In this article
Welcome to the world of roofing
Whether you like working with your hands and outdoors, or you're weighing it as a trade, this guide covers what a roofer actually does, the skills, the day-to-day, and the honest upsides and downsides.
General description
A roofer builds, installs, and repairs roofs using materials like tiles, slate, felt, and metal. In simple terms: they keep buildings weatherproof and dry. Think of them as the guardians against the weather, working at height with real skill and care.
- Install and repair roofs
- Work with tiles, slate, felt, and metal
- Ensure roofs are weatherproof and safe
- Work safely at height
Key skills & qualifications
Hard skills
Soft skills
- Physical fitness — it's demanding, outdoor work
- Head for heights — you work high up daily
- Craft & precision — a good roof is skilled work
- Reliability — weatherproofing must be done right
- Problem-solving — every roof and repair differs
- Safety awareness — working at height is high-risk
Education & qualifications
No degree needed — most roofers learn through apprenticeships or on the job. Skill, experience, and safety training are what count.
Typical responsibilities
- Installation — fitting roofs on new builds
- Repairs — fixing leaks and damage
- Materials — tiles, slate, felt, and metal
- Leadwork — flashing and detailing
- Waterproofing — keeping buildings dry
- Safety — working safely at height
Responsibilities by seniority
Apprentice / Labourer
0–2 years
- Carrying and prep
- Learning the trade
- Supporting roofers
- Basic tasks
- Building skill
Roofer
2–6 years
- Installs and repairs roofs
- Works independently
- Reads plans
- Holds quality
- Mentors apprentices
Lead Roofer / Owner
6+ years
- Leads a roofing team
- Runs jobs end-to-end
- Quotes and wins work
- May run a business
- Specialist skills
Where roofers work
🏠 Domestic
Houses and home repairs.
🏢 Commercial
Flat roofs and large buildings.
🏗️ New build
Roofing new developments.
⛪ Heritage
Slate, lead, and traditional roofs.
☀️ Solar
Roof-integrated solar installation.
🔧 Repairs & maintenance
Leaks, storm damage, and upkeep.
A day in the life
Loading the van and heading to the job — a re-roof on a house that needs stripping and re-tiling.
Up on the scaffold, stripping the old roof and checking the timbers underneath are sound.
Laying new felt, battens, and tiles in neat, weatherproof rows — skilled, satisfying work.
Detailing the lead flashing around the chimney, where most leaks start, getting it watertight.
A finished section, weatherproof for decades. Honest, skilled work with a view. That's the job.
What this job gives you
- A real, in-demand trade
- Solid pay without a degree
- Outdoor, hands-on craft
- Clear path to self-employment
- Skills shortage means security
Pros & cons
✅ Advantages
- In-demand skilled trade
- Good pay, no degree or debt
- Outdoor, hands-on work
- Strong self-employment potential
- Skills shortage means security
- Tangible, satisfying results
- Apprenticeship route in
❌ Disadvantages
- Physically demanding
- Working at height is risky
- Weather-dependent work
- Hard on the body over time
- Seasonal ups and downs
- Safety is critical
Salary potential — global rating
Rated against all professions globally, where ★★★★★★★★★★ = top 1% earners:
Career growth paths
- Lead Roofer — lead a team and run jobs
- Specialise — slate, lead, heritage, or solar roofing
- Own a roofing business — run your own firm
- Estimator / surveyor — move into quoting and assessment
- Site / contracts roles — broader construction management
- Training — teach the next roofers
Roofer vs related roles
Here's how some neighbouring roles compare.
| Role | Core focus | Note | Pay | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roofer You are here | Builds and repairs roofs | Apprenticeship | Baseline | Accessible |
| Bricklayer | Builds structures by hand | Apprenticeship | Similar | Accessible |
| Electrician | Installs electrical systems | Apprenticeship | Higher | Accessible |
| Plumber | Installs water and heating | Apprenticeship | Higher | Accessible |
| Site Manager | Runs the construction site | Experience | Higher | Medium |
Scroll the table sideways on mobile. Pay comparisons are directional and vary by market and seniority.
Future outlook
Every building needs a roof, and a shortage of skilled roofers means steady work, solid pay, and a clear route to self-employment.
- A real skills shortage keeps demand high
- Solar and green roofing add new work
- Repairs and maintenance are constant
- Self-employment is highly achievable
- A secure trade with low entry cost
Fun facts 🤓
Every building needs a roof, and a good one lasts decades — skilled roofers are always needed.
It's a trade you can enter through an apprenticeship, with no degree or debt.
Roof-integrated solar is creating new, growing work for roofers.
There's a real shortage of skilled roofers, keeping pay and demand strong.
Many roofers go on to run their own businesses with good earning potential.
Myths about this role
"It's unskilled labour."
❌ Roofing is a real craft — weatherproofing, leadwork, and detailing take skill and experience.
"Anyone can do it."
❌ It takes a head for heights, fitness, precision, and proper safety training.
"There's no career path."
❌ It leads to leading teams, specialising, and running your own business.
"You need a degree."
❌ No — apprenticeships and on-the-job training are the route in.
"It's a dying trade."
❌ Every building needs a roof, and skilled roofers are in short supply.
Is this job right for you?
✅ Good fit if you...
- Like working with your hands
- Are fit and comfortable at height
- Enjoy outdoor work
- Take pride in a craft
- Want a trade without a degree or debt
- Aim to run your own business one day
❌ Maybe not for you if...
- You dislike heights
- You want an indoor desk job
- You're not physically fit
- You want predictable, weatherproof hours
- You dislike physical, outdoor work
- You want a non-manual career
Self-employed potential
Roofing is one of the most self-employment-friendly trades — many roofers run their own businesses with strong demand and good earnings.
✅ Advantages
- Run your own roofing business
- Strong, steady demand
- Good earning potential
- Be your own boss
- Skills always needed
❌ Challenges
- Physically hard on the body
- Weather-dependent income
- Working at height is risky
- Seasonal ups and downs
- Quoting and admin to run a firm
How to get started
- Get a roofing apprenticeship or start as a labourer on the tools.
- Learn the materials tiles, slate, felt, lead, and flat roofing.
- Master safety at height essential and life-protecting.
- Build experience across installs and repairs.
- Go independent lead teams or start your own business.
What to know before you start
- It's a real craft, not just labour
- A head for heights and fitness are essential
- There's a genuine shortage — security is good
- Safety at height is non-negotiable
- Self-employment is very achievable
- Solar and green roofing are growing
From the field
The same lessons come up again and again from people actually doing the job:
People call it labouring until they watch you detail lead around a chimney so it never leaks. That is a craft, and a good roof lasts decades. There is real pride in it.
Roofer · 9 years in
The shortage is real. I am never short of work, and going self-employed doubled my income. A trade with no degree and no debt got me there.
Roofing business owner · 13 years in
Respect the height every single day. The roofers who get complacent are the ones who get hurt. Safety is the difference between a long career and a short one.
Lead roofer · 16 years in