Roofing in Harrow
Roofing in Harrow
In January 2026 the edge of a flat roof in Wealdstone had lifted clean away, leaving rotten timber open to the rain; a month later, also in Wealdstone, we stripped and re-covered the whole flat roof over a rear extension in six days. Alongside flat roofs, Harrow’s 1930s Metro-land semis in Kenton, North Harrow, Stanmore and Pinner have hipped tiled roofs which, after 80 to 90 years, reach the point where a re-roof makes more sense than more repairs.
Quick answer
Most roof repairs in London cost £150 to £1,200, a flat roof costs £55 to £150 per m² to replace, and re-roofing a three-bed semi in concrete tiles costs £7,500 to £13,000 with scaffolding. Re-covering more than half a roof needs Building Regulations approval, and in Harrow’s Article 4 areas a change of roofing material needs planning permission.
Every enquiry gets a written reply within 2 hours, Monday to Saturday.
By roof type
The roofs Harrow homes have
Most of Harrow’s housing came from one 1930s building boom after the Metropolitan and Bakerloo lines reached the borough, so its roofs share a small number of designs, each with its own weak points.
Flat roofs over extensions, garages and bays
Rear extensions, garages and dormers added from the 1960s onwards mostly have flat roofs. Leaks usually start at the edges and upstands, where trim lifts, felt peels and the timber deck rots, as on our January job in Wealdstone.
Hipped tiled roofs on 1930s semis
Kenton, North Harrow, Harrow Garden Village and much of Stanmore. Hipped roofs with tiles and ridge and hip lines that need re-bedding or dry-fixing as they age. A full re-roof of a semi is usually 5 to 10 days under one scaffold.
Victorian and village roofs
Harrow-on-the-Hill, West Harrow and Pinner’s village core. Older slate and tiled roofs, chimneys and lead work. In conservation areas the existing materials should be matched, and terraces often share a scaffold line with their neighbours.
Larger detached houses
Stanmore and Belmont, on the borough’s higher northern ground. Bigger roofs with more hips and valleys, so a re-roof takes longer, typically 8 to 14 days, and valleys and flashings are where leaks usually start.
Rules that apply
Do you need approval to re-roof in Harrow?
Building Regulations: yes, for most re-roofs. Under Part L and Approved Document L (2021), replacing the covering on more than 50% of a roof slope, or more than 25% of the building envelope, counts as renovating a thermal element, so the roof must be insulated to current standards where technically feasible. Harrow Council’s own re-roofing guidance note sets out the same requirements for homes in the borough, and treats replacing a flat roof as re-roofing.
- How we handle it: roofers registered with the CompetentRoofer scheme can self-certify. Soraiz Builders is not a member, so where the rules apply we notify Building Control at least 2 days before work starts and include the fee, typically £200 to £400, in the quote.
- Heavier coverings: a new covering more than 15% heavier than the old one needs the roof structure checked.
- Planning permission: like-for-like re-roofing usually needs none. Harrow has 30 conservation areas, and around 15 of them carry Article 4 directions; there, changing the roofing material or adding rooflights needs planning permission.
- Listed buildings need listed building consent for roof work, including like-for-like repairs that affect historic fabric.
- Bats: bats roost in older roofs and are protected by law. If signs are found, work stops until an ecologist advises.
Costs
How much does roofing cost in Harrow?
A roof repair in London typically costs £150 to £1,200, and a full re-roof of a three-bed semi £7,500 to £13,000. Local directory figures for Pinner and Stanmore sit in the same range: flat roofing installations £1,414 to £2,893 and full roof replacements £5,416 to £10,644.
Typical London market ranges, not fixed Soraiz Builders prices
| Job | Typical London cost | Time on site | Harrow notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat roof patch repair | £200 to £600 | 1 day | Our Wealdstone edge repair, with a rebuilt edge: estimated £600 to £1,400 |
| Flat roof re-cover, rear extension around 40m² | £2,800 to £5,500 | 1 to 3 days | Our 30m² Wealdstone re-cover: estimated £2,000 to £4,300 for the roof |
| Ridge and hip re-bedding or dry-fixing | £225 to £550, around £50 to £70 per metre | 1 to 2 days | Common on 1930s hipped roofs |
| Re-roof, 3-bed semi, concrete tiles | £7,500 to £13,000 | 5 to 10 days | Kenton, North Harrow, Stanmore semis |
| Re-roof, 3-bed semi, clay tiles | £10,000 to £17,000 | 6 to 10 days | Matching clay is expected in conservation areas |
| Re-roof, 4-bed detached, tiles | £11,000 to £20,000 | 8 to 14 days | Stanmore and Belmont |
| Flat roof covering | Per m², fitted | Typical lifespan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Torch-on felt | £55 to £90 | 10 to 30 years | Budget re-covers, garages |
| EPDM rubber | £75 to £120 | 25 to 50 years | Simple shapes, few joints |
| GRP fibreglass | £90 to £150 | 25 to 50 years | Extensions, light foot traffic |
| Liquid-applied membrane | £60 to £100 | Varies by system | Awkward details, overlays on sound decks |
Sources: London ranges from our roofing in London page (less.co.uk April 2026, BestBuilders August 2026, MyBuilder, Trade2Base, MyJobQuote). Harrow-area figures: Checkatrade’s Pinner and Stanmore cost pages (flat roofing £1,414 to £2,893, full replacement £5,416 to £10,644) and MyBuilder Stanmore (leaking flat roof repair £300 to £700). Case study estimates priced at Trade2Base and MyJobQuote 2026 rates plus 10 to 20% for London.
