ROOFING NINJAS
How to Choose a Roofer and Spot an Unclear Quote
Homeowner advice from Roofing Ninjas · 14 September 2026
It is reasonable to worry about cowboys when the work is expensive and mostly out of sight. The strongest reassurance is evidence you can check and a clear description of the work you are buying.
Look beyond a confident sales pitch
Ask to see relevant completed work and independent reviews. Look for an explanation of the original problem and the work carried out, rather than only a close-up of new tiles. A low price or a deposit does not by itself establish whether someone is reliable. What matters is the business you are dealing with, the agreed work and the arrangements around it.
Ask questions about what you cannot see
What will be stripped? What will remain? How will hidden timber defects be handled? Which details are included around chimneys, valleys and roof windows? If the answer is simply “everything”, ask for that to be written down in useful detail. A contractor should be able to explain the scope without pressuring you to decide before you understand it.
Make payment and guarantee terms clear
NFRC’s homeowner advice recommends written quotations and agreeing payment arrangements before work starts. We normally use a 30% booking deposit and 70% final payment, with agreed stages for larger work. Our new roof guarantee is a company guarantee; insurance-backed cover is a different product and is not currently available from us.
What doing it properly means to us
It means refusing to cover known defective work just to make a roof look new. It means discussing unsuitable materials and declining a job if the required approach is one we cannot stand behind. Most of our work comes through referrals and word of mouth. We would rather protect that reputation than take a booking on terms that encourage a shortcut.
See the actual work
See the preparation involved in correcting a poor installation. View the project photographs and the work recorded for that property.
Technical reference: NFRC: advice on choosing a contractor. The requirements for an individual roof need checking against its actual specification.
Useful next reading
- Does a New Roof Need New Felt and Battens?
- Roof Guarantees Explained: What Are You Actually Covered For?
- Compare roof replacement quotations
You can compare our independent customer reviews with photographs and descriptions in our completed roofing projects.
Planning a new roof?
Our main focus is complete roof replacement across Liverpool, Sefton, Knowsley and surrounding areas. Send your postcode and tell us about your roof so we can discuss the right next step.
START WITH WHAT YOU KNOW
A roof plan.
A clearer next step.
A few straightforward questions. You can leave the technical details to us.