FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions about Roofing and Roofing Contractors

NFRC prides itself on leading technical knowledge about roofing; and our members including roofing contractors, manufacturers and merchants that strive to meet the highest industry standards and all abide by our stringent Code of Practice.

If you have a question about roofing, using one of our approved roofing contractors, or our Supplier Member's roofing products; we may well already have provided the answer below.

If not, please contact the NFRC Helpdesk who will be pleased to help.

homeowner roof frequently asked questions

I am a homeowner…

Why should I choose a NFRC roofing contractor member to work on my roof?

NFRC actively ensures that all our members offer high standards of workmanship and sound business practice through a strict Code of Practice and vetting procedures, including site inspections and adherence to relevant regulations. NFRC Roofing Contractor members must pass a rigorous inspection before joining, and then have inspections every three years after that.

In using a NFRC Member, you can be assured that the contractor you are using has been inspected by us and met our Code of Practice, want to know more? Please refer to our web page “Why you should choose an NFRC contractor”.

How do I find a NFRC roofing contractor member near me?

The easiest way to find a local contractor is via our roofing contractor search facility.

You can search in a number of ways using differing criteria, including your postcode. Searches help you find the nearest roofing contractor to you who has the expertise you require.

I have a contacted a few NFRC Roofing Contractor members, but they are all too busy to provide a quotation—can you help?

Whilst our terms of membership do not have a specified response time for NFRC Roofing Contractors to contact homeowners, we do encourage and expect them to always offer good customer service. As in any business, we appreciate that their workloads can vary; and there may be times when they will not be able to take on new work and therefore will not quote. In such circumstances we would encourage you to look at alternative NFRC members in your area.

I need some technical advice concerning my roof, can you help?

We offer free technical advice to homeowners who are customers of NFRC Roofing Contractor members. Please e-mail your question to the NFRC Helpdesk.

I am unsure if my NFRC contractor member is installing/repairing my roof correctly—can you help?

Whilst NFRC do not get involved with specifications of jobs and always remain neutral, we do uphold our membership requirements.

Installation of all roofing components should be fitted in line with current building regulations, industry codes of practice and, where specified, manufacturer's guidance. It will be the responsibility of your roofing contractor (our member) to ensure these requirements are met. This is also a requirement of NFRC membership, in addition to other strict criteria monitored via our robust inspection schedule. If you still have concerns, please e-mail details to the NFRC Helpdesk.

I have been told I need an Insurance-Backed Guarantee for the work being carried out on my roof, what is this and do I really need one?

There is no easy answer to this question as you would first need to evaluate the risk and your individual circumstances. An Insurance-Backed Guarantee (IBG) can provide valuable protection to you as a homeowner when commissioning roofing work. The contractor would normally provide a workmanship guarantee which sets out their obligations to rectify any defects found within their workmanship within the period of the guarantee.

However, what if the contractor has ceased to trade during the term of their guarantee? This is when an Insurance-Based Guarantee would come into play, allowing you to submit a claim under your policy to get the roof repair work completed.

As with any insurance cover, the specific terms will be defined in the policy wording and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the policy. There will be an additional cost for any Insurance-Backed Guarantee (IBG) and this cost must be measured against the risk of failure. There also tends to be a high excess which also needs to be considered.

My contractor has the NFRC logo and tells me they are a NFRC member, how do I check they are one of your contractor members?

You are quite correct to check the credentials of any contractor you plan on using before you engage their services and all our current NFRC Roofing Contractor members are listed on our website, use our NFRC A –  Z roofing contractor search facility to check that a specific company is a current member.

If they are not listed, please e-mail the NFRC Helpdesk with the contractor details as we take logo misuse very seriously and will investigate the contractor involved to ensure they do not mislead future customers.

I am unhappy with the workmanship of my NFRC Roofing Contractor member, can you help?

