Do flat roofers charge less than pitched roofers?

Slightly, on average. In London, flat roofers typically charge £300–£550 a day compared with £320–£580 for pitched roofers.

Which roofers charge the most?

Lead workers usually command the highest day rates, at around £350–£600 a day in London.

Guide · Trades

Roofer Day Rates UK 2026: What Roofers Charge Per Day

Q: How much does a roofer charge per day in the UK?

Qualified self-employed roofers typically charge around £200–£450 a day outside London and £300–£600 in London in 2026, depending on their specialism.

By Future Momentum Systems · Updated September 2026

Roofer day rates in the UK depend heavily on specialism and region. In 2026, qualified self-employed roofers typically charge around £200–£450 a day outside London and £300–£600 in London, with lead workers commanding the highest rates.

Roofer day rates by specialism and region (2026)

Specialism	London	Midlands	North West
Flat roofer (GRP / felt / EPDM)	£300–£550	£220–£400	£200–£370
Pitched roofer (slate / tile)	£320–£580	£230–£420	£200–£380
Lead worker	£350–£600	£250–£450	£220–£400
Flat felt labourer (mate)	£160–£220	£150–£200	£150–£190

Source: Trade2Base, 2026. The South East typically sits 10–20% below London; Yorkshire and Scotland broadly align with the North West.

Subcontract rates

Roofers working on new build sites through agencies are often paid less than self-employed domestic rates — for example, 2026 adverts for pitched roof tilers on new builds show around £200 a day.

Why roofing day rates are higher

Roofing is one of the highest-risk trades, with working at height, weather delays, scaffolding and specialist materials all built into the price. Lead work in particular requires rare skills and involves valuable materials.

What affects a roofer's day rate?

Specialism (flat, pitched, lead)
Location
Height, access and scaffolding
Weather and seasonal demand
Emergency repairs vs planned work

For roofers: the hidden cost of a missed call

When a storm hits, the phones light up — and a homeowner with water coming through the ceiling won't wait. But you can't answer the phone on a roof. Most callers won't leave a voicemail — they ring the next roofer on Google.

That's why more trades businesses use a call answering service that picks up every call, takes the job details and texts them straight to you. See our answering service for roofers →

Need a website that wins more jobs? See our websites for trades →

Roofer day rate FAQs

Sources

Figures are published averages as of September 2026 and are for guidance only.