Roofing & Exterior Costs
Roofs, gutters, chimneys, render and brickwork
On the outside of a house, the price of almost every job is set by two things: how much there is (square metres of roof or wall, metres of gutter) and how the tradesperson gets up there. So each page here measures the job first, prices access separately, and shows you the sums.
A lot of exterior work is controlled. Re-roofing or re-rendering more than 50% of a roof or wall brings in the building regulations' insulation rule, chimney breasts need structural approval, and scaffolding on the pavement needs a licence. Each page says what applies, from the legislation itself.
| Job | Typical cost | For |
|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement | £8,600 to £13,900 | semi-detached, concrete tiles, scaffold included |
| Roof repair | £90 to £480 | replacing a few slipped or broken tiles |
| Flat roof | £2,850 to £4,900 | 20m² extension roof, EPDM, new deck and insulation |
| Roof cleaning / moss removal | £390 to £970 | semi-detached, moss scraped off and treated |
| Roof refelting | £3,800 to £9,000 | new underlay under the tiles of a semi, scaffold included |
| Leadwork / flashing | £540 to £720 | new lead flashing round a chimney, no scaffold |
| Roof ventilation | £200 to £300 | about 20 eaves or soffit vents, fitted |
| Metal / zinc roof | £95 to £140 | per m², standing seam steel or aluminium, fitted |
| Thatched roof | £13,300 to £26,700 | rethatching an 80m² roof |
| Fascias & soffits | £3,900 to £7,700 | semi-detached, fascias, soffits and gutters, scaffold included |
| Guttering | £650 to £1,700 | 15 to 20 metres of uPVC and three downpipes |
| Chimney repair | £360 to £1,200 | repointing a chimney stack |
| Chimney removal | £2,100 to £3,900 | ground-floor chimney breast, the rest supported |
| External rendering | £4,050 to £7,000 | semi-detached, sand and cement, painted, scaffold included |
| Pebble dash | £5,900 to £11,100 | semi-detached, strip and re-render, scaffold included |
| Repointing | £2,000 to £3,700 | one side of a two-storey house, scaffold included |
| Exterior painting | £3,050 to £5,900 | semi-detached walls, two coats, scaffold included |
| Bricklaying | £240 to £340 | bricklayer's day rate |
| Stone cladding / stonework | £90 to £170 | per m², natural stone panels or slips, fitted |
| Brick & stone cleaning | £300 to £1,500 | one side of a two-storey house, before access |
| Scaffolding | £900 to £1,600 | whole semi-detached house, up to four weeks |
Roofs
New roofs, repairs, flat roofs and the specialist jobs: re-felting, leadwork, cleaning, ventilation, thatch and metal. Most leaks need a repair, not a new roof.
Roof replacement£8,600 to £13,900 · semi-detached, concrete tiles, scaffold included
Roof repair£90 to £480 · replacing a few slipped or broken tiles
Flat roof£2,850 to £4,900 · 20m² extension roof, EPDM, new deck and insulation
Roof cleaning / moss removal£390 to £970 · semi-detached, moss scraped off and treated
Roof refelting£3,800 to £9,000 · new underlay under the tiles of a semi, scaffold included
Leadwork / flashing£540 to £720 · new lead flashing round a chimney, no scaffold
Roof ventilation£200 to £300 · about 20 eaves or soffit vents, fitted
Metal / zinc roof£95 to £140 · per m², standing seam steel or aluminium, fitted
Thatched roof£13,300 to £26,700 · rethatching an 80m² roofRoofline & chimneys
Fascias, soffits, gutters, and chimneys repaired or removed. Do them while the scaffold is up.
Fascias & soffits£3,900 to £7,700 · semi-detached, fascias, soffits and gutters, scaffold included
Guttering£650 to £1,700 · 15 to 20 metres of uPVC and three downpipes
Chimney repair£360 to £1,200 · repointing a chimney stack
Chimney removal£2,100 to £3,900 · ground-floor chimney breast, the rest supportedExternal walls
Rendering, pebbledash, repointing, painting, bricklaying, stone cladding and cleaning. Old solid walls need different materials from modern cavity walls.
External rendering£4,050 to £7,000 · semi-detached, sand and cement, painted, scaffold included
Pebble dash£5,900 to £11,100 · semi-detached, strip and re-render, scaffold included
Repointing£2,000 to £3,700 · one side of a two-storey house, scaffold included
Exterior painting£3,050 to £5,900 · semi-detached walls, two coats, scaffold included
Bricklaying£240 to £340 · bricklayer's day rate
Stone cladding / stonework£90 to £170 · per m², natural stone panels or slips, fitted
Brick & stone cleaning£300 to £1,500 · one side of a two-storey house, before accessAccess
Scaffolding prices, licences and inspections, which affect every job above.
Questions people ask
How much does a new roof cost?
On our estimates, about £8,600 to £13,900 for a typical semi-detached house in concrete tiles, including scaffolding, skips and a loft insulation top-up. Slate and clay cost more.
How much does it cost to render a house?
On our estimates, about £4,050 to £7,000 for a typical semi in painted sand and cement, scaffold included.
Do I need building regulations for roofing or rendering?
Re-roofing is building work, and renovating more than 50% of a roof or wall means bringing its insulation up to standard where that's practical. A roofer registered with the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC) or NAPIT can self-certify roof work.
How much does scaffolding cost?
On our estimates, about £900 to £1,600 for a whole semi-detached house for up to four weeks.
Get free quotes
Up to three local tradespeople. Free, and no obligation to go ahead.
Get free quotes →