Free Roofing Quotes in Ireland
12 Questions to Ask Before You Sign (2026)
12 Questions to Ask Before You Sign (2026)
A free roofing quote in Ireland should be a written, itemised, fixed-price document, not a scribbled number on a business card. Before you sign anything in 2026, ask the contractor for their tax clearance certificate, public liability cover, a start and finish date, a VAT breakdown, and a written workmanship guarantee. Anything less is a red flag.
Below is the 12-question checklist we recommend to every homeowner before hiring a roofer across Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway.
The phrase gets thrown around loosely. On comparison sites, a "free quote" often means a phone estimate based on a photo: useful for a rough ballpark, but not something you should sign as a fixed-price contract. A proper Irish roofing quote involves a physical inspection (ladder or drone), a written scope of works, materials specified by brand, and a fixed-price figure valid for at least 30 days.
Indicative 2026 price ranges for common jobs:
| Job | Indicative range (2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Roof leak repair | €400 to €2,500 | Depends on cause and access |
| Emergency storm damage work | €1,500 to €8,000 | Make-safe and repairs combined |
| Emergency tile or slate securing | €200 to €500 | Temporary, pending permanent repair |
| Storm weatherproofing | €300 to €800 | Immediate protection, not the permanent fix |
| Full re-roof, 3-bed semi (concrete tile) | €8,000 to €18,000 | Strip and re-cover, 70 to 90 m² |
| Full re-roof with natural slate | €12,000 to €28,000 | Period homes, longer lifespan |
All ranges are indicative and exclude VAT at 13.5%. Confirm exact figures after a physical inspection of your roof. See our guide to roof repair costs in Ireland or use the roofing cost calculator for a quick sanity check before you call anyone.
Every legitimate Irish roofing contractor holds an active tax clearance certificate from Revenue. Ask for the access number and verify it yourself at ros.ie. No certificate, no deal: you could be liable for RCT withholding if Revenue comes knocking.
The minimum to accept is €6.5 million public liability. Ask to see the certificate, check the expiry date, and confirm that roofing and working at height are specifically listed. Employers' liability of €13 million is also required if staff are on your roof. At Recommended Roofing, both figures are on our insurance certs and we actively encourage customers to check them before appointing us.
There is a legal difference. An estimate is a best guess and can change. A fixed-price quote is contractually binding once accepted. For a re-roof or a full fascia job, insist on fixed-price in writing. For hidden-condition work such as rotten timbers that cannot be seen until slates come off, a reputable contractor will quote a fixed price for the visible scope plus a clearly stated day rate for any additional carpentry, agreed in writing before work proceeds.
Domestic roofing repair and replacement attracts 13.5% VAT in Ireland. The quote must show the net figure, the VAT amount and the gross total. If a roofer offers a cash price with no VAT, walk away: you lose consumer protection, warranty enforceability and any chance of claiming under SEAI retrofit schemes where the insulation element may qualify. See SEAI grants for the current schemes.
Repair work should carry a written guarantee of a minimum of 3 years, up to 10 years on major repair work. A full roof replacement should carry 10 years on workmanship plus the Lifetime Leak Guarantee. Get the guarantee on headed paper before contracts are signed: it should state the start date, what is covered, what is excluded, and who honours it. Never accept a verbal promise.
If your roofer cannot name the manufacturer, brand and warranty term of the materials they are proposing, they have not priced the job properly. Ask the question directly and note the answer.
Not a glossy portfolio: real, recent, nearby work. A Cork roofer should be able to point to jobs in Ballincollig or Douglas from the last six months. A Dublin crew should have completed projects in Terenure or Dundrum you can drive past. Browse our project gallery and case studies for the kind of evidence you should ask every quoting contractor to produce.
It is perfectly legitimate to use subcontractors, but you deserve to know. Ask whether the person who quoted the job will be on site, and whether the roofers hold Safe Pass and Working at Heights certification. A vague answer here is the single biggest predictor of a job going sideways. Recommended Roofing employs its crews directly and does not subcontract.
Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations, roof work above 2 metres requires proper edge protection. The quote should state whether scaffolding is needed, from which supplier, and when it will be erected and removed. Scaffolding is not automatic on every job: on many repair jobs, ladders or a cherry picker are sufficient and scaffolding is not included. Where it is required, it should appear as a separate, itemised line, never buried in the overall price.
On jobs of €10,000 or more, a deposit of up to one third up front with the balance on completion is reasonable and standard. Never pay 100% upfront, and never pay cash for a job without a VAT receipt. For smaller roof repairs, payment on completion is the norm. Deposits should track material procurement, not the contractor's cashflow.