Harrow fees and permits
| Item | Fee | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Building Control notification | typically £200 to £400 | Re-covering more than 50% of a roof slope |
| Skip licence | £82.30 for 14 days, then £82.30 per further fortnight | Skip on the road; a bay suspension is extra |
| Householder planning application | £548 | Changing roof materials or adding rooflights in an Article 4 area |
Sources: Building Control fee range as on our roofing in London page (CompetentRoofer scheme guidance); skip licence and Article 4 coverage as on our Harrow borough page; planning fee for householder applications in England from 1 April 2026. Scaffolding on the pavement also needs a licence, which we arrange.
Local work
Two flat roofs in Wealdstone
In January 2026 we cut a lifted, rotten flat roof edge in Wealdstone (HA3) back to sound material, rebuilt the edge, sealed in a new one and laid a reinforced liquid membrane over the repair, checking it again later in the month. In February we stripped the failed covering and rotten timber off the flat roof over another Wealdstone rear extension, about 30m², laid a new covering dressed up the walls of the main house, and patched the damp plaster inside once it was watertight. Our base in Northolt is a short drive away.
10 photosWealdstone (Harrow)
Flat roof re-covering over a rear extension in Wealdstone
The flat roof over a Wealdstone rear extension stripped and re-covered in six days in February 2026, with the water-damaged plaster inside patched once the roof was watertight.
Read the case study
9 photosWealdstone (Harrow)
Flat roof edge repair in Wealdstone
A failed flat roof edge in Wealdstone, where the felt had lifted and the timber had rotted, cut back and repaired with a reinforced liquid membrane in January 2026.
Read the case studyRepair or replace
Should you repair or replace a Harrow flat roof?
Repair when the damage is local
A lifted edge, a split joint or a single failed upstand on an otherwise sound deck can be cut back and repaired, as on our first Wealdstone job, for a few hundred pounds to about £1,400.
Replace when the deck has gone
Soft spots underfoot, ponding that stays two days after rain, several patches already, or damp ceilings below usually mean the deck itself is rotten. Then a full strip and re-cover, as on our second Wealdstone job, is the cheaper route over the next ten years.
Check the paperwork
Re-covering more than half of the roof brings in Part L insulation and a Building Control notification, so a quote that leaves both out is not comparing like with like.
Areas we cover
Roofing across Harrow
- Harrow HA1
- Harrow-on-the-Hill HA1
- Wealdstone HA3
- Kenton HA3
- North Harrow HA2
- Rayners Lane HA2
- West Harrow HA1
- Pinner HA5
- Hatch End HA5
- Stanmore HA7
- Belmont HA3
FAQ
Roofing in Harrow: common questions
How much does a roofer cost in Harrow?
Most repairs cost £150 to £1,200, flat roofs £55 to £150 per m² to replace, and a three-bed semi re-roof in concrete tiles £7,500 to £13,000 with scaffolding. MyBuilder puts Stanmore roofers at about £30 to £50 an hour. Our Wealdstone edge repair is estimated at £600 to £1,400.
How much does it cost to replace a flat roof on a Harrow extension?
A rear extension of around 40m² typically costs £2,800 to £5,500 to re-cover in London, depending on the system: felt from £55 per m², EPDM from £75 and GRP from £90. Our 30m² Wealdstone re-cover is estimated at £2,000 to £4,300 for the roof. Add the Building Control fee if more than half the roof is re-covered.
Do I need Building Regulations approval to re-roof in Harrow?
Yes, if you replace the covering on more than 50% of a roof slope or more than 25% of the building envelope; Harrow’s guidance note says replacing a flat roof needs an application too. The roof must then be insulated to current Part L standards where feasible. We notify Building Control and include the fee, typically £200 to £400.
Do I need planning permission to re-roof in Pinner or Harrow-on-the-Hill?
Not for a like-for-like re-roof in matching materials. Harrow has 30 conservation areas, including Pinner Village and Harrow on the Hill Village, and around 15 carry Article 4 directions; there, changing the roofing material or adding rooflights needs planning permission, and listed buildings need listed building consent.
Should I repair or replace my flat roof?
Repair a local failure, such as a lifted edge or split joint, on a sound deck. Replace it when the deck is soft, water ponds for two days after rain, it has several patches already or ceilings below are damp. Of our two Wealdstone jobs, the lifted edge needed only a repair; the other, where water had already got inside, needed a full re-cover.
How long does a re-roof take in Harrow?
Most flat roofs take 1 to 3 days; our 30m² Wealdstone job ran six days from strip-out to the patched wall inside. A three-bed semi re-roof takes 5 to 10 days in concrete tiles and 6 to 10 in clay, and a four-bed detached house 8 to 14 days. Weather and scaffold dates set the start.
Get a free roofing quote in Harrow
Send a few photos of the roof and your postcode. We inspect it, tell you whether a repair will do, and send a written, itemised quote within 2 hours of the visit.
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