Whenever you need any work carried out on your roof, it is always a good idea to start by asking for recommendations from your neighbours, since it is likely that they will have roofs of a similar age and construction to yours and so will be able to advise you on their experience with any local roofers. If you need to find some roofers without the advantage of any personal recommendations, then there are a few things you can do to make your search more effective.

Restrict your search to professional roofers

While there may be many people who will be happy to carry out roofing work, that doesn't make them experienced roofers. If you want your roofing work completed to a professional standard, then make sure that any roofers you are considering are associated with a professional roofing body or association. Membership in a professional body will indicate that the roofers have been appropriately vetted, that they have recognised qualifications or experience, and that they hold suitable liability insurance and adhere to an ethical code of conduct.

Look for roofers who understand your type of roof

Not all roofers will have experience with all types of roofs. What work do you want to be done on your roof? Are you fitting a metal roof? Are you replacing tiles or slates? Is it the fascia that needs repair? Whatever the nature of the work you are considering, you will need to find roofers who have the right level of experience with that particular task. If you aren't sure whether the roofer has the right experience, then it can be helpful to ask them for testimonials from other people for whom they have undertaken similar work.

Gather your estimates

While a roofer will probably ask to examine your roof before giving you a price, you should still expect to receive an estimate rather than a firm quote from a roofer. Due to the nature of roofs, it isn't always possible to properly ascertain the state of a roof before the tiles are removed and the under-structure revealed.

Never accept the first estimate you are given by a roofer. You should always obtain several estimates in writing so that you can see the range of prices. You will want to make certain that the estimate includes the costs for hiring the scaffolding, clearing up and disposing of any rubbish, and making the site good as well as for the actual roofing work.