Roofing tenders cover re-roofing programmes, planned and responsive repairs, flat roofing and roofing frameworks for housing stock and schools. Councils, housing providers and school trusts publish them on Find a Tender and Contracts Finder. This page sets out what buyers usually ask roofing contractors for, including working at height, CDM and asbestos, and how a smaller roofer can win through lots, small works and frameworks. Our tender eligibility checker is coming soon. Until then, tell us your trade and postcode to join the free weekly list of live tenders, starting soon.
What buyers usually ask for in roofing tenders
Each buyer sets its own questions. These are the checks with a legal basis, plus the schemes some buyers ask about. The pack has the rest.
Insurance
Employers’ liability insurance is compulsory for employers in Great Britain, with limited exemptions (1969 Act). Cover must be at least £5 million, and the fine is £2,500 for every day you are not properly insured. Public liability has no statutory figure: the buyer sets it. See public liability cover for tenders.
Health and safety, and working at height
Some buyers ask for membership of a scheme such as CHAS or Constructionline. These are a buyer preference, not a legal requirement, and we explain how they work in SSIP and Constructionline for contractors.
Working at height is where roofing method statements are won or lost. Under regulation 6 of the Work at Height Regulations 2005, an employer must not do work at height where it is reasonably practicable to do it safely another way. Where work at height can’t be avoided, it must take measures to prevent falls, working from an existing safe place where reasonably practicable, or otherwise using equipment that prevents a fall. If a risk of a fall remains, it must provide equipment to reduce the distance and consequences of a fall. Show that order of thinking in your method.
CDM 2015 as a contractor
Where a project has more than one contractor, or it is reasonably foreseeable that more than one will work on it, the client must appoint a principal designer and a principal contractor in writing. Anyone appointed must have the skills, knowledge and experience, and (if an organisation) the organisational capability for the role. Expect questions on how you plan, supervise and control subcontractors.
Asbestos awareness
On older roofs the pack may refer to an asbestos survey or to assumptions you must price. Under regulation 10 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, an employer must ensure that employees who are or may be exposed to asbestos get adequate information, instruction and training. Be ready to say how your operatives are trained.
Competent person schemes
A competent person scheme lets you self-certify certain building work. For replacement roof coverings the authorised schemes are NAPIT and CompetentRoofer (solar panel installation is not covered). Membership isn’t a condition of tendering by law, but buyers may ask for it as evidence.
In the week to 10 Oct 2026, 29 of 470 live notices in our data (about 6%) stated named certifications in the notice itself (as of 10 Oct 2026). For the rest, see what our check can and can’t see.
How to win roofing contracts
Target the right lot
On above-threshold contracts, buyers must consider splitting a contract into lots, or give reasons for not doing so. Some roofing contracts split pitched from flat roofs, or by value band, so check the lot structure and bid for the one that fits your crews.
Use the small-works rules
The full Procurement Act rules for works start at £5,193,000 including VAT from 1 January 2026, per the gov.uk thresholds guidance. Below that, a buyer inviting tenders can’t run a separate suitability stage before tenders are submitted, but it can still assess suitability at the award stage (Welsh devolved buyers and framework call-offs aside; see also the below-threshold guidance). The exception is a works contract estimated at £135,018 or more (central government) or £207,720 or more (other authorities), from 1 January 2026. Buyers must also consider the barriers SMEs face.
If a buyer advertises a below-threshold contract worth £12,000 or more (central government, including NHS trusts) or £30,000 or more (other authorities), including VAT, it must first publish a below-threshold tender notice. Buyers can also invite quotes from chosen suppliers without advertising, as the gov.uk guidance explains.
Frameworks and call-offs
Some repeat roofing work may be bought through frameworks. A framework’s term is limited to four years in most cases. In the week to 10 Oct 2026, 72 of 470 live notices in our data mentioned frameworks or dynamic purchasing systems (DPS, now called dynamic markets), as of 10 Oct 2026. Getting on is step one, and winning call-offs is step two, so read how work is shared between members. Our guide covers how to get on a framework.
Evidence that scores
Show photographs of comparable jobs, the guarantees you offer, how you liaise with residents, and your waste plan. Keep every claim something you can back up in the contract.
Common pitfalls
- no allowance for scaffold design or access
- unpriced temporary protection and edge protection
- missing asbestos assumptions on older roofs
- ignoring resident disruption on occupied homes
Who buys roofing
Housing associations and councils buy re-roofing and repairs for their stock, and school trusts buy for their buildings. In the week to 10 Oct 2026 there were 119 live notices in the construction division (the parent sector, not roofing alone), as of 10 Oct 2026. See construction tenders for the wider group, refurbishment tenders for fabric works and solar PV tenders for panel installation.
Questions
Where do councils publish roofing tenders?
Notices go on Find a Tender and Contracts Finder, and TenderWorthy covers both. Scottish public bodies must advertise regulated procurements on the Public Contracts Scotland website, which TenderWorthy doesn't cover. Buyers can also invite quotes from chosen suppliers without advertising a smaller job.
Do I need CHAS or Constructionline for council roofing work?
Not by law. Some buyers ask for membership of a health and safety assessment scheme, and some run their own questionnaire. The tender pack tells you what that buyer accepts, and it is worth asking whether an equivalent scheme counts.
What is a roofing framework and how do I get on one?
A framework is an agreement that lets a buyer award future jobs to its listed suppliers. You get on one by applying when the buyer opens it, so watch for the notice. A framework's term is limited to four years in most cases.
Can a small roofing firm bid for housing association contracts?
Yes, if the size and lots suit you. Look for lots by roof type or value band, and for smaller below-threshold jobs, where a buyer inviting tenders can't run a separate suitability stage before tenders are submitted, but can still assess suitability at the award stage (with an exception for larger works contracts, and Welsh devolved buyers and framework call-offs aside). You can also subcontract to a main contractor.
Do I need to be in a competent person scheme for re-roofing?
Not to tender. For replacement roof coverings, NAPIT and CompetentRoofer are the authorised schemes, and membership lets you self-certify building regulations compliance. Buyers may ask for it, so check the pack.