Reviewed by the S Reid Roofing Ltd team — last reviewed 2026-09-15
Quick answer
Ask how the problem was diagnosed, who will carry out the work, what materials are proposed, how access will be provided, what the quotation includes, payment terms, timescale, waste removal, insurance and what guarantees apply. Getting clear answers to these before work starts avoids most of the disputes that surface later once the job is under way.
At a glance
- Diagnosis questions reveal more than price questions.
- Access method affects both cost and how thorough an inspection can be.
- Waste removal is often assumed rather than confirmed in writing.
- Guarantee terms vary widely and are worth reading in full.
Questions about diagnosis and the work itself
Before discussing price, it is worth understanding how the contractor reached their conclusion. Ask what they found, where, and how they distinguished an isolated defect from a wider pattern of wear. Ask who will actually carry out the work — the person who quotes is not always the person on the roof — and what materials are proposed and why those materials suit your particular roof.
It is also worth asking how the inspection was carried out. A roof assessed only from ground level with binoculars gives a different level of confidence than one inspected from a ladder, scaffold or drone with close access to the affected area. If access was limited, ask what could not be seen and how that uncertainty is reflected in the quotation.
For anything beyond a straightforward repair, ask whether the proposed materials match, or are compatible with, the existing roof covering, and whether any changes — for example a different slate size, a different underlay specification, or a different flashing material — have been thought through rather than simply being what the contractor normally carries in stock.
It is also worth asking directly what happens if the work reveals a more serious problem than expected, such as decayed timber under a small area of slipped slates. A contractor who has thought about this in advance, rather than being surprised by the question, is generally better prepared to manage the job professionally if it does happen.
Practical and contractual questions
The practical detail is where misunderstandings usually arise later, so it is worth covering it before work starts rather than during it. Get answers in writing where you can, even if only by email, so there is a record to refer back to if a dispute arises.
- How will access and any scaffolding be arranged, and is it included?
- What exactly does the quotation include, and what is excluded?
- What are the payment terms, and when are they due?
- What is the expected timescale, including weather contingency?
- How will waste and debris be removed from site?
- What insurance is held, and what guarantee applies to the finished work?
- Who do you contact, and how, if a problem appears after the work is finished?
Reading the answers together
No single answer to these questions should be treated in isolation. A contractor who answers the diagnostic questions well but is vague on payment terms, or vice versa, deserves a further question rather than an assumption either way. Consistency across both the technical and the practical answers is generally a better indicator of reliability than any one answer on its own.
It is reasonable to ask these questions by email as well as in person, so you have a written record of the answers to compare against what is eventually delivered. Most established contractors are used to this and will not treat it as a sign of distrust — it is simply good practice on both sides.
What we would check
During an inspection, areas we would normally look at for this include:
- Whether the diagnosis is stated clearly and matches what is visible.
- Who will carry out the work and their relevant experience.
- Materials proposed and their suitability for the existing roof.
- Access arrangements and whether scaffolding is included.
- Payment terms, timescale and guarantee documentation.
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