On most building jobs the roof is the point where the programme either stays on track or starts to slip. Until it is watertight, the joiners, plasterers and electricians inside are waiting on the weather. If you are a builder or main contractor looking for a roofing subcontractor in Glasgow, this checklist covers what to ask before you hand over the roof, and how we work with builders on extensions, refurbishments and new builds.
Ross Clark Roofing has more than 25 years’ experience and offices in Glasgow and Ayr. We work directly for homeowners and as the roofing contractor for local builders and developers, and every job is carried out by our own trained staff. We never pass your roof on to another firm. You can read more about our work in the city on our Glasgow roofing page.
Why the roofer you choose matters to your programme
A good roofing subcontractor does more than lay slates. They turn up when the scaffold is ready, get the building watertight quickly, and leave the lead, roofline and details right first time so there are no snags at handover. A poor one costs you days on site, call-backs from the client and, in the worst case, water damage to finished work inside.
Glasgow’s weather makes this more important. With frequent rain through the autumn and winter, a roof that sits half-finished over a weekend is a real risk, so reliability matters as much as price.
A builder’s checklist for hiring a roofing subcontractor in Glasgow
Before you appoint a roofer, it is worth getting clear answers to these questions:
- Who will actually do the work? Ask whether the roofer uses their own employed team or passes jobs on. Our own staff do every job, so the people who priced it are accountable for it.
- Can they cover the whole roof package? Slating or tiling, lead work, flat roof sections, dormers and roofline. One contractor for all of it means fewer trades to coordinate and no gaps between packages.
- Is the price fixed and clear? Ask for a written quote against your drawings and specification, with anything excluded spelled out.
- What guarantee comes with the work? Your client will ask. We give a 10-year workmanship guarantee.
- Can they show similar jobs? Look at completed projects and reviews, ideally on work like yours.
- Insurance and paperwork. Check public liability cover, how they handle risk assessments and method statements, and their position under the Construction Industry Scheme.
- How do they communicate? You want one contact who answers the phone, confirms start dates and tells you early if the weather changes the plan.
What we cover for builders and developers
We take on the full roofing package, or just the parts you need:
- Slating and tiling, including natural slate such as Cupa and concrete tiles from Marley, with breathable membranes and dry ridge systems. See our tile and slate roofing page.
- Lead work, including flashings, soakers, valleys, dormer cheeks and skews, cut and dressed on site. See our lead work page.
- Flat roofs on extensions and dormers in EPDM rubber or fibreglass. See re-roofing and flat roofs.
- Roofline, with uPVC fascias, soffits, gutters and downpipes. See fascias, soffits and gutters.
- Velux and roof windows fitted as part of the roof.
How we work alongside your site team
What most builders want from a roofer is simple: turn up when agreed, get it watertight, and leave it tidy. That is how we work:
- We price from your drawings and agree the price before work starts.
- We confirm start dates around your scaffold and other trades, and keep you posted if the weather affects the plan.
- We prioritise getting the building weathertight so your team can carry on inside.
- We clear up as we go. Our reviews on Google, MyBuilder and Rated People regularly mention punctuality, tidiness and communication. You can read them on our reviews page.
It also helps to bring the roofer in early. If we see the drawings at tender stage, we can flag details that often cause problems later, such as how a dormer cheek or a valley is weathered, where lead is needed against walls and chimneys, and whether the fall on a flat roof section is enough. Sorting those on paper is far cheaper than sorting them on the scaffold, and it means the price you give your client is one you can stand behind.
Recent work as a roofing subcontractor
In Bearsden we slated a house for a local builder, including slate-clad dormers and roof windows. You can see the finished job in our Bearsden slating project. On the Ayrshire side, our new build slating in Prestwick shows the same approach on a new home. If you are developing in Ayrshire, our guide for new build roofing contractors goes into more detail on new build packages.
Frequently asked questions
Do you take on small jobs for builders, such as a single extension?
Yes. We work on single extensions, dormers and porches as well as whole houses, and we are happy to price one-off jobs as well as ongoing work.
Do you supply the materials?
Yes. We supply and fit to your specification, and the quote sets out exactly what is included.
Which areas do you cover?
All of Glasgow, including the West End, Southside, Bearsden, Milngavie, Giffnock and Newton Mearns, plus the whole of Ayrshire from our Ayr office.
Send us your drawings for a quote
If you have a job coming up and need a reliable roofer for it, send us the drawings and your programme and we will come back with a clear price. Call our Glasgow office on 0141 3740655, our Ayr office on 01292 611415 or mobile 07979 321307, or get in touch online for a free quote.