On Irish housing stock, particularly semi-detached homes built between 1950 and 1985, hidden batten rot and failed felt are common. The case below from Stillorgan illustrates what the ground never shows you:
A reputable contractor will stop work, photograph any hidden damage, quote the additional cost in writing, and only proceed once you sign off. Nothing found and fixed without prior written agreement is something you are obliged to pay for.
Registration with CIRI (Construction Industry Register Ireland) is the most meaningful check. Membership of the National Guild of Master Craftsmen is a further supporting signal. More important still: check Google reviews that mention specific street names in your area, and look at whether the contractor has filmed or photographed real local jobs. Our customer reviews are all verified and location-specific.
“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
A quote you can rely on contains, at minimum:
Every job we do at Recommended Roofing carries a written guarantee handed over before contracts are signed, not promised afterwards.
We employ our own crews directly and do not subcontract. The people on your roof are our people, and our guarantee is backed by €6.5 million public liability insurance. Read our customer reviews and browse completed jobs to see both in practice.
The chart below covers the main job categories. All figures are indicative, dated 2026, and exclude VAT at 13.5%. The right figure for your roof is set after a free inspection.
Indicative 2026 price range, Ireland, in euro. VAT at 13.5% on top.
Recommended Roofing covers Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway. Our team physically inspects every roof before pricing: no phone estimates, no photo guesses. You receive a written, itemised, fixed-price quote, VAT-inclusive, after the inspection visit.
For city-specific guides to what repairs cost, see our articles on roof repair costs in Cork, roof repairs in Dublin, roofing prices in Limerick and roof repair prices in Galway. For vetting advice specific to each city, see how to vet a roofer in Cork, how to vet a roofer in Dublin and trusted roofers in Limerick.
To get a straight, no-pressure written quote, contact us through our contact page or call the number for your area: Dublin 01 2657795, Cork 021 2040925, Limerick 061 788600, Galway 091 622895.
Three is the sensible number. One gives you no comparison. Two can leave you stuck if they disagree. Three written, itemised, VAT-inclusive quotes let you spot the outlier and make a confident decision.
Yes, for any job over €500. A proper contractor will inspect from a ladder or drone, check the attic for daylight and damp staining, and photograph problem areas. A phone or photo-only estimate is useful for a rough guide but should not be treated as a fixed-price contract.
Standard practice is 30 days from the date of issue. Material costs can move, so any quote older than 30 days should be re-confirmed with the contractor before you sign.
Yes. Domestic roofing repair and replacement is charged at 13.5% VAT in Ireland. The rate applies to both labour and materials when supplied together. Cash-in-hand offers that skip VAT are illegal and void your consumer protections.
On a job of €10,000 or more, up to one third upfront with the balance on completion is reasonable. For jobs under €10,000, payment on completion is standard. Never pay 100% upfront, and always get a VAT receipt.
Roofing itself is not directly grant-aided by SEAI, but if you are combining a re-roof with attic insulation upgrades, the insulation element may qualify under the Better Energy Homes scheme. See the SEAI grants page at seai.ie/grants for current eligibility.
A reputable contractor will stop work, photograph the issue, give you a written cost for the additional work, and only proceed once you agree in writing. You are not obliged to pay for anything found and fixed without prior written agreement.
At minimum, 3 years in writing on repair work, up to 10 years on major repairs. Full roof replacements should carry a 10-year workmanship guarantee plus a Lifetime Leak Guarantee. Get all of this in writing before contracts are signed.
Not always, and it should not be assumed. Scaffolding is needed on very high buildings or on busy streets where public safety requires it. On many repair jobs, ladders or a cherry picker are sufficient. Where scaffolding is required, it should appear as a clearly itemised separate line in the quote.
Check their CIRI registration at ciri.ie, verify their tax clearance at ros.ie, ask to see their public liability insurance certificate, and read Google reviews that mention specific local street names. Ask directly whether they employ their own crews or subcontract.
Emergency tile or slate securing typically costs €200 to €500. Immediate storm weatherproofing runs €300 to €800. These make the roof safe; the permanent repair is quoted separately once it is safe to assess properly. All figures are indicative and VAT at 13.5% applies on top.
Yes. Quote visits for work we could carry out are free and come with no obligation. We inspect physically, specify materials by name, and provide a written fixed-price quote. Call your local number or use the contact page to request a visit.
Roof Repairs in Ireland. Free survey, written fixed-price quote, 10-year guarantee.