Cost of Replacing Roof Tiles

Roof tiles can need replacing for a whole host of reasons. A heavy storm may have led your tiles to break or come loose. Maybe time has worn away the material and your tiles have simply reached the end of their lifespan. Or perhaps you’d just like to switch up aesthetics and create a different style for your property? Whatever the reason for replacement, it’s likely that the potential costs of the task ahead are one of the first thing’s you’ll consider.

Whilst you may already have a rough pricing estimate for the roof tiles themselves, it’s important not to forget all of the other costs that can come into a play for a project such as this. From professional installers to scaffolding, waste disposal to supply costs, there are a number of different factors to think about, all of which we’ll discuss in this article.

Factors That Can Influence the Cost of Replacing Roof Tiles

Scale of the Project

The first thing to weigh up is the scale of the replacement job itself. Are you completely renovating the entire roof? Or are you simply swapping out three or four tiles to patch up minor damage? As calculated by myjobquote.co.uk, the replacement of five standard roof tiles with no access issues or scaffolding averages at an easy £170. In comparison, an entire roof renovation with all new tiles can set you back upwards of £10,000 – a very substantial difference! So, what does influence such a dramatic cost difference?

Supply Costs

Of course, a considerable portion of the budget goes towards sourcing and purchasing the actual tiles themselves. If you plan on DIYing the replacement process, then this is where most of your costs will lie. There are an array of options out there ranging from affordable economy tiles up to pricier luxury slates. The table below highlights the average price ranges for some of the different roof tile types available.

Type of Tile	Supply Costs (per tile)
Clay roof tiles	£0.40 - £20
Concrete roof tiles	£0.70 - £50
Interlocking roof tiles	£0.80 - £7
Large format roof tiles	£3 - £4
Low pitch roof tiles	£5 - £7
Pantiles	£0.90 - £8
Clay ridge tiles	£4 - £15
Cement ridge tiles	£4 - £50

(source: homehow)

For a more in-depth look into individual supply costs, we have a very helpful article that compares the cost of roof tiles.

What Type of Tile Repair is Needed?

On inspection, a professional roofer will be able to tell you the specific type of tile repair needed for your roof.

Slipped or Broken Tiles

As estimated by homehow.co.uk, it will typically cost between £170 and £500 to repair slipped or broken roof tiles.

Ridge Tiles

Dependant on the condition of your roof and tiles you may choose to re-cement, re-bed or entirely replace your ridge tiles. Re-cementing is a simpler fix that helps to prevent any further weather damage whilst re-cementing entails removing, cleaning and then re-fixing your ridge tiles securely into place. According to checkatrade.com, the process of re-bedding up to 10 metres of ridge tiles costs an average of £500.

Choosing to completely replace say six ridge tiles is generally around £180 based on a range of £140 - £225.

Roof Valley Tiles

Roof valleys can be pretty susceptible to damage, especially when left in a vulnerable condition. Based on averages estimated by checkatrade.com, the cost of replacing up to 4 metres of roof valley tiles can set you back anywhere up to £500.

Dry Ridge System

Certain roof repairs require the installation of a dry ridge system to fix the roof tiles correctly and prevent further damage. You’d need to budget in around £750 to £950 in order to cover this.

Cost of Professional Hire

If you don’t fancy tackling the replacement yourself, you’ll need the help of a reputable roofing expert to ensure the job is done right. There is no set fee that applies to every kind of project – a number of different factors affect the end cost including:

Number of Tiles

It’s no surprise, that costs will be considerably less when replacing 5-10 tiles vs hundreds or even thousands. According to myjobquote.co.uk, the cost of professional hire averages between £150 and £400 when replacing 5 tiles, whilst an entire roof can involve labour costs of approximately £2000! In the UK, a reputable roofer typically charges around £18 to £25 per day though this will differ depend on where you live.

Property Location

Did you know that the cost of labour can range pretty significantly based simply on where you are located in the UK? Tradespeople in larger cities such as London often charge much higher labour fees than in other areas of the country.  

Ease of Access

If you have a particularly large property or the roof space is hard to reach safely, extra precautions will need to be in place. The involvement of cement bedding and roof ladders can bump an average replacement cost of £170 up to £225 and additional scaffolding hire even further to £500.

Waste Disposal

Once removed, you’ll need to safely dispose of your old roof tiles. Data from homehow.co.uk estimates that skip hire can range from £60 to £300 dependant on the scale of the removal.

How Much Does it Cost to Remove Roof Tiles?

Planning to switch out your roof tiles for a different roofing material altogether? To have your roof tiles only removed, the process generally takes around 1-2 days at a cost of £150 to £500.

Extra Maintenance Costs

Roof Tile Sealing

To protect your new tiles from moisture damage, you may want to consider having them professionally sealed. Although dependant on the size of your roof, the cost of cleaning and sealing roof tiles averages at £1500 to £2500 for the entire job.

Roof Tile Cleaning

Moss, dirt, and debris can be major culprits in the wear and damage of roof tiles. To minimise growth and build-up, it’s a good idea to clean your roof regularly. A basic professional clean can start from £8 up to £15 per square metre.

If you’d like to cut down on labour costs and have a go yourself, learn how to clean roof tiles in our handy blog post full of tips and advice on how to get spotlessly clean roof tiles for less.

On the Hunt for High-Quality Roof Tiles?

Are you planning a tile replacement project for your property? Save yourself hours of endless searching and shop the fantastic selection of roof tiles available right here at Roofing Megastore! Working closely with top brands including Marley, Britmet, Redland, Sandtoft and more, we’ve got a huge variety of roof tiles on offer at some of the best prices on the market. Or, if you still don't know how to replace roof tiles, check out our guide on the subject.

Don’t miss out on creating the roof of your dreams – place your order now online or with the help of our friendly customer service team. For any questions or queries, simply give us a call on 01295 565565, email [email protected], or leave us a message in our handy live chat below.