The cost of a garage roof replacement is normally between £800 – 1,500 depending on two main factors:
- Whether your garage roof is flat or pitched
- The materials used
Nowadays, there’s a variety of materials that you can choose from to replace your garage roof including rubber, fibreglass and felt. Each material has its pros and cons and impacts the overall cost of your garage roof replacement.
Flat garage roofs are becoming extremely popular due to their affordable cost compared to pitched roofs. However, the only downside of flat roofs is that they tend to have a smaller lifespan than pitched roofs due to the potential build-up of debris and rainwater.
It’s also important to thoroughly check your garage for asbestos, especially if your home was built before the year 2000. The potentially harmful fibre was used in construction during the 1990s and could add an extra cost to your garage roof replacement as it will need to be removed.
Contents
How much does it cost to replace a garage roof?
Generally, it costs between £800 – 1,500 to replace a garage roof. When you are quoted a price for a garage roof replacement, your bill will likely be split into two sections: materials and labour.
The price of the materials used to build the replacement roof will be added to the amount of time needed to install it by the roofer, giving you the overall cost. The final cost can vary considerably depending on several factors.
What factors affect the cost of a garage roof?
Two main variable factors will dictate the overall cost of a garage roof replacement, namely the materials used and the type of roof you opt for.
Flat roofs offer an abundance of choice while tiles are the only material you can use to build a pitched roof. Use our guide below for an approximate estimate of your garage roof replacement (not including labour).
Garage roof replacement materials cost
| Material | Cost per m2 |
| Felt | £40 |
| EPDM rubber | £45 |
| Tiles (pitched roofs only) | £50 |
| GRP fibreglass | £80 |
| Get quotes | |
Other than roof type and material, several other factors can determine the cost, but they will only account for around 10% of the build. These include:
- Guttering
- Insulation
- Decking boards
Should you consider having a flat roof for your garage?
In a word – yes.
Due to low garage flat roof replacement costs when compared to pitched roofs as well as taking less time to build, flat roofs have become increasingly popular in recent years.
They also require less work to the supporting structure of the garage in order to be installed. As well as the benefits of flat roofs, there’s also some other points to consider when deciding what type of material to use for your garage roof replacement.
The table below shows the pros and cons of both types of roofs to help you decide which is best for you and your property.
Garage roofs: Flat or pitched?
| Roof type | Pros | Cons |
| Flat roof | Due to the roof being flat, it’s safer to carry out maintenance as it’s easier to stand on. | Generally needs to be replaced every 20 years at the most due to wear and tear. |
| Doesn’t take very long to build due to there being fewer materials involved. | If not regularly cleaned, a lack of adequate water drainage can damage the roof and garage. | |
| A flat roof helps keep your home warm by absorbing heat from the sun. | Needs more maintenance throughout the year which can cost you more money and time. | |
| Pitched roof | Can last over 50 years due to the high quality of materials and water drainage system. | Pitched roofs take longer to install, and as a result cost more in labour fees. |
| You’ll be able to enjoy higher ceilings than flat roofs. | Maintenance will be harder to carry out. You may need the help of a roofer. | |
| The sloping nature of pitched roofs means they drain water efficiently. | You could run into planning permission issues if the pitched roof impacts neighbouring properties. | |
| Get quotes | ||
Ultimately, the cost of the roof and how long you want it to last will be the deciding factors when choosing between a flat or pitched roof.
Do I need to consider planning permission or building regulations when replacing a garage roof?
Generally no, but it depends.
Planning permission
The planning portal says alterations to a roof such as replacing a roof is considered to be permitted development (e.g. does not require planning permission). If you are extending as well as replacing your garage roof different rules may apply.
Check the planning portals guide to planning permission for roofing.
Building regulations
The planning portal says you will not normally need to submit a building control application if less than 25% of the total building envelope is affected (walls, floor, roof, windows, door, roof windows and roof lights) and less than 50% of the roof is affected.
Checking the planning portals guide to building regulations for an existing roof.
Garage roof replacement cost FAQ
What to do if my garage roof is made from asbestos?
If you’ve found asbestos in your garage roof, leave the garage immediately and make every other member of your household aware that you’ve found asbestos in the garage roof.
Contact an asbestos removal specialist to safely remove the asbestos from your garage roof.
How much does it cost to remove asbestos from a garage roof?
An asbestos garage roof replacement can cost anywhere between £350 – 1,500 depending on how much asbestos there is.
Due to asbestos being widely used in the construction of homes before 2000, it is an extremely common problem in the UK and can cause significant harm should you be in regular proximity to it.
How do I know if my garage roof needs replacing?
The best way to know if your garage roof needs replacing is by removing the protective layer of felt. If the materials used to build the garage are beginning to rot, then it may be time to consider a garage roof replacement.
For more insights, visit our roofing page.
If you’re looking for more information on the ins and outs of flat garage roof replacement and repair, visit our garage roof replacement guide.
So if you’re ready to get started, post a job to get quotes from roofers near you.
Free Service
About our data
We survey home owners about the quotes they receive, and tradespeople about how much they charge. We use this data to help create our cost guides.
Author
Written by, Adam Clark, trade specialist at My Local Toolbox.