Roofer securing a tarpaulin over storm damage on a UK roof in wind and rain

Emergency roof repairs, fast

Water coming in right now? Here is what to do in the next ten minutes, what a fair emergency callout costs in 2026, and how to get a vetted roofer out fast.

Quick answer: an emergency roofer callout costs £80 to £150 in normal hours in 2026, rising to £100 to £250 evenings and weekends. A make-safe tarp over storm damage typically totals £150 to £400 all in. Vetted local roofers prioritise genuine emergencies.

Do this right now

Contain the water indoors. Buckets under drips, towels along the edges. If a ceiling is bulging with water, pierce the bubble with a screwdriver over a bucket to release it in a controlled way before it brings the plasterboard down.
Kill the electrics to affected areas. If water is anywhere near lights or sockets, switch those circuits off at the consumer unit before touching anything else.
Do not climb on the roof. A wet roof, especially at night, is how emergencies become tragedies. Move people and cars away from anything that might fall and leave the roof to the professional.
Photograph everything for insurance. The ceiling, the water, any visible external damage, with timestamps. Most storm claims cover make-safe costs, and photos taken before the roofer arrives make the claim far harder to dispute.

With the inside under control, more detail on tracing and handling the leak itself is in the leaking roof guide, and storm-specific damage is covered in the storm damage guide.

What an emergency visit does

An emergency visit is a make-safe, not a repair. The roofer stops the water with a tarp or a temporary batten-and-membrane patch, secures anything loose and makes the area safe. The permanent repair is quoted separately and done in dry daylight, when the full extent of the damage can be seen and fixed properly. That two-step sequence is the correct professional approach, not an upsell: nobody can carry out a lasting repair on a wet roof in the dark. The follow-up work is normal roof repair, and the leaking roof repair cost guide shows what it should cost.

What counts as a genuine emergency

Active water coming through a ceiling, especially near light fittings or electrics.
Structural movement: a sagging or shifted roof section after a storm or impact.
Storm-loosened tiles or slates over public areas, where falling debris could injure someone.

A damp patch that is not growing, or a slipped tile in dry weather, is urgent but not an emergency. Booking a normal-hours visit saves the out-of-hours premium and gets you a better repair.

What emergency help costs

Charge	Typical cost (2026)
Callout fee (daytime)	£80 – £150
Callout fee (out of hours / weekend)	£100 – £250
Emergency labour per hour	£60 – £120
Tarp / make-safe over damage	£150 – £400
Temporary batten and membrane patch	£150 – £350

Many firms roll the first hour of labour into the callout fee; ask what the fee includes before they set off and get the numbers by text or email. The full emergency callout charges guide covers pricing, insurance recovery and how to commit fast without getting stung.

Storm-chaser warning: be wary of anyone who knocks on your door straight after a storm, demands cash up front, or refuses to put their name, address and price in writing. Storms are harvest season for callout scams; our roofing scams guide covers exactly how they operate.

Why use a vetted roofer, even at 2am

Emergencies are when homeowners are easiest to overcharge, because speed matters more than price. Every roofer in the Expert Roofers network is vetted for insurance, trading history and real customer feedback, charges against the fair rates above, and quotes the permanent repair separately in writing so the make-safe never becomes a blank cheque.

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Vetted local roofers who prioritise genuine emergencies, with charges checked against the fair rates on this page. Free, no obligation.

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Emergency roof repair FAQs

Emergency roof repair questions, answered

An emergency roofer callout costs £80 to £150 in normal working hours in 2026, rising to £100 to £250 for evenings, weekends and bank holidays, plus £60 to £120 per hour on site. A typical make-safe visit, tarping or patching storm damage, totals £150 to £400 all in. See the emergency callout charges guide.

For active leaks, usually yes. Reputable local firms prioritise same-day make-safe visits when water is coming into a home, because the damage compounds by the hour. After a major storm demand spikes and you may wait a day or two, which is when tarping the damage becomes the priority rather than the full repair.

No, and they are not meant to be. An emergency visit makes the roof safe and watertight with a tarp or temporary patch, then the permanent repair is quoted separately and carried out in dry daylight when the roofer can properly inspect and fix the damage. Make-safe first, permanent quote after is the correct professional sequence, not an upsell.

Usually, yes, on a valid storm damage claim. Most home insurance policies treat reasonable make-safe costs as part of the claim because they prevent further damage, and some insurers require you to mitigate. Keep the invoice, photograph the damage before and after the make-safe work, and notify your insurer promptly. The insurance and roof leaks guide walks through the claims process.

Active water coming through a ceiling, especially near lights or electrics; structural movement such as a sagging roof section; and storm-loosened tiles over paths, pavements or anywhere falling debris could injure someone. A damp patch that is not growing, or a slipped tile in dry weather, is urgent but not an emergency, and a normal-hours visit saves the out-of-hours premium.