Ely Roofers installs new roofs in Mildenhall and the surrounding area, and this page is designed to help you choose the right contractor before you sign anything.
A new roof is not a purchase you make twice in a lifetime. The contractor you choose matters more than for almost any other home improvement, because problems with a new roof can be hidden for months before water damage makes itself known inside the property. Knowing what to look for, and what to ask, before you agree to anything gives you a much stronger position.
We install new roofs for homeowners across Mildenhall and the nearby towns. The guidance below applies wherever you are and whoever you are considering hiring.
Before any contractor can give you a meaningful quote, they need to physically inspect the roof. A site visit that amounts to standing in the garden and looking up is not sufficient. The roofer should go up to eaves level at minimum, ideally onto the roof itself once scaffolding is in place, to assess the condition of the timbers, felt, battens, flashings and any chimney stacks. Ask directly: will you inspect the timbers before finalising the price? If the answer is no, or vague, be cautious.
The condition of the roof structure underneath the tiles is one of the most important variables in a re-roof job. Rotten rafters, failed ridge boards and undersized timbers are all common in older properties and cannot be priced accurately without being seen. A contractor who quotes without checking is either guessing or planning to add costs later.
These are the questions worth putting to every contractor you speak to, before you commit:
Getting three quotes is sensible advice, but only if the quotes cover the same scope. A quote that is £1,500 cheaper than the others might be excluding scaffolding, or quoting a thinner felt, or not allowing for any timber repairs. Ask each contractor to break down their price into: scaffolding, strip and disposal, felt and battens, tiles or slates, leadwork and flashings, ridge tiles, and any timber work allowed for. When you have those figures, you can compare honestly.
A mid-range quote for a full re-roof on a three-bedroom semi using concrete tiles in this part of the country runs roughly £5,500 to £9,000. Natural slate sits higher, typically £8,000 to £14,000 for a similar-sized roof, because of material and labour costs. If a quote comes in well below those ranges, ask specifically what it excludes.
A few warning signs are worth knowing about:
Concrete tiles are the more economical choice; they are quicker to lay and come in a range of profiles. They are heavier per tile than slate, which is worth knowing if your roof structure is older, but for most standard domestic buildings this is not a problem.
Natural slate, whether Welsh or Spanish, is thinner, lighter and, with quality material, can last considerably longer than concrete. It suits traditional-style properties and is often the better choice where planning conditions apply. Clay plain tiles are another option; they give a distinctive look but are more expensive and take longer to lay.
Whatever material you choose, the felt underlay and timber battens beneath them matter just as much. Modern breathable membrane felts have replaced the old non-breathable type and help manage condensation in the roof void. Ask whether breathable felt is being specified.
Many homes have flat-roofed extensions, garages or outbuildings alongside a pitched main roof. When replacing a pitched roof, it is worth assessing the flat roof covering at the same time, particularly if scaffolding is already in place. Two well-established flat roof systems are torch-on modified bitumen felt and EPDM rubber membrane. EPDM is a single-ply rubber sheet that, when properly bonded to the deck, handles standing water and UV exposure reliably. Flat roof replacement for a typical single-storey extension costs roughly £800 to £2,000 depending on size and deck condition.
Lead flashings seal the critical junctions between the roof covering and any vertical surface: chimney stacks, dormer cheeks, party walls and extension abutments. They are often the weakest point on an older roof, and the first place water finds a way in. On a re-roof, all flashings should be stripped and replaced with new lead as part of the job. Code 4 lead (1.8mm) is standard for most flashing work; Code 5 is used for wider applications such as chimney back gutters. If a contractor proposes reusing original flashings or applying sealant over the top, treat that as a reason to ask further questions.
Scaffold provides access not just to the roof surface but to the roofline: the fascias, soffits and guttering at eaves level. If your fascias are timber and showing signs of rot, softness or peeling paint, replacing them with uPVC boards while the scaffolding is up avoids a second scaffold hire later. uPVC fascia and soffit boards are low-maintenance, do not need painting and resist rot. Replacing the roofline on a semi-detached typically adds £600 to £1,200 to a project. New guttering along the same run adds a further £200 to £500 depending on profile and length.
It is also worth having gutters cleared and checked before a new roof goes on. Blocked gutters allow water to back up under the eaves, which can damage new fascias and the first course of tiles.
A full re-roof is a significant cost, and knowing whether yours genuinely needs it helps you make the decision confidently:
Isolated problems - a single cracked tile, a lifted flashing on a chimney - are repair jobs. Widespread issues, or a pattern of annual repairs that keep recurring, tend to point towards replacement being the more cost-effective route in the medium term.
If you are planning a new roof in Mildenhall, call Ely Roofers to arrange a roof survey. We will inspect the roof properly and talk you through the options for your property. Whichever contractor you choose, ask for a fully itemised quote so you know exactly what you are paying for.
No obligation · We usually respond within 2 hours
Storm damage, active leak, damaged ridge - we aim to be on-site within 24 hours.
