Three promises, and which one protects you.
Three different things get bundled together as “guaranteed”: our workmanship, the manufacturer’s materials, and an insurance-backed policy. They cover different things and they are not interchangeable. Ask any roofer which one they mean, and ask for the term in writing.
There are three different promises that get bundled together as “guaranteed”, and they protect you in three different ways.
- 01
The workmanship guarantee
The roofer's own. It covers how the work was fitted rather than what was fitted, and its length and scope are whatever that roofer writes down — so ask for both in writing on the quote, from us and from anyone else you are asking.
- 02
The manufacturer warranty
The material maker's. It covers the product itself and runs for whatever term that maker offers — different for slate, EPDM, GRP and liquid systems. Nothing to do with us, and worth reading.
- 03
Public liability insurance
Not a guarantee at all. It covers you if we damage your property or someone is hurt. This is the one to check before anyone climbs a ladder, and we will send the certificate on request.
Questions
Worth asking any roofer.
01What does your workmanship guarantee cover?
A workmanship guarantee covers how the work was done, not the materials and not the parts of the roof nobody touched — so if something fails because of how it was fitted, the firm that fitted it puts it right. It is worth asking us for the term and the exact scope in writing before you commit to anything, and worth asking any other roofer the same thing.
02Is the guarantee insurance-backed?
An insurance-backed guarantee is a separate policy that pays out if the contractor is no longer trading. Ask which of the two kinds you are being offered, and ask for it in writing on the quote.
03Are you insured?
Yes, we carry public liability insurance and will send you the certificate before we start. Ask for it. Ask for it before anyone starts. Any insured firm can send it the same day.
04What about the materials?
Materials carry their own manufacturer warranties, which are a separate promise from the workmanship guarantee and vary by product — a slate, an EPDM membrane and a GRP system all have different terms and different lifespans. We tell you what is going on your roof and what the maker says about it.
05What should I ask any roofer before they start?
Four things. Can I see your public liability certificate? Is the quote fixed or an estimate? What exactly is and is not included — scaffold, waste, making good? And what happens if you find something worse once the roof is open? Any decent roofer answers all four without hesitating.
06Do you take deposits?
For larger jobs we may ask for a materials payment, and we will say so in the written quote rather than at the door. One reviewer noted that we did not expect payment until they were completely happy — that is how we prefer to work.
07What if I am not happy with the work?
Tell us, and tell us early. Ringing is faster than writing a review and it gets the problem fixed — and it is the reason the number on this site is a phone number rather than a ticket system. Our record is public on Checkatrade either way.
Want the insurance certificate before you commit? Ask, and we will send it — and ask for the guarantee terms in writing at the same time, from us and from anyone else you are asking.