How to Choose a Roofer in Chichester
To choose a reliable Chichester roofer, verify NFRC membership, confirm £5m public liability insurance, get a written itemised quote, and never pay a large deposit upfront. Check they provide a written workmanship guarantee — reputable Chichester roofers offer 10 years.
Choosing a roofer is one of the most important decisions a Chichester homeowner makes — the work will affect your property for 40 years, the cost can be significant, and the roofing industry has a higher proportion of unreliable operators than most trades. This guide gives you a clear framework for finding and vetting a reliable local roofer, recognising the warning signs of a rogue operator, and getting a fair price for the work.
Start With NFRC Membership
The National Federation of Roofing Contractors is the UK's largest roofing trade body and the most meaningful credential a Chichester roofer can hold. NFRC membership requires assessment against recognised standards for technical competence, health and safety, quality of workmanship and business integrity. Membership is reviewed annually — a company that has not met the standards in the past year will have lost its membership.
Check NFRC membership before anything else. Go to nfrc.co.uk, use the Find a Contractor tool, and verify that the company you are considering is a current member. If they claim membership but do not appear in the directory, they are not currently registered. This takes two minutes and immediately filters out a large proportion of unqualified operators.
The NFRC advises consumers to verify contractor membership directly and to be cautious of demands for large upfront cash deposits.
— National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC) consumer guidance
Verify Insurance
Ask to see the public liability insurance certificate before any work starts. You are looking for: a minimum of £2m cover (£5m is better), a current policy that has not expired, and a named insured that matches the company you are contracting with. If a roofer is reluctant to provide their insurance certificate, that reluctance tells you something important.
If the roofer has employees — even one — they are legally required to hold employer's liability insurance as well. Ask for this too.
Get Written Itemised Quotes
A verbal quote is not a quote — it is a conversation. Everything about a roof job can look different at the invoice stage if only a verbal agreement was in place. Insist on a written quote that itemises: scaffold erection and dismantling; strip and disposal of existing materials; structural timber inspection; breathable membrane; battens; tiles (with specification); ridge treatment; all lead work; and the guarantee terms.
Get at least three quotes for any job over £1,000. Make sure all three are quoting for the same scope — if one includes scaffold and breathable membrane and another does not, the cheaper price is not actually cheaper. A quote that is significantly lower than the others deserves a detailed explanation of what has been omitted before you accept it.
Ask the Right Questions
Beyond insurance and NFRC membership, the questions that reveal the most about a roofer's quality and reliability in the Chichester context are:
- Do you employ your own team or subcontract? Subcontracted labour on a roof job means the people doing the work have no direct relationship with the company giving the guarantee. Employed teams are accountable in a way that subcontractors are not.
- Have you worked on this type of property before? Victorian clay tile, conservation area, coastal with salt air exposure — these require specific knowledge. A roofer who has never worked in a Chichester conservation area will not know the mortar specification or the material requirements without being told.
- What mortar will you use on the chimney? The correct answer for a Victorian or Edwardian Chichester property is a lime-based mortar. Portland cement mortar on a period property is wrong, and a roofer who does not know this does not have the period property knowledge the job requires.
- Can you provide references from similar recent work in the Chichester area? A company that has been working in Chichester for years should be able to provide contact details for recent customers who are willing to speak about their experience.
Recognising Rogue Operators
The roofing industry attracts a higher proportion of unreliable and dishonest operators than most trades. The warning signs are consistent and recognisable:
- Cold calling: Knocking on your door claiming to have spotted damage from the street while working nearby. Legitimate roofers do not operate this way. The damage may not exist, and if it does, the company has no incentive to repair it properly when they are never coming back.
- Cash only, large deposit upfront: Asking for a large cash deposit — sometimes the full amount — before work starts. A reputable company asks for no deposit on repair work and a modest deposit on large jobs with the balance on completion.
- Pressure to decide immediately: Creating artificial urgency — "this price is only available today" or "the damage will get much worse if you don't act now." This is a sales technique, not a genuine assessment.
- Inability to provide insurance or NFRC membership: Legitimate companies have these and can produce them immediately. Reluctance or inability to provide them is a clear warning sign.
After You Choose: Protecting Yourself
Get everything in writing before work starts. The written quote should specify the exact scope, materials, timescale, payment terms and guarantee. Any change to the agreed scope should be confirmed in writing before the additional work proceeds. Keep a copy of the guarantee documentation — you may need it years later when the original contact has moved on. Pay by bank transfer or card rather than cash, to maintain a clear payment record.
And check in during the work. A roofer who welcomes questions and is happy to show you what they have found is a good sign. One who becomes evasive when asked about progress or unexpected findings is not.