Raise the Roofs London is Steve Ball and John Ireland, roofers based in West Wickham and working across Bromley, Beckenham, Chislehurst, Orpington and Petts Wood. Steve has been roofing since 1988 and a CoRC member since 1996.
Read them on Trustatrader
From a slipped tile to a church roof, with Steve's lowest prices. Each one links to how he does it and why.
The problem Steve sees more than any other is poor ventilation on flat roofs. A cold roof keeps its insulation below the deck, so it needs air moving through the void, whatever room is underneath. Leave that out and the warm, damp air from the house rises, meets the cold underside of the boards, and condenses there. Over a shower room it happens faster, but it happens over a bedroom too.
The fix is usually a warm roof: the insulation goes on top of the deck, so the timber stays warm and the roof needs no ventilation at all.
"Technical knowledge is very important to ensure a long lasting installation is delivered."
Steve Ball, on a Croydon bathroom roof
See where the steam from a shower ends up in each roof.
These are Steve's own "from" prices. What moves a price is access and scaffolding, the size of the roof, the materials, and what we find once it's open. Quotes are free and there's no deposit.
Water coming in?
Call John. We're usually with you within 24 hours, and the call-out is £360 inc VAT (£300 + VAT). Or WhatsApp Steve a photo, taken from the ground. Here's what to do in a roof emergency while you wait.
Call us nowRaise the Roofs LondonPrices checked 22 October 2026
| Job | From, inc VAT | Ex VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency call-out | £360 | £300 + VAT |
| Torch-on felt flat roof | £96 per m² | £80 + VAT |
| Guttering repair or replacement | £480 | £400 + VAT |
| Fascias and soffits | £720 | £600 + VAT |
| Skylight or Velux window | £1,680 | £1,400 + VAT |
| Full new roof, terraced house | £16,800 | £14,000 + VAT |
Every quote is free, and we never take a deposit.
Cherry Tree Walk, Coney Hall BR4. November 2024
A full re-roof on Cherry Tree Walk in Coney Hall, in Redland 49 interlocking tiles in antique red, with a dry-fixed ridge and new lead flashing at the chimney.
See all 2 photosWestmoreland Road, Bromley. September 2024
St Mark's Church in Bromley called about a small leak, but the bigger problem was a hall that froze in winter and baked in summer. We laid 120 mm of insulation over the old roof and three layers of high-performance felt on top: 120 m² in two weeks, September 2024.
See all 4 photosHammersmith Hospital. February 2025
A 30 m² opening cut in a hospital roof so a 6.5 tonne MRI scanner could be craned out over a weekend, kept dry under tarpaulins, then boarded and sealed for good in matching material.
See all 6 photos"When I started the level of skill was much higher. Now everyone seems to think they are a 'roofer' by simply buying a van and a ladder."
Steve Ball roofing since 1988
Steve's view is simple: "without knowledge the nicest finish will fail." Last year a Bromley extension came to us with plain tiles laid at 5.5 degrees, on a tile that needs at least 35. However neat it looked, it was never going to keep the rain out. As Steve put it at the time: buy cheap, pay twice.
Then there's insurance. Torch-on felt is laid with a flame, and plenty of roofers leave fire out of their cover to save money: Steve's example is about £1,200 a year without heat work, against more than £4,000 for a policy like ours. "Customers engage roofers without even knowing they do not have adequate cover if there was to be a fire!"
And then there's the ladder. Steve says we often lose jobs to people and companies who get onto roofs dangerously, off a ladder. The Health and Safety Executive is plain about it: "sloping roofs require scaffolding to prevent people or materials falling from the edge." A ladder is only for jobs measured in minutes, like a gutter bracket. Flat roofs are the same story: wherever there's a risk of a fall, we always put temporary scaffold handrails round the edge. That adds some cost, and some roofers leave them off to come in cheaper and win the job. So a quote that's cheaper because there's no scaffold in it is cheaper because someone is taking a risk on your roof, and scaffolding, when a job needs it, is from £600 inc VAT (£500 + VAT).
It's your risk as well as theirs. In the HSE's own guide to working at height: "Falls from height are one of the biggest causes of workplace fatalities and major injuries. Common causes are falls from ladders and through fragile roofs." And as Steve points out, the homeowner has a duty of care too. Under the Occupiers' Liability Act 1957 you owe the people working on your property a "common duty of care", and the law expects you to take reasonable steps to check "that the contractor was competent". Let someone work unsafely on your roof without checking them, and an accident could come back to you. For our part, we work to a written health and safety management system, with NatWest Mentor as our health and safety consultants.
So whoever you call, us included, run them through the checklist. Every line on it can be checked in a couple of minutes.
