Garages do require regular maintenance to keep them free from leaks and water damage.
Once water penetrates a garage’s foundations and structure, rotting can weaken the entire roof. The roof may then sag, causing water to collect instead of draining away as it should.
Avoiding this situation is a good idea both in the short and long term. But what can you expect to pay?
In this article, we’ll cover how much you can expect to pay to replace a garage roof and other common questions around garage roof replacement.
Average Cost
The average cost of a garage roof replacement depends primarily on the roofing material used. Added extras like new guttering or fascias will bump up the costs. When you’re replacing the main roof material, it’s usually economical to replace other components as well.
It depends on the state of your roof and what your roofer recommends. Get a quote for different types of roofs and added extras. If you can safely get on your roof then go and have a look yourself.
Other costs to factor in are:
- Decking boards
- Insulation upgrades
- Fascias
- Guttering
- Flashing
By taking quotes from 7 roofers and 6 secondary sources, we discovered the following average garage roof replacement costs.
| Material | Single Garage Roof | Double Garage Roof | Pitched Roof (Tiles Only) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Felting | £800 | £1,900 | N/A |
| EPDM Rubber | £1,500 | £2,800 | N/A |
| GRP Fibreglass | £2,000 | £3,800 | N/A |
| Tiles (Slate or Concrete) | N/A | N/A | £5,000+ |
Costs are broken down with extra costs for decking boards, insulation, etc below.
| Single Garage Roof | Double Garage Roof | Pitched Roof (Tiles Only) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| With OSB Decking Boards | +£250 | +£450 | N/A |
| With Insulation Upgrades | +£350 | +£600 | +£750 minimum |
| With Flashing, Fascia Boards and Guttering | +£300 | +£500 | +£500 minimum |
As we can see, replacing a garage roof for under £1,000 is possible if you literally just replace the felting with new felting and leave everything else intact. From there, the cost scales with different materials and extras like flashing, guttering and fascias.
It’s often a good idea to upgrade more than just the covering of the roof, especially if your decking boards are dated.
Choose a roofer with a solid local reputation, someone who is preferably part of the Roofing Competent Persons Scheme. Look for a solid portfolio of recent work.
Listen to your roofer’s guidance on what you should/shouldn’t replace, but don’t be forced into replacing more than you feel is necessary.
It’s worth mentioning that EPDM rubber roofs are linked to cowboy roofers, namely because it doesn’t require much specialist equipment to fit and there’s knock-off rubber available. Don’t accept chance offers of quick, cheap roof replacements.
Removing Asbestos Garage Roofs
One major consideration is whether or not your old roof is made from asbestos.
Either the tiles or insulation decking boards may be asbestos. If you wish to remove old asbestos roofing materials then you must use a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) registered contractor. HSE maintains a list of companies that are licensed to remove asbestos.
Locating a specialist asbestos removal should be fairly straightforward. Here are the average costs of removing roofing asbestos.
It’s worth knowing that many roofing tiles look like asbestos but are actually concrete – so don’t panic if your roof has that characteristic asbestos off-grey tone!
Never attempt to remove or disturb asbestos yourself. It is relatively safe if it’s undisturbed and some types of asbestos are safer than others, but the stakes are too high.
| Type of Material Removed | Single Garage Roof | Double Garage Roof | Pitched Garage Roof |
|---|---|---|---|
| Removing Asbestos Tiles | £400 | £700 | £1500 |
| Removing Asbestos Decking Boards/Insulation | £800 - £1000 | £1500 - £2000 | N/A |
Roof Replacement and Building Regulations
The vast majority of garages have flat roofs. Flat roofs must be built to a certain specification to meet Building Regulations.
Namely, the Codes of Practice specified in BS6229 and BS8217 specify a minimum gradient of 1:40 and a maximum gradient of 1:80 depending on the size of the roof. This ensures that rain will properly drain from the flat roof.
Furthermore, the Planning Portal specifies that any work that replaces more than 25% of the roof will have to be accompanied by an upgrade to roofing insulation to meet current regulations.
You will not need Planning Permission to replace a garage roof unless you wish to make structural alterations to the roof. If you replace the tiles on a pitched roof then these must match the tiles of the home’s main roof, or the existing garage roofing tiles.
To simplify the process of submitted clearance to Build Control, choose a roofer that is registered under the Roofing Competent Person Scheme. They will be able to self-certify that the work is compliant with Building Regulations.
Get Pricing on Garage Roof Replacements Near You
We’ve done our best to give you a good idea of what you can expect to pay to remove a garage roof.
However, our guides are not a substitute for a fixed quote specifically for you.
We work with all the best garage roof removal specialists ready to price your job. Get free, no-obligation quotes in your local area and compare prices using the form below.
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About the Author
Alex Johnson is a qualified quantity surveyor and writer with a passion for conducting original research and uncovering the true cost of jobs. His cost data has been referenced by EDF Energy and the Scottish Government.