A roof lasts for decades, but not forever. Loose tiles, blisters in the bitumen or a damp patch in the attic are usually the moment homeowners start wondering: repair or replace? In 2026 a new tiled roof costs €60 to €110 per m² and a new flat roof €50 to €100 per m², including labour, materials and VAT. For a terraced house with around 70 m² of pitched roof, that comes to €5,000 to €9,000 for the roof covering alone; with insulation, new roof boarding and gutters it rises to €15,000 to €25,000.
This article sets out the guide prices per roof covering, with the lifespan you get in return, the extra costs that often only turn up later in quotes, the subsidy and VAT rules for roof insulation and solar panels, and the signs that tell you your roof is due for replacement.
Guide prices per roof covering
| Roof covering | Guide price per m² (incl. labour, VAT) | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete tiles | €50 – €90 | 30 – 50 years |
| Clay (ceramic) tiles | €65 – €120 | 50 – 80 years |
| Bitumen (flat roof, 2 layers) | €50 – €80 | 20 – 30 years |
| EPDM (flat roof, rubber) | €60 – €100 | 40 – 50 years |
| PVC roofing (flat roof) | €55 – €95 | 25 – 35 years |
| Thatched roof | €100 – €170 | 25 – 40 years |
| Zinc or aluminium roof (standing seam) | €100 – €180 | 40 – 60 years |
These prices are for replacing the roof covering on an existing, sound structure, including removing and disposing of the old material, tile battens and membrane on a tiled roof, and the roof edge finish on a flat roof. Scaffolding and insulation are listed separately below. Divide the price by the lifespan and the picture changes: a more expensive covering that lasts twice as long is often the cheapest choice per year.
Tiled roof: concrete or clay
Concrete tiles are the most affordable and heavy, with an even appearance. Clay tiles cost more to buy but last decades longer, do not discolour and hold their value on a characterful home. Always ask whether the tiles will be fixed with tile clips; in windy areas and on steep roof slopes the manufacturer's installation instructions require them to be anchored. If you replace concrete tiles with heavier clay tiles or the other way round, have the roofer assess whether the structure can carry the weight.
Flat roof: bitumen, EPDM or PVC
Bitumen is still the cheapest and is torched on or bonded in two layers. EPDM is a rubber membrane in one piece, with few seams and a long lifespan; it is the most popular choice for dormers, extensions and garages. PVC is light and easy to weld, and is often used on larger roofs. For all three: a flat roof needs a fall (at least 1.6 percent, or 16 millimetres per metre) so that water does not stay on it. A "flat" roof where puddles remain after rain wears out in half the time. If there is no fall, the roofer can still create one with tapered insulation.
Thatched roof
Thatch is a craft of its own. A new thatched roof costs €100 to €170 per m² and needs regular maintenance. A screwed thatch roof (thatch on a closed substructure) is more fire-safe and easier to insulate than a traditional open roof. Only have thatching done by a thatcher and ask about the origin and quality of the reed; that determines a large part of the lifespan.
Roof insulation: now or never
If you replace the roof covering, that is the moment to insulate the roof from the outside. The tiles are coming off anyway, and insulating from the outside then costs €80 to €130 per m² extra (insulation boards or insulated roof panels on the existing roof boarding). Insulating later means taking the tiles off again, or insulating from the inside so that you lose attic space. External insulation also has a building physics advantage: the structure stays on the warm side, which reduces the risk of condensation in the roof boarding.
For roof insulation in an existing home you can apply for the ISDE subsidy (the Dutch sustainable energy investment subsidy) from the RVO (Netherlands Enterprise Agency). The conditions in 2026:
- insulation value of at least Rd 3.5 m²K/W (Rd-waarde, the thermal resistance of the insulation);
- at least 20 m² of roof area insulated;
- carried out by a company, with an invoice and proof of payment;
- applied for within 24 months of the work.