In the first instance, you will need to contact your NFRC Roofing Contractor member and follow their complaints procedure. In most cases, this will lead to a satisfactory outcome. In the unlikely event that the matter cannot be resolved, please refer to NFRC's complaints procedure.


I am a roofing contractor thinking about joining NFRC…

Why should I join NFRC?

NFRC is the largest and most influential roofing trade association in the UK, promoting quality contractors and quality products, ensuring that its members are at the forefront of all roofing developments.

NFRC actively ensures that all members offer high standards of workmanship and sound business practice through a strict code of practice and vetting procedure, including site inspections. The federation also offers technical advice, guidance to facilitate your training requirements and represents member interests to the wider construction industry and government.

To find out more, please request our NFRC TRADE MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS brochure or contact your local regional manager.

How do I become an NFRC trade member (roofing contractors)?

Becoming an NFRC member is a thorough but straightforward process but do not worry, as our Regional Managers will be there to help you every step of the way:

  1. Complete the on-line application form and pay the non-refundable application fee (£200 plus VAT).
  2. Your Regional Manager will then contact you to check some basic details to ensure you are eligible to become a NFRC member. This discussion might cover.
    • Probity check
    • Your trading history—we usually like at least one years audited accounts.
    • Your roofing activity—do you only provide roofing services, or perhaps you are a building company with a roofing division. The percentage of roofing work your company does will be taken into consideration.
  3. Once we are satisfied you meet our criteria, you will undergo a desktop audit. This will include uploading documents to a secure site, for example Employers Liability Insurance, Professional Indemnity Insurance, Health and Safety Policy, Training Plans, Complaints Policy and so on—all documents you would have to hand as a professional roofing contractor.
  4. Upon a successful desktop audit, the final stage is an office and site inspection. This will be arranged on a mutually convenient date and will be undertaken by one of our trained inspectors.
  5. Provided all the above has a successful outcome, you will be invited to join NFRC and upon payment of your annual subscription, you can begin to enjoy all the benefits of being a Trade Member of the NFRC family.

How can you help me attract new customers?

As a member of NFRC, your company profile will be available on our website. This means that your company will be viewed by homeowners or commercial clients seeking to find a professional and vetted roofing contractor to undertake their project. To learn more about the additional benefits of being an NFRC member, please request our NFRC TRADE MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS brochure or contact your local Regional Manager.

How much does it cost to become a NFRC Trade member?

NFRC annual membership subscriptions will vary dependent on your staff wage bill. To find out more please use our subscription calculator on our membership types page, alternatively contact your local Regional Manager.

Can I join Trustmark as an NFRC member, is that included in my Membership fee?

You can apply to join Trustmark as an NFRC member. There is a small non-refundable annual fee of £65 (plus VAT).

Trustmark Green Homes Grant for roofing

I have seen that you have regional managers, how can they help me?

One of the key benefits of being an NFRC Trade Member is that you have local support from a Regional Manager. NFRC has six Regional Managers covering all of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, each work with a committee of regional members, so have their ‘finger on the pulse’ on local building initiatives or policies that could benefit/impact their members. They can also assist you with client disputes by offering a conciliation service where they endeavour to reconcile a dissatisfied consumer with our member.

To find out who your Regional Manager is and how to contact them, please check out the relevant region page of the NFRC website.

If I get a customer complaint, can you help?

As an NFRC member, we do offer a conciliation service where our Regional Manager will endeavour to reconcile a dissatisfied consumer with our member. Find out more about the NFRC Complaint Policy.


For more information…

We publish a number of guides that you might find useful; which you can download or request printed copies of:

Homeowners Guide to Roof Work

NFRC Homeowners Guide to Roof Work

If you want to understand the basics of your home's roof and how to find the best roofing contractor to work on it request a copy of our 'Homeowners Guide to Roof Work'.

Why Use an NFRC Member?

Why Use an NFRC Member

Need to now more about the benefits of using an NFRC member for your roof work? Request a copy of our 'Why use an NFRC Member?' leaflet.