Searching for the best roofing company in the UK brings up thousands of results, and nearly every roofer claims to be the best in their area. But what actually separates a great roofing company from an average one?
The best roofing company is one that combines verified credentials, genuine customer reviews across independent platforms, full insurance cover, transparent quoting with no hidden charges and decades of hands-on experience working on your type of property.
At Edinburgh Borders Roofing, we have built our reputation over 30 years by meeting every one of these standards. We hold 5-star ratings on Trustpilot, Google and Checkatrade, carry £5 million public liability insurance, and offer every customer a free photographic roof survey before any work begins.
In this blog, we explain the seven things you should check before hiring any roofing company and why each one matters.
Check for Verified Reviews Across Multiple Platforms
A single 5-star review on one website means nothing. What matters is a consistent pattern of positive feedback across independent, verified platforms where the company cannot delete negative comments.
We hold 5-star ratings on three separate platforms: Trustpilot (9.6/10), Google (4.6/5.0) and Checkatrade (9.6/10). Each of these platforms verifies reviews independently. We do not pay for reviews, offer discounts in exchange for them or filter out negative feedback. Every rating comes from a genuine customer who hired us for a real roofing project.
Why three platforms? Because any company can look good on one site. Maintaining consistently high ratings across Trustpilot, Google and Checkatrade over years of trading is much harder to fake. If a roofing company only shows reviews on their own website, treat those with caution.
Before hiring any roofer, search their company name on Trustpilot, Google and Checkatrade separately. Read the negative reviews too. How the company responds to complaints tells you as much as the 5-star reviews do.
Make Sure They Are Fully Insured and Guaranteed
Every roofing company should carry public liability insurance and employers’ liability insurance. If they do not, you are taking a huge personal risk by letting them onto your property.
We carry £5 million public liability insurance and £10 million employers’ liability insurance. Every project we take on comes with a full written guarantee, and selected materials carry additional manufacturer-backed warranties.
Why does this matter? If an uninsured roofer falls through your roof and injures themselves, you could be held liable. If they damage your property during the work and have no insurance, you have no recourse. These are not hypothetical risks. They happen.
Ask any roofing company for proof of insurance before they start work. A reputable company will provide certificates without hesitation. If they hesitate, walk away.
Look for Genuine Experience With Your Property Type
A roofer who has spent 20 years working on modern new-builds may not be the right choice for a Victorian slate roof. Roofing is not one skill. It is dozens of specialist skills applied to different property types, materials and building methods.
We have spent over 30 years working on Edinburgh’s diverse property stock. That means Victorian tenements with natural slate, Georgian townhouses with lead valleys, post-war concrete tile roofs, modern flat roof extensions and everything in between. We understand how each material behaves in Edinburgh’s climate because we have been repairing and replacing them for three decades.
Ask the company what types of properties they have worked on. Ask for photographs of completed projects similar to yours. A roofer who specialises in flat roofing on commercial units may not be the right fit for your period slate roof, and vice versa.
Experience with your specific property type and roofing material is worth more than any marketing claim.
Demand a Free Survey Before Any Work Starts
No reputable roofing company should give you a quote based on a phone call or a quick glance from the pavement. A proper quote requires a proper inspection.
We provide every customer with a completely free photographic roof survey before any work begins. Our surveyor inspects your roof in person, climbs up with safety equipment, captures detailed photographs of every issue and provides a written report explaining exactly what needs doing and why.
This survey costs you nothing. There is no obligation to proceed, no sales pressure and no follow-up calls. You get the report, you see the photographs and you make your own decision.
If a roofing company wants to quote you over the phone without seeing the roof, that is a warning sign. They either plan to add charges once they start, or they do not understand the scope of the work. Both are bad.
They Should Offer Emergency Callouts
Roofs do not leak on convenient schedules. A storm at 2am does not care that your roofer’s office opens at 9.
We offer 24-hour emergency roof repairs across Edinburgh and the Lothians. When you call with an active leak, we respond the same day. Our team carries tarps, temporary repair materials and the equipment to make your roof watertight until a permanent fix can happen in better conditions.
Not every roofing company offers this. Many operate strictly 9-to-5 and do not take emergency calls at weekends or evenings. Before you need a roofer in a crisis, find out whether the company you are considering actually provides emergency cover. Discovering they do not at midnight during a storm is not the time to start searching.