The subsidy is currently €16.25 per m² for a single measure and €32.50 per m² if you combine two measures within 24 months (for example roof insulation and HR++ glass, or roof insulation and a heat pump). For 70 m² of roof that saves roughly €1,140 to €2,275. In addition, insulating a home older than two years is subject to the low VAT rate of 9 percent on the labour, not on the materials. For the roofing work itself you pay 21 percent, so ask the roofer to split the invoice. The ISDE amounts and conditions are adjusted every year; check the current scheme with the RVO before you place the order. Read more in Sustainable renovation: subsidies and options and 9% or 21% VAT when renovating.
Extra costs
| Item | Guide price |
|---|---|
| Scaffolding (terraced house, 1 to 2 weeks) | roughly €600 – €1,500 |
| Skip and disposal of the old roof covering | €400 – €900 |
| Replacing roof boarding | €40 – €80 per m² |
| Repairing or replacing purlins or rafters | quoted per job, depending on the damage |
| Zinc gutter, including brackets and downpipe | €80 – €120 per linear metre |
| PVC gutter | €30 – €75 per linear metre (aluminium: €90 – €130) |
| New lead flashings, ridge tiles, roof penetrations | quoted per job, often a few hundred euros |
| Asbestos survey (roofs from before 1994) | €300 – €600 |
Roof boarding and purlins can only be assessed once the tiles are off. So ask the roofer to include a unit price per m² of roof boarding and per linear metre of purlin in the quote, so that any additional work is fixed in advance and you do not have to negotiate halfway through the job with an open roof over your head. Old corrugated sheets, artificial slates (fibre cement) and some roof boarding panels in homes from before 1994 can contain asbestos; a survey is then mandatory and removal is done by a certified company. What that means for the planning is explained in Recognising asbestos when renovating: rules and steps.
Installing solar panels at the same time
A new roof is the ideal moment for solar panels: the scaffolding is already up, the panels go on a roof that will last another 30 to 50 years, and you can choose in-roof panels that replace the tiles. Since 2023 solar panels on homes have been subject to a VAT rate of 0 percent, including installation. Expect €900 to €1,300 per kWp for an on-roof system; an in-roof system is more expensive, but saves the tiles under the panels. Solar panels within the roof surface do not need a permit, even on the front, except on listed buildings and in protected townscapes or village views. Have the roofer and the installer coordinate their work, so that the roof penetrations and the panel fixings are right first time.
Repair or replace?
Not every leak calls for a new roof. Replacing is sensible if you see several of these signs:
- Tiled roof: many broken, porous or shifted tiles; moss that quickly returns after cleaning; rotten tile battens; daylight or damp patches on the roof boarding; the roof is more than 40 years old and has never been replaced.
- Flat roof: blisters, cracks or open seams in the bitumen; puddles that stay for days; moisture in the insulation (soft or springy underfoot); more than two repairs in five years.
- All roofs: leaks in several places, a damp or mouldy attic, or a roof with no insulation at all.
A repair costs €150 to €600 for a leak or a few tiles, and can extend a roof's life by years. But if the repair costs come to more than 30 percent of a new roof, or the roof will need replacing within five years anyway, replacing is almost always cheaper. A roof inspection by a roofer (€100 – €250, often deducted if you place the order) gives clarity, and a report with photos also helps if you want to discuss the costs with an insurer or a seller.
How to choose a roofer
- Ask for three quotes with the same specification: material, brand and type, insulation, finish, scaffolding, disposal.
- Check certification and the guarantee on materials and workmanship; 10 years on a new flat roof is usual. Ask whether the guarantee also covers the workmanship and consequential damage, or only the material.
- Pay attention to ventilation: an insulated roof needs a vapour control layer on the inside and ventilation of the structure.
- Ask for unit prices for unforeseen additional work (roof boarding, purlins).
- Replacing the roof covering in the same shape and colour usually does not need a permit; for a listed building or a different material (from tiles to zinc) it often does. Do the check on the Omgevingsloket (the government permit portal).
On a larger project, for example a new roof combined with a dormer or a raised ridge, a contractor can coordinate the roofer, carpenter and installer. More on assessing quotes in Comparing quotes: how to read a building quote.