A roof replacement, or re-roof, strips the old tiles or slates, battens and felt from a pitched roof and replaces them with a new breathable membrane, battens and covering, repairing timbers and renewing ridges, valleys and flashings at the same time.
Planning a new roof for a home in St Austell means making a handful of decisions about materials, layout, finish and timing. We help you work through them at a free survey, then confirm in writing what it will cost for the options you pick. Most projects of this type need 1–2 weeks on site, plus scaffolding time, and we cover every PL25 address as well as the rest of Cornwall.
- Guide price
- £7,100–£15,500 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 1–2 weeks on site, plus scaffolding time
- Postcodes
- PL25
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Cornwall
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for a new roof in St Austell?
In St Austell, guide figures for a new roof sit at £7,100–£15,500, VAT included. We set them using rates for the South West, currently about 2% above the national guide. The table shows what pushes a project towards either end of the range; your own price is set after a free survey.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in St Austell |
|---|---|---|
| Terraced house or bungalow | A smaller pitched roof re-covered in concrete or clay tiles, including scaffolding. | £5,100–£10,000 |
| Typical semi-detached | A 3-bed semi re-roofed in concrete or clay tiles with new membrane, battens and leadwork. | £7,100–£15,500 |
| Detached or natural slate | Larger or more complex roofs, or any roof finished in natural slate. | £12,000–£25,500 |
Your price depends mostly on:
- Roof area, pitch and the number of hips, valleys and dormers
- Covering material: concrete tile, clay tile or natural slate
- Condition of rafters, fascias and other timbers
- Scaffolding, access and the height of the house
What’s included?
- Survey of the covering, timbers, chimneys and loft ventilation
- Scaffolding with edge protection, erected and removed
- Stripping old tiles or slates, battens and felt in stages
- Breathable membrane and new treated battens
- Ridges, hips and verges dry-fixed or bedded, with new leadwork
- Waste removal by skip and a clean site on completion
Local housing and a new roof
Older Cornish homes are often built of granite or slatey local stone, with slate roofs and sometimes slate-hung walls facing the weather. Cob cottages survive in places, Truro and Falmouth keep Georgian and Victorian streets, and many towns have rendered post-war houses, bungalows and newer estates on their edges.
Stone and cob properties often need breathable lime render, careful repointing and roof repairs. Post-war and newer homes commonly benefit from new windows, roofline renewal, external rendering and single-storey extensions.
Whatever era your St Austell home dates from, we plan a new roof around how it is actually built rather than a one-size-fits-all specification.
Permissions for a new roof in St Austell
As St Austell is in England, read the following with that system of planning and building control in mind. We check what applies to your house with the council before you receive a quote.
Re-roofing a house with similar materials does not usually need planning permission in England. Listed buildings and conservation areas may need consent if the covering changes.
Replacing more than a quarter of a roof’s covering counts as renovation under Building Regulations, so the work is notified and the roof insulation may need upgrading. Bats are protected across the UK; if they roost under roof tiles, soffits or fascias, work stops and a licensed ecologist advises before it restarts.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
From survey to handover
Survey and measure
We begin by looking at the job in person. During the free survey we discuss options, materials and budget for a new roof, and photograph or measure anything the quote needs to reflect.
Quote in writing
You get the price in writing, itemised so you can see where the money goes. As long as the specification stays the same, that is the price you pay for a new roof.
Plan and prepare
With the quote agreed, we book the work in and handle preparation: permissions where needed, building control notifications, material orders and access arrangements for your St Austell property.
The work itself
The work is carried out to the agreed specification, with floors and furniture protected and the site kept tidy. At the end we clean up, walk through the finished job with you and hand over any certificates.
How we work
Roof replacement in St Austell: questions
Can my old tiles or slates be reused?
Old tiles or slates can sometimes be reused if they are sound, which can help keep the look of a period house. Many older concrete tiles and some slates are porous, cracked or have failing fixing nibs, so they would not last. Reclaimed slates or tiles can make up shortfalls. We check a sample during the survey and explain the cost difference.
How much does a new roof cost?
Re-roofing a typical 3-bed semi costs £7,100–£15,500, including scaffolding, new membrane and battens. As a guide, allow roughly £70–£160 per square metre of roof plus fixed costs for scaffolding and waste. Concrete tiles sit at the lower end and natural slate at the top. Hips, valleys, chimneys and timber repairs add to the price. We confirm a fixed figure after inspecting the roof and loft.
Do I need planning permission in St Austell?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. St Austell is in England, so England's rules apply. Many smaller jobs need no planning application, but some still need building control approval. We check what applies to your address before quoting.
Is the price fixed?
Yes, for the specification we agree. Your written quote sets out exactly what is included at a fixed price. It only changes if you ask for something different, or if a problem the survey could not reasonably reveal later needs extra work. In either case we explain the change and confirm it in writing before going ahead.
How long will a new roof last?
A well-installed roof lasts for decades. Concrete tiles typically last around 50 years or more, clay tiles longer, and natural slate can last a century with proper upkeep. Lifespan depends on the quality of materials, fixings, ventilation and leadwork, and on how exposed the roof is. Keeping gutters clear and fixing slipped tiles quickly helps it reach its full life.
Also covering areas around St Austell
St Austell and its PL25 postcodes are part of our coverage. Homeowners in Truro, Newquay and Falmouth can also book a free survey with us and receive a written price for their job.