NNationwide Industrial Roofing

In the UK, when you are looking for the "best roofing companies," the answer depends on whether you are looking for high-quality roofing products and materials (the brands that architects, specifiers, and roofers actually trust), national commercial contractors, or vetted residential installers to work on your home.

The UK roofing market is highly localized for domestic properties, but it relies on a handful of massive, highly respected manufacturers and suppliers.

1. Top Roofing Material Brands (The Products People Actually Use)

If you are planning a roof replacement (re-roof) or extension, these are the market-leading brands that builders and professional roofers rely on:

For Pitched Roofs (Tiles & Slates)

• Marley: Historically one of the biggest names in UK roofing. They make everything from concrete tiles (the popular Modern and Ludlow Plus ranges) to clay tiles, timber shingles, and fibre-cement slates. They also offer Marley SolarTile, an increasingly popular integrated solar roof system used to meet Part L building regulations.
• Redland (BMI Group): Redland is a titan of the UK market, now part of the global BMI Group. Known for concrete interlocking tiles (like Double Roman and Regent) and traditional Rosemary clay plain tiles.
• Sandtoft (Wienerberger): Sandtoft is Wienerberger’s primary UK roof tile brand. They are highly regarded for clay tiles (like the Tempest and Olympus ranges) as well as cost-effective concrete tiles.
• Cupa Pizarras: If you are opting for a traditional slate roof, Cupa Pizarras is the premier brand for natural Spanish slate, which is heavily used across UK heritage and high-end residential projects.
• Dreadnought Tiles: Renowned for manufacturing beautiful, traditional Staffordshire blue clay tiles, widely specified for conservation areas and traditional UK homes.

For Flat Roofs & Membranes

• Sika (Sarnafil & Liquid Plastics): The gold standard for single-ply flat roofing in the UK. If you have an extension or garage, a Sika Sarnafil PVC membrane is highly durable, premium, and must be installed by a Sika-certified contractor.
• Bauder: The leading manufacturer of high-performance flat roof systems for commercial and premium residential properties. They specialize in bituminous membranes, single-ply, green roofs, and solar flat roofs.
• IKO (formerly Ruberoid): A household name in the UK trade for flat roof felt, high-performance bituminous membranes, and roof underlayment/breathable membranes.
• Elevate (formerly Firestone) EPDM: The go-to single-ply rubber roofing membrane for DIYers and residential roofers alike. It's incredibly long-lasting, seamless, and ideal for residential extensions.

Roof Windows

• Velux: The undisputed market leader for roof windows and skylights in loft conversions and extensions across the UK.

2. How to Find the Best Residential Roofing Contractors

Because the residential roofing sector is highly localized, there is no single "national" domestic roofing company that services every home in the UK. Instead, you should choose a local contractor who is registered with the industry's official bodies to avoid "cowboy builders".

To find a reputable local roofing company, look for these credentials:

• NFRC (National Federation of Roofing Contractors): The NFRC is the UK’s largest and most influential roofing trade association. Members undergo strict vetting, site inspections, and must hold correct insurance and technical standards. Hiring an NFRC member gives you access to a robust dispute resolution service if anything goes wrong.
• NFRC Competent Person Scheme (formerly CompetentRoofer): In England and Wales, if you are replacing 50% or more of your roof, it is a legal requirement to notify Local Authority Building Control (LABC) and upgrade insulation to meet building regulations. A contractor registered with the NFRC CPS can self-certify their own work, meaning you don't have to pay for a local council building inspector to sign it off.
• TrustMark: A Government-endorsed quality scheme that vets tradespeople for customer service, technical competence, and trading practices.
• Federation of Master Builders (FMB): While not roofing-specific, many of the best roofing companies are also FMB members.

3. Top National Commercial & Industrial Roofing Contractors

If you are looking for a company to handle a massive commercial, industrial, or multi-property project (such as warehouses, retail parks, or large-scale housing developments), the major national players are:

• Briggs Amasco: One of the UK's longest-established and most respected commercial roofing contractors, operating out of a national network of branches.
• Nationwide Industrial Roofing: Widely ranked as the top specialist industrial contractor for large-scale roof replacements, over-roofing, and cladding on warehouses, factories, and logistics hubs.
• Central Group (Central Roofing): A major B2B contractor with a nationwide branch network specializing in refurbishment and commercial maintenance.
• Note on Avonside Group: Formerly the UK's largest residential new-build roofing contractor, Avonside went into administration in late 2022. While some localized branches were bought out and still operate, they no longer exist as the singular nationwide giant they once were.

4. Where the Trade Buys (The Top Roofing Merchants)

If you are managing a project yourself or buying materials directly, you will want to skip general DIY stores (like B&Q or Wickes) and buy from specialist roofing merchants, where you can get trade-quality products:

• SIG Roofing: The UK's largest specialist distributor of roofing materials, with over 100 branches nationwide. They stock everything from Marley tiles to flat roof systems and lead.
• Burton Roofing Merchants: The UK's leading independent specialist merchant, known for excellent stock levels of slate, clay, concrete tiles, and flat roofing products.
• Roofbase: A rapidly growing specialist roofing merchant with excellent technical support for both the trade and self-builders.
• Travis Perkins / Jewson: While these are general builders' merchants, they both have dedicated national roofing divisions and can source almost any manufacturer's product.