They Should Use Their Own Team, Not Subcontractors
Some roofing companies take your booking and then send a subcontractor you have never spoken to. The company that quoted the job is not the same team that turns up to do it. This is more common than most homeowners realise.
We use our own in-house team for every project. The roofers who inspect your roof are the same roofers who carry out the repair. They know the job because they assessed it themselves. There is no handoff, no miscommunication and no surprises.
Ask directly: will your own team do the work, or will you subcontract it? If they subcontract, ask who the subcontractor is and whether they carry their own insurance. The answer will tell you a lot about how the company operates.
Check Their Range of Services
A roofing company that only offers one or two services may not be equipped to handle the full scope of what your roof needs. A proper roof assessment might reveal chimney damage, gutter issues, slipped slates and failing flashing all on the same property. You want one company that can handle all of it.
We offer a full range of roofing and building services including roof repairs, chimney repairs, flat roofing, roof slating and tiling, lead roofing, gutter repair, stonemasonry, exterior render, solar panel installation and rope access for hard-to-reach buildings.
This means one survey, one quote, one team and one guarantee covering everything your roof needs. You do not have to coordinate multiple tradesmen or manage separate warranties.
Why Edinburgh Borders Roofing Meets Every Standard on This List
We did not write this list and then work backwards to fit ourselves in. These are the standards we have held for over 30 years. Here is how we measure up.
5-star ratings on Trustpilot (9.6/10), Google (4.6/5.0) and Checkatrade (9.6/10), all verified, all genuine, none paid for.
£5 million public liability and £10 million employers’ liability insurance on every project. Full written guarantee on all completed work. Manufacturer-backed warranties on selected materials.
Over three decades working on Edinburgh’s property stock, from Georgian slate roofs in the New Town to post-war concrete tiles in Craigmillar. We know every roof type this city has.
A completely free photographic roof survey with no obligation, no sales pressure and no follow-up calls. You see the photos, you read the report, you decide.
24-hour emergency roof repairs across Edinburgh and the Lothians. Same-day response. We do not close at 5pm when your roof is leaking at midnight.
Our own in-house IRATA-trained team on every job. No subcontractors. The roofer who surveys your roof is the roofer who fixes it.
Full range of services under one roof: roof repairs, chimney repairs, flat roofing, slating and tiling, leadwork, gutter repair, stonemasonry, exterior render, solar panel installation and rope access.
One survey. One quote. One team. One guarantee. That is how we work.
Conclusion
The best roofing company is not the one with the biggest advert or the cheapest quote. It is the one with verified reviews, full insurance, genuine experience, transparent pricing and a team that does the work themselves.
Edinburgh Borders Roofing meets every one of these standards. We have spent over 30 years earning 5-star ratings on Trustpilot, Google and Checkatrade, and we back every project with a written guarantee and up to £10 million in insurance cover.
See the difference for yourself. Book a free photographic roof survey and find out why Edinburgh homeowners trust us with their roofs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: How do I know if a roofing company is legitimate?
Answer: Check for verified reviews on independent platforms like Trustpilot, Google and Checkatrade. Ask for proof of public liability and employers’ liability insurance. Look for a registered company number and a physical business address. Legitimate companies provide all of this without hesitation.
Question: Should I get multiple quotes for roofing work?
Answer: Yes. We always recommend getting at least two or three quotes for any roofing project. Compare not just the total figure but what each quote includes. A lower quote that excludes scaffolding, materials or waste removal is not genuinely cheaper.
Question: What qualifications should a roofer have?
Answer: Look for IRATA certification if rope access is involved, NVQ qualifications in roofing, and membership of trade bodies like the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC). Our team holds IRATA certification and has over 30 years of hands-on roofing experience.
Question: How long should a roofing guarantee last?
Answer: Most reputable companies offer a workmanship guarantee of at least 10 years. Selected materials also carry manufacturer-backed warranties of 15 to 25 years. We guarantee all our work and provide full details of what is covered before any project begins.
Question: Can I check a roofing company on Checkatrade?
Answer: Yes. Checkatrade verifies traders through identity checks, insurance verification, qualification checks and customer review monitoring. Our Checkatrade profile shows a 9.6/10 rating across verified customer reviews. You can search for any roofing company on Checkatrade to see their verified score.