is the guarantee period and what does it cover?’ The answer should specify the period and confirm a written document is issued on completion.
‘Who will be on the roof doing the work?’ The answer should confirm whether the surveyor’s own team carries out the work or whether it is subcontracted.
“Asked all the right questions. Insurance provided same day, NFRC confirmed, written quote with full specification. Job done to the standard promised. No surprises.”
“Had been quoted three times. These were the only ones who went onto the roof for the survey and provided a written condition report. The extra thoroughness justified the choice.”
“Unsolicited knock from another roofer claiming urgent work needed. Called these for a second opinion. Turned out to be minor and fixable. Good honest assessment.”
Check NFRC registration (verifiable at nfrc.co.uk), ask for insurance evidence before any work, require a written quote with full specification, and avoid anyone who pressures you to agree work same-day.
Yes, but only compare quotes based on identical specifications. A cheap quote with vague specification is not comparable to a detailed quote with named materials and fixing spec.
NFRC registration is the primary industry accreditation. Some roofers also hold manufacturer approvals for specific systems (GRP, EPDM). Public liability insurance of £5m is the standard.
For any job over £500, a written quote with clear scope is essential. It establishes what was agreed before work starts and provides recourse if the work or bill differs from the agreement.
20–30% materials deposit is normal for large jobs. Anything over 50% before work starts is above standard and carries risk.
The roofer should access the roof, assess deck, batten and fixing condition, check flashings and valleys, and produce a written condition report. A ground-level or eaves-only look is not a survey.
NFRC membership requires demonstrated competence, appropriate insurance and industry standards compliance. It is a meaningful baseline check, verifiable online, that distinguishes contractors who have submitted to external verification.
Local Devon roofers. Free survey, written quote, 10-year guarantee. We turn up when we say we will.
01392 759 295Last reviewed: 21 July 2026
📞 Call Now — Free Quote