Re-roofing: strip it back, fix the structure, re-cover
Most houses we re-roof are 40 to 100 years old. The slate is at the end of its life, the nails have rusted through and the felt underneath has torn. We take the roof back to the timbers, replace what is soft, and re-cover the whole thing.
Also called roof replacement, a new roof on an existing house, re-slating or re-tiling.
Updated September 2026
Not sure whether you need a re-roof or a repair? A free survey settles it. Ask for one.
Everything that comes off, and everything that goes back
Old covering and felt stripped and skipped
Rafter ends and wall plates checked for rot and replaced
New breather membrane and treated battens throughout
New slate or tile, with new fixings, not the old ones
Ridge and hips rebedded, new lead to chimneys and party walls
Scaffold and debris netting included in the price
A full re-roof comes with a written guarantee.
Timing, disruption and price
A typical semi-detached house takes 4 to 7 working days
You can live in the house throughout; the attic gets dusty
Price is fixed in writing before we start and does not move
We tell you at survey stage if the timbers are likely to add cost
If we open the roof and find rot nobody could have seen, we show you the photo and agree the extra before doing it.
Re-roofing questions we get asked
How much does a new roof cost in Ireland?
A full re-roof on a typical three-bed semi in Ireland in 2026 is usually €11,000 to €18,000 including VAT, depending on size, pitch, access, scaffold and material. A small terraced house can come in under €9,000, and a large detached house in natural slate can pass €24,000. Exposed coastal sites cost around 10 to 15 percent more. We price per job after a free survey.
How long does a re-roof take?
Four to seven working days for a typical house, longer for a large or complicated roof, and weather can add days. We give you a start date and a realistic finish date, not an optimistic one.
Do I need planning permission to re-roof my house?
Usually not, if you are replacing like with like. Changing the material or the roof profile on a protected structure, or in an architectural conservation area, does need permission. We will tell you if we think your job needs a check with the council.
Can you re-roof over the old slates?
No, and anyone who offers to should be avoided. Covering over old slate hides rotten battens and rafters, adds weight the structure was not designed for, and the new covering fails early. We always strip back.
Everything we do on a roof
We cover all three counties: roofers in Kerry, roofers in Cork and roofers in Limerick.
What we will re-cover it in
The covering moves a re-roof price more than anything else on the quote, and it is the first thing we settle at survey. On a like-for-like swap we match what is already up there. Where the structure allows a change, we will tell you what each option costs over its life rather than only on the day, including whether your rafters will carry stone slate or want something lighter.
For typical 2026 prices per square metre, scaffold and VAT, see our guide to what a new roof costs in Kerry and Cork.
Get a fixed written price for your re-roof
Send us the address. We will come out, go up, photograph what we find and price the job properly.