Signs
Signs you need a new roof
Repeated leaks in different places, slates or tiles moving across the roof, failed felt, rotten timber and repeated patch repairs are the signs RoofQuote.ie lists. One fault is a repair. Several, across the roof, mean a new one.
- €9,000 to €14,000a new concrete tile roof on a two-storey semi, incl. VAT (RoofQuote.ie)
- €16,000 to €24,000the same house in natural slate (RoofQuote.ie)
- 3 to 10 daysfor most house roofs, weather allowing (BookMyRoofer.ie)
- 13.5% VATon roofing work on a house, not 23% (Revenue)
FreeNo obligationOne company rings you, not fiveNothing agreed until you accept a written price
From the road
What you can see from outside
- Slipped or missing slates, especially lots of them, or slates held on with metal clips (tingles) from past repairs.
- A sagging ridge or a roof slope that dips between the walls.
- Cracked, crumbling or flaking tiles, and moss growing thick between them.
- Fibre cement slates curling at the tails or breaking up.
- Loose ridge tiles and gaps in the mortar.
Look from the footpath or with binoculars. Don't go up a ladder onto the roof.
In the attic
What you can see from the attic
- Daylight through the roof.
- The felt torn, brittle, sagging between the rafters, or missing.
- Damp stains on the rafters or the insulation, especially after wind-driven rain.
- Soft or rotten battens, rusted nails.
- Condensation on the underside of the felt on cold mornings: often poor ventilation, which a new roof fixes.
Inside the house
What shows indoors
- Damp patches on top-floor ceilings that grow after heavy rain.
- Damp on the chimney breast: often the flashing, not the whole roof.
- Peeling paint or mould at the top of the walls.
Age
How old is it?
Age alone isn't a reason, but it's a guide. RoofQuote.ie gives concrete tiles 30 to 40 years, fibre cement slate 30 to 50 and natural slate 80 to 100 or more. A house from the 1970s or 1980s still on its first tiles and felt is due a close look.
See it first
A new roof on your own photo
Take a photo of the house from the road, pick natural slate, fibre cement slate or concrete tile, and see it finished before anyone quotes. Free, in under a minute.
- Upload a photo, or answer 4 questions.
- We pass it to one company that covers your county.
- They ring you with a written price.
Preview of your photo, not a guarantee. Your photo goes to Google's Gemini service to make the picture and isn't kept.
A photo that works
- Daylight, from the footpath or the garden.
- The whole roof in the shot, ridge to gutter.
- Straight on to the front, not up close.
- Never go up on the roof to take it.
Free quote
Get a price in 4 taps
Tap what you need and leave your number. It goes to one roofing company that covers your county, and they ring you back to arrange a look and a written price.
FAQ
Questions people ask
How do I know if my roof needs replacing?
Several faults across the roof: slipping slates or tiles, failed felt in the attic, rotten battens, and leaks that come back. A roofer can confirm it from a ladder and the attic.
How long does a roof last in Ireland?
Concrete tile 30 to 40 years, fibre cement slate 30 to 50, natural slate 80 to 100+, by RoofQuote.ie.
Is moss a sign I need a new roof?
Not by itself. Thick moss holds water and can lift tiles; it's worth cleaning. It matters more if the tiles under it are crumbling.
Keep reading
Related guides
Where these numbers come from (1 public source, checked 3 November 2026)
Sources (3)
Prices and facts on this page were checked against these published pages. We are not connected to these businesses.
- RoofQuote.ie: roofquote.ie
- RoofQuote.ie: roofquote.ie
- BookMyRoofer.ie: bookmyroofer.ie