Roofers build and repair roofs on all types of buildings. The jobs can include stripping and re-slating the roof on a house, restoring roofs on historical buildings and working on new commercial developments.

Roofers use various materials in their work and will often specialise in one or more roofing methods. These methods include:

• slating and tiling – using traditional slate, pre-fabricated concrete tiles and synthetic slates to cover pitched roofs and walls
• built-up felt roofing and mastic asphalt – laying felt or mastic asphalt to provide a waterproof shield, usually on flat roofs
• sheeting and cladding – fixing lightweight metallic or synthetic sheets to a building’s superstructure, for example on a new factory unit
• leadsheeting – creating a waterproof covering by using lead (sometimes copper) rolls, often seen on schools and churches
• thatching – a specialist skill using natural materials to provide roof coverings – see the separate profile for Thatcher.

Roofers' tasks vary, depending on what type of job they are on but may include:

• stripping off the existing roof (where appropriate) or repairing broken slates and tiles
• checking that the underlying structure is sound, for example the roof timbers
• working out surface areas and quantities of materials required
• re-sizing, cutting and re-holing slates or tiles
• spreading molten bitumen to lay felt on flat roofs
• re-covering the roof area and sealing it with mortar or synthetic cement to make it watertight.

Materials like slates can be re-used, but roofers will order and take delivery of new roofing materials where required.

Roofers often work on jobs with other construction tradespeople, for example joiners and plumbers.

Hours and Environment

Roofers work 40 hours a week, but overtime may be available to complete jobs, especially on big commercial contracts.

As a roofer, you will work outdoors and at heights, using ladders and scaffolding. Your work will be physically demanding and dirty, and you will work in all weather conditions. You may also be at risk of sunburn during the summer, so you must take protective measures and use safety equipment, such as a hard hat and kneepads.

You will travel from site to site and, depending on the contract, you may have to work away from home for periods of time.

Skills and Interests

To be a roofer you need:

• good practical skills
• the ability to understand building plans
• good numerical skills to work out areas, quantities and prices
• a good head for heights
• the ability to work as part of a team
• an awareness of health and safety issues
• a good level of fitness.

Entry

You do not need any set entry requirements to get into this job but employers tend to want people with some on-site experience. If you have not worked in construction before, then you may want to consider working as a roofing labourer to gain site experience. Once working, the employer may be willing to offer you training in roofing (see Training section below).

You may be able to get into this job through an apprenticeship scheme with a building or roofing firm. Funding for apprenticeships is available for 16-24 year olds and some over-25s. To find out more, visit www.apprenticeships.org.uk. For information about apprenticeships in other parts of the UK, see Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

To be eligible for an apprenticeship, you may need some GCSEs/S grades in subjects, such as maths, English and design and technology, or equivalent vocational qualifications like the Edexcel Introductory Certificate or Diploma in Construction.

You can take college courses, which are open to all age groups, such as an Intermediate and Advanced Construction Award (Roofing and Tiling). These can teach you some of the skills needed for the job but employers may still want to see some site experience. Check with your local colleges for more details.

ConstructionSkills has information on construction careers and qualifications in Further Information; and the Equal Opportunities Commission is promoting the construction trades as a career option for women through its Know Your Place campaign.

Training

Once you are working as a roofer, you can train on the job, with day or block release at a local college or training centre.

You can work towards a range of NVQs/SVQs, approved by ConstructionSkills and City & Guilds. These include:

• Roofing Occupations at levels 2 and 3 (options in tiling, slating, metallic roofing and thatching)
• Mastic Asphalt levels 1 to 3
• Roof Sheeting and Cladding levels 2 and 3
• Applied Waterproof Membranes at levels 1and 2, which covers Built-up Bituminous Roofing, Single-ply roofing and Liquid Waterproofing Systems.

Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS)
By 2010, workers within the construction sector must hold a CSCS card or register with an affiliated scheme. Many construction firms and their clients already insist that workers hold a relevant card to work on site. To receive a card, you must hold an NVQ/SVQ or acceptable equivalent and pass a health and safety assessment.

Your card will be graded according to your qualifications and experience. If you are an experienced worker without formal qualifications, you can use On-Site Assessment and Training (OSAT) or Experienced Worker Practical Assessment (EWPA) to get your card.

For details about the CSCS scheme, gradings, equivalent qualifications and applications, contact CSCS or SkillsDirect. See the ConstructionSkills website for more information about the health and safety test, training providers, OSAT and EWPA.

Opportunities

Demand for qualified roofers is steady, with a predicted need for just under 4,000 over the next two years. Public and private construction projects are partly driving this demand, for example, major local authority housing stock refurbishment programmes in the larger cities, such as Liverpool, Glasgow and Birmingham.

As a roofer, you can work for specialist roofing firms, building contractors, roofing materials suppliers, local authorities and other public organisations.

The industry has also seen an increase in demand for tradespeople who have skills in more than one occupation, for instance, as a roofer, you may find advanced joinery or plumbing skills particularly useful.

With experience, your options for progression include becoming a site manager, technical salesperson or roofing technician, dealing with project planning and costing. See the separate job profiles for Clerk of Works, Construction Manager and Estimator.

Another popular option within construction is to become self-employed and set up your own company, and a small but growing field is that of sustainable energy technology installation, for example rooftop solar panelling.

Annual Income

Figures are intended as guideline only.

A roofing labourer earns around £13,000 to £14,000 a year.
With qualifications, roofers can earn between £16,000 and £21,000. 
Experienced roofers can earn up to £26,000 a year.

Overtime and shift all owances will supplement income, while self-employed roofers negotiate their own rates.

Further information

Tel: 0870 8505262 Tel: 0870 417 8777 Bircham Newton
King's Lynn
Norfolk
PE31 6RH
Tel: 01485 577577