How to Choose a Roofer in Coalville (and Spot a Rogue Trader)

Roofing is not a licensed trade in the UK, so choosing a roofer in Coalville comes down to evidence rather than instinct. Ask to see the public liability certificate, insist on a fixed price in writing, look the business up on Checkatrade, Trust a Trader and Google, and confirm there is a real address behind the mobile number. A settled local roofer produces all four without fuss; a rogue trader has a reason why each can wait until after you have signed.

What should I ask to see before anyone goes up a ladder?

Public liability insurance. It covers damage the roofer causes to your property and injury to anyone else while work is going on — a dropped scaffold board through a conservatory roof, a tile onto a neighbour's car. Without it, that becomes your problem.

Ask for the certificate itself, not a verbal assurance, and read three things on it: the name of the insured (it should match the name on the quote), the limit of indemnity, and the expiry date. A £1 million limit is the common floor on domestic work, £2 million is widespread, and £5 million is at the top end — Armour Shield Roofing Services (Coalville) carries £5 million public liability.

Why does a written fixed quote beat a figure on the doorstep?

Because a number spoken aloud commits nobody. Once the scaffold is up and half the tiles are off, an unwritten price has a habit of growing and you have nothing to point at.

A proper written quote names the property, describes the work in plain terms, lists the materials, states whether access equipment is inside the total, gives one figure rather than a range, and says how long it stands.

It helps to know the going rate first. Minor repairs such as a few slipped tiles typically run £150–£350; larger repairs involving flashing, ridge work or scaffolding run £350–£900+; re-roofing a typical semi falls between £4,000–£6,500. The full list is on the roofing costs page, and a quote at three times the going rate — or far below it — is worth a second opinion.

What separates a good roofer from a rogue trader?

Green flag	Red flag
Shows a public liability certificate on request	Says the paperwork is in the van
One fixed total, in writing, before work starts	A doorstep figure never written down
Payment schedule agreed in advance	Large sum up front, cash only, no invoice
Listed on Checkatrade, Trust a Trader and Google	No traceable review history
A real trading address you can look up	Mobile number only, no address anywhere
Came by recommendation or enquiry	Knocked on your door uninvited
Happy for you to take a few days	Price only valid if you agree today
Guarantee in writing, term stated	Verbal promise of a lifetime guarantee

Are the payment terms reasonable?

Staged payments are perfectly normal on a big job. A common structure on a re-roof is a payment once the scaffold is up and materials are delivered, then the balance once the work has been inspected and signed off. Small repairs are usually settled in one go afterwards.

What should make you pause is a large sum demanded before anything has been ordered, a request for cash rather than a traceable payment, or pressure to send money to a personal account with no invoice. An established roofer holds a trade account with a merchant and does not need your money to buy tiles. Get the schedule written into the quote before you accept it, pay by transfer or card, and take a written invoice.

How do I check reviews and reputation properly?

Check more than one platform, and check they agree. A roofer listed on Checkatrade, Trust a Trader and Google Business Profile under one trading name and phone number is far easier to hold to account than one with a single page you cannot cross-reference. Armour Shield appears on all three, plus its own reviews page.

Then look past the star rating. Genuine reviews mention a town, a street or a specific problem; ten identical one-line raves posted in the same week are evidence of nothing. Note how the trader answers a critical review, too — a measured reply offering to fix the problem tells you more than a wall of perfect scores.

Does a real local address matter?

Yes, more than people expect. A mobile number with no address behind it means nowhere to send a letter if the work fails in year three. Ask where the business is based, and check the answer is a place, not a phrase like "covering the Midlands".

Being local matters practically too: someone twenty minutes away comes back to look at a snag; a trader from two counties away probably will not. Armour Shield works out of Station Road in Hugglescote, Coalville, LE67 2GB, covering Coalville, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Ibstock, Loughborough, Shepshed and Groby — see the contact page.

What about the roofer who knocks after a storm?

High winds across Charnwood reliably bring door-knockers with them, and the script rarely varies: they were working round the corner, they have noticed tiles slipping on yours, they can sort it while the ladders are out, and it needs doing today.

Never let an uninvited caller onto your roof, and never agree to work on the spot. Take a name and number, then close the door. If you are worried about real damage, ring a roofer you have already checked — that is what emergency roof repairs are for, and the steps to take meanwhile are in our guide on what to do after storm damage.

What does a workmanship guarantee cover — and what does it not?

It covers the roofer's own labour. If a ridge they bedded works loose, a flashing they dressed leaks, or a tile they laid slips, they return and put it right at no cost to you.

It does not cover storm or impact damage, wear on parts of the roof they never touched, structural movement, work somebody else has since altered, or a manufacturing fault in a material — that last one is the product warranty, a separate document from the manufacturer. Ask for both in writing: a workmanship guarantee is only as strong as the business behind it.

The document should state the term in years, what it covers, what voids it, and how you claim. Armour Shield issues a 15-year written workmanship guarantee.

Frequently asked questions

What should I ask a roofer to show me before they start?

A current public liability insurance certificate and a fixed price in writing. The certificate should carry the same trading name as the quote, show the limit of indemnity, and have an expiry date that has not passed. Armour Shield Roofing Services (Coalville) carries £5 million public liability cover, which is the sort of figure to expect on domestic roofing.

Is it normal for a roofer to ask for a deposit?

Staged payments are normal on a large job — typically a payment once the scaffold is up and materials are on site, then the balance when the work is signed off. What is not normal is a big sum demanded before anything has been ordered, a cash-only request, or pressure to pay the same afternoon. Get the payment schedule written into the quote before you accept it.

Should I trust a roofer who knocks on my door after a storm?

Treat it as a warning sign. The opener is almost always that they were working nearby and spotted slipped tiles you cannot see from the ground, which is designed to create urgency. Never let an uninvited caller onto your roof. Take a name and number, then ring a roofer you have checked yourself.

How do I check a Coalville roofer's reviews are genuine?

Look the same trading name up on more than one platform — Checkatrade, Trust a Trader and Google Business Profile — and check the phone number matches on all of them. Genuine reviews name a town, a street or a specific job. Be wary of a new profile carrying a burst of five-star ratings posted within days of each other.

What does a workmanship guarantee actually cover?

The roofer's own work — if a ridge they bedded works loose or a flashing they fitted leaks, they come back and put it right at no charge. It does not cover storm or impact damage, wear on parts of the roof they never touched, or a manufacturing fault in a material, which is the product warranty's job. Armour Shield issues a 15-year written workmanship guarantee.

For a free, no-obligation quote on any roofing work across Coalville and north-west Leicestershire, call 07366 472857.