How to start a roofing business

Your expertise as a roofer provides the exciting prospect of setting up your own roofing business.

You might have years of experience under your belt, but now could be a great time to explore going it alone, either as a sole trader or limited company.

It might seem daunting, but don’t let that stop you.

In this helpful guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to get your roofing business up and running.

• Qualifications
• Skills needed
• Reasons
• Processes

If you’re already a roofer, but still need to know how to start a roofing business, this article is for you.

Don’t have the time to read this right now?

Not to worry, our ‘Become the Boss’ series will help you to get your roofing business started in no time.

1 email a day with actionable tips. Seven emails in total (and a cheeky bonus email) featuring fellow tradespeople who were once in your position, a free business strategy call, and at the end, you’ll be in the place to set up a new business.

Keen to get going?

Creating a business plan for your roofing business

You wouldn’t go to a roofing job without a plan, would you? It’s the same for starting your business!

A business plan is a written document that outlines:

• Where you are now
• Where you want your business to be in the future
• How you’re going to get it there

Having a plan in place helps you track success against goals, but can also be useful if you’re applying for a business loan.

Not sure how to write a business plan? We’ve got you covered.

What do I need to start a roofing business?

Becoming a roofer can be a lucrative profession with great experience and qualifications from over the years.

While it’s possible to become self-employed by working your way up from a roofing labourer, formal qualifications are crucial to attracting clients and securing work.

Qualifications

The most common credentials for those entering the industry are:

• Roof Tiling and Slating intermediate apprenticeship
• Waterproof Membranes Installation intermediate apprenticeship
• Level 2 Diploma in Roof Slating and Tiling
• Level 2 or 3 Diploma in Roofing Occupations

As an independent service, you’ll need to demonstrate your competence to potential clients.

Construction sites provide a valuable source of work for roofers. However, contractors will only employ your services if you have completed the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS). Holding a CSCS card is therefore vital to capitalise on greater business opportunities.

Accreditations

Accredited membership of professional industry bodies helps do this by highlighting your expertise as a roofer. Associations also exist around tradespeople agreeing to maintain certain quality standards and working practices.

Membership with any of these bodies will give your new roofing business some added credibility:

• The Institute of Roofing
• National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC)
• The Federation of Master Builders (FMB)

Being a part of a trade association is a good way for your new business to be noticed.

Potential customers can also check membership, especially when it comes to the roofing trade. Rogue tradespeople affect customer confidence, which is why at Checkatrade, we often exclude roofers that fall short of our vetting processes.

Skills

If you’re an experienced roofer, you’ll already have plenty of technical knowledge and experience.

However, success as a self-employed roofer or business owner will also depend on other characteristics. You’ll need to approach jobs efficiently and run your roofing business according to a very strict set of guidelines.

Other skills as a business owner include:

• Practical thinking
• Numerical skills
• Attention to detail
• Interpersonal skills
• Ability to lead and manage
• Physically fit
• Time management
• Being well organised

Running a company or maintaining a good work-life balance requires a very different set of skills to roofing. Both when you’re just setting out, or looking to grow, you’ll need to be able to manage your roofing business effectively in order to truly succeed.

How to start a roofing business – Practical steps

In this section, we’ll cover the practical steps you need to take to set up your roofing business.

This includes financing your new venture, getting the right insurance, thinking about marketing, and plenty more.

Sorting out finances

There is a lot to think about when it comes to starting a new roofing business, so it is good to think about your finances before you begin. For example, your initial expenditure may be higher than your income.

• How will you fund your new business?
• Have you got savings?
• Do you need a business loan?
• Do you intend to start small and wait for your first jobs?

Once your business is up and running, you’ll need to make sure you’re super organised with your money. Poor cash flow management is one of the number one reasons to cause a new business to fail. Don’t fall into that trap.

When providing quote for any work, it’s very important to factor in all costs, otherwise, you could end up making a loss. Not sure how to price a job? We’ve got a free template to help.

Registering your business

The legalities of starting your own business mean you must have it registered. When doing so, you’ll have to determine the legal structure.

You should weigh up the benefits of each and choose what is best for your business.

• Sole trader
• Partnership
• Limited company

When you’ve got everything worked out, you can register your business with HMRC. And if you’re choosing to set up a limited company, don’t forget to register with Companies House.

Insuring your roofing business

Starting your business means you will need to get covered. You don’t want to foot the bill in the unlikely event that something goes wrong.

Your roofers’ insurance should cover all aspects of your business, for example, your tools, materials, and equipment, your work van, and your income should you be unable to work.

Not sure where to start? Luckily we’ve put together an article to help you out.

Choosing your team

Hiring staff may be something you look into in the future, but it’s definitely worth thinking about building a team. If not full-time employed, then contractors are an option too.

Roofers usually operate as a team to complete jobs efficiently, as well as the health and safety risks of working on your own. Who you choose to employ will depend on the services you offer and the type of projects you work on.

An experienced roofer will help to ease your workload while also providing skilled workmanship. However, hiring a labourer or apprentice is a cost-effective option, especially if you’re just looking for an extra pair of hands. Plus, this is a great opportunity to pass on your skills.

Obtaining tools and equipment

You will need a set of tools that allow you to perform any job to the best of your ability. The same will apply to any other staff that you have working for your new business.

Not sure what tools a roofer needs? There are essentials that you’ll need at your disposal. Especially if you’re going it alone as a sole trader.

• Van
• Ladder
• Safety harness
• Roofing knives
• Nail gun
• Ripper
• Roofing hammer
• Electric drill
• Hand tools
• Protective workwear (branded too)

Additional tools may be required for specialist roofing services. The initial outlay for roofing tools will be offset by the jobs that they enable you to do.

Don’t forget that once you’ve joined Checkatrade, you have access to all sorts of great member benefits including discounts on tools, vehicles, and more.

Setting out in business with Checkatrade support

You want to find roofing work for your new business, but investing in marketing will cost you in time and money.

As a result, you you’ll need to decide on the most effective strategy for your roofing business. For example, consider setting a marketing budget and deciding on your working time.

Becoming a Checkatrade member makes it easy for customers to find you. For example, in 2024, there were over 1.7 million job searches for roofing services like yours.*

There’s a host of reasons to consider joining. Such as:

• Offers and discounts on business essentials like workwear, fuel and materials
• Access dedicated trade app
• Use of professional quoting/invoicing tool
• Save on your public liability insurance
• Fantastic rates on Quickbooks business software
• And of course, more work coming your way!

Sound good? Why not fill in a few details to get you going.

FAQs

Is a roofing business profitable?

Roofing is a service in constant demand. In 2024 for example, there were over 1.7 million searches for a roofer on the Checkatrade website. That means that there are around 158,000 people searching for services like yours every month.*

And with an average salary of £29,700, there’s potential to earn a good living as a UK roofer in the UK. By pricing jobs effectively, you can make sure your new roofing business can get off to a profitable start.

How much does it cost to start a roofing company?

The cost of starting a roofing company will depend on the scale and types of jobs you undertake. As a benchmark, you’ll generally require start-up funds between £5,000 and £10,000. However, if you already own all the equipment you need, the costs of starting your business can drop significantly.

* Data taken from user searches on the Checkatrade website in 2024