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.
For a homeowner in Musselburgh, planning a new roof tends to begin with two questions: what will it cost, and how disruptive will it be? Our guide range is £6,700–£14,500 including VAT, and a typical job runs to 1–2 weeks on site, plus scaffolding time. Both numbers firm up once we have seen the property, measured up and agreed exactly what is included.
- Guide price
- £6,700–£14,500 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 1–2 weeks on site, plus scaffolding time
- Postcodes
- EH21
- Planning rules
- Scotland
- Local area
- East Lothian
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for a new roof in Musselburgh?
These are guide costs, not quotes. For a new roof in Musselburgh the range is £6,700–£14,500, VAT included, reflecting prices in Scotland that are about 4% below the national guide. Once we have visited for a free survey, you get a firm figure for the scope you approve.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Musselburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Terraced house or bungalow | A smaller pitched roof re-covered in concrete or clay tiles, including scaffolding. | £4,800–£9,600 |
| Typical semi-detached | A 3-bed semi re-roofed in concrete or clay tiles with new membrane, battens and leadwork. | £6,700–£14,500 |
| Detached or natural slate | Larger or more complex roofs, or any roof finished in natural slate. | £11,500–£24,000 |
What moves the price up or down:
- 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
- Chimneys, leadwork and roof windows to rework
Scope of the work
- Scaffolding with edge protection, erected and removed
- Stripping old tiles or slates, battens and felt in stages
- Repairs or replacement of damaged rafters and fascia boards
- Breathable membrane and new treated battens
- New tiles or slates, or sound originals refitted where suitable
- Waste removal by skip and a clean site on completion
Homes in Edinburgh and the Lothians
Edinburgh's New Town is a planned Georgian sandstone townscape within a World Heritage Site, and districts such as Marchmont and Leith have Victorian tenements. Bungalows and villas fill the suburbs, Midlothian has former mining villages, Livingston was built as a new town, and East Lothian villages often have red pantile roofs.
East-coast weather brings cold winds, haar and frost, and exposed hills around the city catch wind-driven rain.
These patterns matter for a new roof: older walls, roofs and floors in Musselburgh can need different materials or extra preparation compared with newer homes.
Permissions for a new roof in Musselburgh
England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each handle planning a little differently. Musselburgh comes under Scotland, covered below, and we raise any questions with the council before your quote is finalised.
In Scotland, like-for-like re-roofing does not usually need planning permission, except on listed buildings or in conservation areas.
Like-for-like re-covering does not usually need a building warrant, but structural changes or new roof windows can. 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.
What happens after you get in touch?
Free site survey
We arrange a free site survey on a date convenient to you. We measure up, look at the existing structure and access, and discuss your plans for a new roof so the price reflects your home.
Quote in writing
We put everything into a written, fixed-price quote: the specification, what's excluded, staged payments and the expected time on site. Take whatever time you need to decide; there's no pressure to commit.
Dates and permissions
Once you accept, we agree start dates, order materials and deal with any planning, building control or neighbour notices the job needs. You'll know who is coming and when before work begins.
The work itself
During the work we protect the areas around it and tidy up at the end of each day. Once complete, we check the finish, remove our materials and hand over paperwork such as building control sign-off where it applies.
Why homeowners choose us
Frequently asked questions
How much does a new roof cost?
Re-roofing a typical 3-bed semi costs £6,700–£14,500, 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.
What happens if it rains during the work?
We strip the roof in sections and only remove as much covering as we can replace or protect the same day. New breathable membrane goes on straight after stripping, which keeps most rain out, and we sheet exposed areas at the end of each day and before forecast showers. If heavy rain or high winds are forecast, we pause work. The house is never left open.
Who do I deal with during the job?
One point of contact manages your project from survey to handover. They schedule the trades working under our contract, keep you updated on progress, and are the person to call with any question. You don't need to coordinate builders, electricians or decorators separately, because that is part of what we do.
How long does a roof replacement take?
Re-roofing a typical semi-detached house takes around one to two weeks once scaffolding is up, depending on the roof's size, complexity and the weather. Smaller terraced roofs can take a few days. Scaffolding usually goes up a day or two before work starts and comes down once everything is inspected. We give you a programme and keep the roof weathertight overnight.
Do I need planning permission in Musselburgh?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. Musselburgh is in Scotland, so Scotland'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.
Also covering areas around Musselburgh
Coverage for Musselburgh spans EH21. Close by, Bonnyrigg, Edinburgh and Penicuik are covered too, and the rest of our UK-wide area follows the same survey-then-quote process from start to finish.