Should you repair or replace your roof?

Repair makes sense when

• Faults are isolated — a few cracked tiles, one bad valley, one failed flashing
• The rest of the surface is sound and the tiles are not brittle
• Pointing is intact across most of the ridge and hip lines
• The roof structure and battens are dry and solid

Restoration makes sense when

• The tiles themselves are structurally fine but weathered, faded or mossy
• Pointing has failed broadly rather than in one spot
• You want another long stretch of service life from an otherwise sound roof
• There is no widespread water damage below

Replacement makes sense when

• Tiles are brittle and crack when walked on, so every repair creates new damage
• Metal sheeting has corroded through at laps and fixings across the roof
• The same sections keep leaking after repeated repairs
• The roof structure, battens or sarking are extensively water damaged
• The existing material or pitch was never suitable for the roof it sits on

How to avoid being oversold

Ask for photographs of the specific faults being used to justify replacement. A roof that genuinely needs replacing will look like it in the photos — widespread cracking, rust through, delaminating surfaces. If the evidence is one bad valley and some moss, the honest recommendation is a repair or a restoration.

Also ask what happens if you do nothing for six months. A roofer who can explain the actual risk in plain terms is easier to trust than one who can only say it's urgent.