Six checks, all ticked for us
Trustatrader, member TT671.Every roof tile has a minimum pitch. Lay it any flatter and wind drives the rain back up under the laps, however neat it looks. The Bromley extension we were called to had plain tiles at 5.5 degrees. Drag the roof and see for yourself.
The figures, and where they come from
We're based in West Wickham, so all five areas are close enough to visit within 2 days. Steve knows the housing: a mix of 1930s semis and detached houses, some new builds and a few Art Deco ones. Coney Hall and West Wickham have a lot of mock Tudor semis, and plenty of homes have a flat-roofed garage or rear extension.
5.0
29 on Google
4.9948 on Trustatrader
Kenneth B.
Read Kenneth B.'s review on Google
Steve was amazing at giving us honest and professional advice without upselling, and got us a quote within a day that was fair, addressed our concerns and with extra advice. Highly recommended
Our reply
Thank you Kenneth . We always strive to give the very best quality ,honest advice to all our customers . We wish you all the best with your house purchase. Steve and John
Mehdi H.
Read Mehdi H.'s review on Google
We have worked with this company (through Steve) for many years and have never had any issues with their service - they are responsive, on time and reliable, and do a very professional job.
Our reply
Thank you for your lovely review Mehdi , it was our pleasure to work for you .
Neil M.
Read Neil M.'s review on Google
We are delighted with every aspect of the work done by Raise the Roofs after we contacted them about a problem with a flat roof. The morning after phoning him Steve came round and diagnosed the problem in a matter of minutes and subsequently we had a timescale for the work and an estimated price. Not only was the work completed on time it was to the highest standard and for a price we were delighted with.
Steve and business partner John have the perfect combination of qualities we look for in builders - they're friendly, knowledgeable, reliable, punctual, explain clearly what options are available, gave us very accurate estimates for how long the work would take, are meticulous about cleaning up absolutely all waste and debris and above all are experts at what they do. Two very satisfied customers are more than happy to unconditionally recommend them!
Our reply
Thank you Neil . We are thrilled that you are pleased with the work we carried out .
Rakhee D.
Read Rakhee D.'s review on Google
We recently had Steve and John come out to inspect an issue with our roof and we couldn't be happier with the service they provided. Both were extremely friendly, professional and helpful from the moment they arrived.
They quickly identified the source of the problem and took the time to clearly explain what had gone wrong. They also showed us why a previous roof repair had been carried out incorrectly, which helped us understand the issues we were facing and gave us confidence in their assessment.
It's not always easy to find roofers who are both honest and knowledgeable, but Steve and John certainly fit the bill. Their expertise, transparency and willingness to explain everything in plain terms were greatly appreciated.
We would have no hesitation in recommending them to anyone looking for reliable, trustworthy and friendly roofers. Thank you both for your excellent service.
Our reply
Thank you, Rakhee, for your kind feedback and recommendation. We're pleased we could identify the issue and provide clear, honest guidance, and we truly appreciate your trust in our services.
Mathew J.
Read Mathew J.'s review on Google
Great experience! Steve was super helpful and operates in a professional manner. Gave clear pricing and explained everything to sort out a leak in our roof, highly recommend 👌
Our reply
Thank you, Mathew, for the kind review and recommendation.
We're pleased we could help resolve the leak and provide clear advice and transparent pricing throughout the process.
Straight answers, in plain English.
Not here? Just ring John.
07976 611534
Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm
We visit to quote within 2 days, and work usually starts within a week of you saying yes. If water is coming in, we're usually with you within 24 hours, with a call-out charge from £360 inc VAT (£300 + VAT).
No to both. Quotes are free and we don't take a deposit. You can pay by bank transfer or in cash.
Yes. If a repair will do the job, a repair is what we quote. In Steve's words: "honesty is everything, we never upsell."
No. Steve won't fit it: "in my 37 years I have and continue to see multiple failures on a regular basis." We use high-performance torch-on felts and liquid systems instead.
Yes. Our insurance is all risks, including fire, so torch-on (hot works) jobs are covered. Plenty of roofers leave fire out to keep their premium down: Steve's example is about £1,200 a year without heat work, against more than £4,000 a year for cover like ours. Before any torch-on job, ask the roofer whether they're insured for hot works.
Every new roof comes with our own ten-year guarantee, and an insurance-backed guarantee through the Confederation of Roofing Contractors is available at a small extra cost. On repairs, it depends on the job, so ask us when we quote.
West Wickham (including Coney Hall, Keston and Hayes), Bromley, Beckenham, Chislehurst, and Orpington and Petts Wood. We also cover Dulwich, Forest Hill, Sydenham and Westerham. We're based in West Wickham.
Yes. Steve has been a member of the Confederation of Roofing Contractors since 19 March 1996, member number 1501, and we're on Trustatrader as member TT671. We carry £5 million public liability and £10 million employers' liability insurance.