The best options for a roofing project in the United Kingdom depend entirely on whether you are looking for trusted product manufacturers or major national commercial contractors. Asphalt shingles are rarely used in the UK; instead, the market is heavily dominated by concrete tiles, clay tiles, natural slates, and advanced EPDM or liquid flat roofing systems.

The top brands, products, and national contractors that dominate the UK roofing industry include the following options:

Top Roofing Product & Material Brands

These are the leading manufacturers whose products are standard stock across major UK builders' merchants like Travis Perkins, Wickes, and SIG Roofing.

MarleyBest For: Concrete and clay interlocking roof tiles, solar roof integration, and timber battens.Industry Standing: One of the most ubiquitous pitched roofing brands specified by UK housebuilders and local roofers alike. Best For: Concrete and clay interlocking roof tiles, solar roof integration, and timber battens. Industry Standing: One of the most ubiquitous pitched roofing brands specified by UK housebuilders and local roofers alike. Redland (BMI UK & Ireland)Best For: Landmark concrete tiles, Cambrian man-made slate, and comprehensive dry-fix ridge systems.Industry Standing: Part of the global BMI Group, they are the go-to brand for traditional profile tiles like the Renown or Regent. Best For: Landmark concrete tiles, Cambrian man-made slate, and comprehensive dry-fix ridge systems. Industry Standing: Part of the global BMI Group, they are the go-to brand for traditional profile tiles like the Renown or Regent. Elevate (Formerly Firestone Building Products)Best For: EPDM rubber membrane flat roofing systems for residential extensions and garages.Industry Standing: Highly favored by domestic installers due to the seamless, one-piece application of the RubberCover system, which offers a life expectancy of over 50 years. Best For: EPDM rubber membrane flat roofing systems for residential extensions and garages. Industry Standing: Highly favored by domestic installers due to the seamless, one-piece application of the RubberCover system, which offers a life expectancy of over 50 years. VELUXBest For: Pitched and flat roof windows, skylights, and sun tunnels.Industry Standing: Holding a near-monopoly on residential roof windows in the UK, they are universally used in loft conversions. Best For: Pitched and flat roof windows, skylights, and sun tunnels. Industry Standing: Holding a near-monopoly on residential roof windows in the UK, they are universally used in loft conversions. Sandtoft (Wienerberger)Best For: Traditional English clay pantiles and eco-friendly lightweight slate alternatives.Industry Standing: Backed by building giant Wienerberger, their clay profiles are highly utilized in conservation areas and new builds. Best For: Traditional English clay pantiles and eco-friendly lightweight slate alternatives. Industry Standing: Backed by building giant Wienerberger, their clay profiles are highly utilized in conservation areas and new builds.

Top National Commercial & Industrial Roofing Contractors

If you are looking for large-scale commercial installation, industrial refurbishment, or multi-site asset management across the UK, these are the highest-ranked contractors by industry volume and trade standing.

BriggsAmascoBest For: National full-scale commercial waterproofing, mastic asphalt, and complex structural installations.Industry Standing: Operating for over 160 years, they are the UK's leading commercial roofing company. They famously delivered the landmark Battersea Power Station restoration roof. Briggs Amasco Best For: National full-scale commercial waterproofing, mastic asphalt, and complex structural installations. Industry Standing: Operating for over 160 years, they are the UK's leading commercial roofing company. They famously delivered the landmark Battersea Power Station restoration roof. Nationwide Industrial RoofingBest For: Large-scale factory roofs, industrial warehouse over-roofing, and strict live-site production environments.Industry Standing: Widely ranked as the UK's overall best industrial roofing contractor for scale and logistics management. Ghost +2 Best For: Large-scale factory roofs, industrial warehouse over-roofing, and strict live-site production environments. Industry Standing: Widely ranked as the UK's overall best industrial roofing contractor for scale and logistics management. CA GroupBest For: Industrial metal cladding, building envelopes, and massive twin-skin roof supply and install packages.Industry Standing: Consistently sits at the top tier of the Roofing Today Top 40 rankings by turnover volume. Roofing Today Best For: Industrial metal cladding, building envelopes, and massive twin-skin roof supply and install packages. Industry Standing: Consistently sits at the top tier of the Roofing Today Top 40 rankings by turnover volume. Garland UKBest For: Asset management, commercial roof condition surveys, solar roofing, and liquid waterproofing.Industry Standing: Highly regarded for providing technically tailored, long-term building envelope solutions for public sector and corporate portfolios. Garland UK +1 Best For: Asset management, commercial roof condition surveys, solar roofing, and liquid waterproofing. Industry Standing: Highly regarded for providing technically tailored, long-term building envelope solutions for public sector and corporate portfolios.

Domestic Roofing Note

For residential domestic roofing (replacing a standard house roof), homeowners do not hire massive national commercial entities like BriggsAmasco or CA Group. Instead, you should source trusted regional independent contractors who are fully accredited members of the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC) or verified via the CompetentRoofer scheme. This guarantees they can self-certify their work for local Building Regulations compliance.

If you are looking to source materials or hire someone for a specific project, let me know:

Is your project residential or commercial? Are you dealing with a pitched roof (tiles/slate) or a flat roof (extension/garage)? Do you need product supply recommendations or are you looking to find an installer?