The short answer
Where repairs are needed, yes. Our inspection leads to a quote, but the two are different documents. The report records what the roof is like, shown in pictures of the actual slopes. The quote fixes a price for a named job. If the roof needs nothing, there is nothing to quote, and the report still tells you so.
A report says what is wrong. A quote says what it costs to put right. Knowing which one you are holding keeps the decision clear.
Report and quote are not the same thing
People often use the words as if they meant one document, and that is where confusion starts. A report is a record of condition. It lists what was found on the slope, in the valleys, at the chimney and in the loft, and it shows each fault in a photo. It does not promise to fix anything, and it carries no price at all.
What does a quote add?
A quote turns a finding into a job. It names the work, the materials and the access, and it states the price for the lot. You can read the report on its own and decide to do nothing, or ask someone else to price the work from it. The quote only has meaning if it matches the report, so any item in one should be traceable in the other.
That is why we survey first. We cannot price a roof honestly from the pavement, and a quote written without going up is a guess. The photos come first, then a conversation about what they show, and only then the price. Nothing is rushed, and nothing is added to the total once it is agreed.
One total price, in writing
When the survey finds work to be done, the price arrives as a single total in writing after the survey. We keep our prices good and fair, and the figure on the page is the figure for the job described, never an opening bid to be haggled upward later.
What decides the total?
Access, the area of roof involved, the covering and what the survey found underneath all play a part. A slipped tile near the eaves that a ladder can reach is a small job, finished in a visit. The same tile above a conservatory, or beside a chimney that needs a tower, is a different one, even though the roof looks alike from below.
Whichever firm sends a quote, check for VAT and scaffold in the total, since those two surprise people later. Householders pay VAT at 20% (GOV.UK) on this kind of work, so ask which side of it the figure sits, and get the answer in writing. If scaffold is needed, ask who arranges the highway licence. We arrange it with the scaffolder, so it does not land on you as a surprise.
When a standalone report is what you want
Not everyone wants a repair price. A seller may want a record for the buyer, a buyer may want evidence for a negotiation, and a landlord may want a dated condition record. If that is what you need, say so when you book, so the visit is planned around the report.
Does a report on its own cost something?
Many firms charge for a roof survey. MyJobQuote's October 2026 guide puts an average near £300, with a drone survey between £200 and £350. Ask any firm, including us, what the visit covers before you agree to it, and whether the written findings are yours to keep whatever you decide. A fee that is waived or refunded if you go ahead should be stated up front, not discovered later.
A report that stops at the findings is still useful. It shows a buyer or a surveyor what is wrong without any pressure to buy work, and it can be handed to a second roofer for a second opinion. Our guide to the cost of a roof inspection goes through what sets the fee.
How to read a quote against the report
Put the two side by side. Every fault in the report should have a matching piece of work in the quote, and every piece of work should have a reason in the report. If the quote adds jobs the report never mentioned, ask where they come from.
What should a good quote tell you?
It should say what the job is, which covering is going on, whether scaffold is included, how long the work is expected to take and what happens to the waste. It should be dated and signed, and it should be written, not given over the phone. A price you cannot read back later is not much use to anyone.
Citizens Advice tells people to gather several written quotes before choosing a trader, and for a big job like a re-roof that is sound advice. We are happy for you to show our report to another roofer, because the photos are the same whoever reads them, and a second reader is a fair check on the first. Ready to book? Use the form on this page, or read about the roof inspection report first. The roof inspections page explains the visit step by step.
Quotes after a survey
Can I use your report to get another roofer's quote?
Yes. The report and photos describe your roof, not our price, so another roofer can read them. A second roofer will still want to see the roof for themselves before pricing, and that is normal. Comparing totals is easier when both quotes describe the same work.
What if the survey finds nothing to repair?
Then there is no quote to write, and the report says the roof looked sound on the day, with photos to back that up. You keep a dated record. If something changes after a storm, a fresh visit gives you a newer record to set beside it.
The full picture: Roof inspections in Taunton · More short answers