By Charlie the Roofer for Roofline · Published · Checked against the sources listed below
A deposit is normal on bigger roofing jobs but not on small repairs. Citizens Advice says not to agree to more than 25%, and a deposit should broadly match the materials being bought. Pay the rest in stages as work is done, and put at least part on a credit card for Section 75 cover.
How much deposit is reasonable for roof work?
A reasonable deposit for roof work is a modest share of the price that covers materials, and Citizens Advice says you should not agree to more than 25%.
Practice varies between firms. On MyJobQuote's question page about deposits, some traders say they take none, several put it at around 10% to 15%, and one mentions a quarter once work has started. The BestBuilders 2026 payment guide puts most domestic deposits well under a third of the contract value, with nothing up front on a small job of a day or two.
For roofing, that usually works out like this:
- Small repairs, such as a few slipped tiles or a loose ridge: no deposit, and you pay when the job is done. See what slipped tile repairs cost.
- Larger jobs, such as a re-roof on a post-war semi where tiles, battens and membrane are ordered in: a deposit tied to those named materials, backed by a supplier order or receipt.
The BestBuilders guide warns about round numbers that happen to equal a third or half of the job with no materials list behind them. Citizens Advice adds that you can offer to buy the materials yourself, so they belong to you if something goes wrong.
Is being asked for 50% up front a warning sign?
Yes, a request for half the price before any work starts is well above the published guidance and is worth questioning. Citizens Advice says not to agree to a deposit of more than 25%, and to avoid traders who want you to pay everything up front.
Staffordshire Trading Standards, backing a 2026 campaign on rogue roofers, lists requests for large upfront payments as a warning sign, along with no written quote and no physical business address.
A large deposit does not prove a firm is dishonest. It does put your money ahead of the work, so ask exactly what it pays for and whether it can be smaller. If the request comes from someone who knocked on your door, our advice on doorstep roofers explains what to do.
When should you pay the rest?
Pay the rest in stages that match work you can see, with the final payment once the job is finished to your satisfaction. Citizens Advice says this lets problems be put right before the final payment, and Telford Trading Standards advises holding that payment until you are happy with the work.
Agree the stages in writing before anything starts. The BestBuilders guide recommends defining each stage payment by a visible, checkable event. On a re-roof that might be the old covering stripped, then new battens and membrane on, then the tiles, ridge and leadwork finished. You can check most of this from the ground or an upstairs window, and you can ask the roofer for photos of each stage.
On a bigger job you can also agree a small retention: a share of the final bill held back for an agreed period and released once any defects have been put right. Our new roofs page explains what a full re-roof involves.
What is the safest way to pay a roofer?
The safest way to pay is by credit card, even for part of the bill, because Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 makes the card company jointly liable if the trader breaks the contract. It covers a single item or service with a cash price over £100 and up to £30,000. Citizens Advice explains that this still applies if only the deposit went on the card, as long as you pay the roofer directly and not through a third party.
- Debit card: there are no Section 75 rights, but Citizens Advice says you can ask your bank for a chargeback. BestBuilders notes that chargeback is a card scheme rule with time limits, not a legal right.
- Bank transfer: Citizens Advice suggests this if you cannot pay by card. Pay the firm's business account and look at the Confirmation of Payee result, the name check your bank runs when you add a new payee. If Pay.UK's check says the details do not match, contact the firm before you send anything.
- Cash: Citizens Advice says not to pay with cash, because a cash payment cannot be claimed back through chargeback or Section 75.
Whichever method you use, get a receipt for the deposit, plus receipts for any materials it covers.
Before you commit, ask for the written quote and the payment terms together. Roofline is based in Barnsley, covers Yorkshire and gives free itemised quotes. Send a photo on WhatsApp to 07413 797731, or book a free inspection and we will send you photos of what we find. For typical prices, see our new roof cost guide for Yorkshire.
Send us a photo on WhatsApp and we will tell you what we think it is and whether it needs a visit. Quotes are free and itemised.
Sources
- legislation.gov.uk: Consumer Credit Act 1974, section 75
- Staffordshire County Council: Trading Standards backs campaign to tackle rogue roofers (17 February 2026)
- Telford & Wrekin Council: Advice from Trading Standards
- Citizens Advice: Before you get work done on your home
- Citizens Advice: Getting your money back if you paid by card or PayPal
- Pay.UK: Confirmation of Payee FAQs
- BestBuilders: How to pay a builder, deposits and stage payments 2026 (updated 7 August 2026)
- MyJobQuote: Paying deposits (trader answers, April to May 2024)
General information about roofing in England, checked against the sources above when published. It is not a substitute for advice about your own roof.
