Emergency Roof Repair. The Complete Guide.
If you have an active roof leak, call 07879 736629 for a realistic ETA. This guide explains what may need urgent attention, how to keep people clear of immediate hazards, how to choose a local roofer, and what to ask your insurer.
Key takeaways
- Active leak, missing tiles after a storm, dangerous tiles, or major storm damage are all emergencies. Cosmetic damage and slow drips can wait until morning.
- Keep people away from a bulging ceiling or fallen material. Do not get on the roof yourself.
- Choose a local roofer with a direct phone number, clear identity and recent independent reviews.
- Insurance cover varies by policy and circumstances. Contact your insurer and ask what evidence it needs.
- Ask what any visit will cost before the roofer sets off and request a written quote for proposed work.
What counts as a roofing emergency?
Active drip through the ceiling. Sagging or bulging plaster. Tiles that have come down in a storm. A flat roof that has split overnight. Lead flashing torn off in high wind. A chimney leaning visibly after a storm. Anything where water is getting in or where the roof is now unsafe. A single missing tile in good weather is not an emergency, it can wait for the next working day.
First 10 minutes when your roof leaks
Move belongings only if you can do so without standing beneath a bulging ceiling or fallen material. Place a container beneath a simple drip only when the area is safe. Do not pierce a ceiling. If water may have reached electrics, keep clear and switch off the electricity supply only if it is safe to reach the consumer unit. Seek advice from a registered electrician. Record visible damage from a safe position, then call a roofer.
How to find a local emergency roofer
Look for a local business with a direct phone number, clear identity and recent reviews on an independent platform. Ask who will attend, what the initial visit costs and when they can realistically arrive before agreeing to a visit.
Not sure what you need? Call and we'll tell you straight.
150+ Google reviews. Dave has 25 years on the tools.
Insurance and emergency repair
Cover varies by policy and by the cause of the damage. Contact your insurer as soon as possible and ask what evidence it needs before authorising work where possible. Keep photographs, written quotes, invoices and receipts for any temporary work.
What affects the price
Emergency pricing follows the work involved: how the damaged area is reached, whether a tower or scaffold has to go up, how much covering or lead has moved, and whether materials have to be ordered in to match. Proposed permanent work is set out in a written quote before anything starts, and you are under no obligation to accept it.
Related services
More from the blog
About the author
David Boardman founded Boardman Roofing in 2018. Dave has 25 years on the tools. Read 150+ Google reviews or call 07879 736629.
Get a free quote today
150+ Google reviews. Dave has 25 years on the tools.
Have a roof problem you want a real roofer to look at? Free written quote, no pressure.