🏠 Roofing · Hiring & Team
How to Write a Roofing Job Ad That Gets Qualified Applicants — Not Just CVs
The UK has a well-documented shortage of skilled roofers, with the average age of workers in the trade rising and new entrants not keeping pace with retirement. The people you want are already working, probably earning reasonably well, and only going to consider a move if you give them a compelling reason. Your job ad needs to do that work — not just list qualifications and hope for the best.
What skilled roofers look for in a new role
- Consistent work — not feast-and-famine scheduling that leaves them with unpredictable income
- Good kit — well-maintained tools, a decent van, quality materials rather than constant substitution
- A respected, organised business — not one that creates chaos and expects the team to manage it
- Clear, specific pay — "competitive salary" is an immediate scroll-past for experienced candidates
- Autonomy and being trusted — experienced roofers don't want to be micromanaged
- A business where the owner knows roofing — being managed by someone who hasn't been on a roof is a common complaint
- Realistic hours — "flexibility" that actually means unlimited on-call is a known trap
Template: Experienced roofer job ad
Full job ad template — adapt for your business
Experienced Roofer — [Business name], [Location]
[Pay: £X–£X/hr or £XX,XXX–£XX,XXX depending on experience — be specific]
We're [Business name] — a [X]-person roofing company based in [location], established in [year]. We work on [describe your work: residential re-roofs, heritage properties, commercial flat roofing, new builds — whatever is honest and accurate]. We've built our reputation on [e.g. quality workmanship, honest pricing, not cutting corners] and most of our work comes through referrals and returning customers.
We're looking for an experienced roofer to join the team. Here's what the role actually involves:
— [Type of work: pitched tiles, flat roofing, leadwork, heritage, new build — be specific]
— Based in [area] — typical working radius of [X miles / specific areas]
— [Hours: Mon–Fri, 7:30am–4:30pm / what's actually realistic]
— Own van provided, fuelled and stocked / or van allowance of £X
— [Safety equipment provided / PASMA / IPAF as applicable]
What we offer:
[£X–£X/hr — be specific, show the range] + overtime at [rate]
[Company van / van allowance]
[X days holiday + bank holidays]
[Tool allowance / tools provided]
[CSCS, IPAF, PASMA training supported]
[Any other benefits: pension, sick pay, bonus scheme, uniform, phone]
What we're looking for:
— [X]+ years' experience in [type of roofing]
— CSCS card (essential) / NVQ Level 2 or 3 in Roofing Occupations preferred
— Full UK driving licence
— Someone who takes pride in their work and communicates well — with the team and with customers
We're a straightforward outfit: good work, decent people, consistent jobs, no drama. If that sounds like what you're looking for, we'd love to hear from you.
How to apply: Call [name] directly on [number] or email [address]. We usually respond within a day. No agencies.
💡 Name the pay rate. "Dependent on experience" or "competitive salary" are the most common reasons experienced roofers scroll past job ads. The candidates you want are already earning — they need a reason to consider the switch. A specific number, even a range, is that reason.
The opening paragraph is doing more work than you think
Most job ads start with "We are looking for an experienced roofer to join our growing team." That sentence tells the candidate nothing about your business, why it's worth working for, or how you're different from the twelve other roofing businesses posting similar ads this week.
Two or three sentences about your business — what you do, how long you've been doing it, and what makes working there genuinely different — separates you from 90% of the competition. Be specific. "We work on period and heritage properties in [area]" is more compelling than "we do all types of roofing work." Specificity signals that you know your business and are honest about what the role involves.
Where to post a roofing job ad
Indeed: Highest reach for active job seekers. Free to post; paid promotion speeds up applications for hard-to-fill roles.
Facebook: Local Facebook jobs and trades groups often outperform job boards for roofing — the trade community is active there. Post in local trade groups, not just generic job boards.
Trade federations: NFRC (National Federation of Roofing Contractors) and similar bodies often have job boards frequented by qualified tradespeople.
Word of mouth through your existing team: The most reliable source of quality hires in roofing. Consider a referral bonus — your current roofers know who the good ones are in the area.
Roofing hiring questions answered
Why am I only getting poor-quality applications for my roofing job?
Three common reasons: the pay isn't specified (good candidates scroll past vague pay listings); the requirements list is too long and discourages qualified candidates who don't tick every box; or the ad reads as generic rather than specific to your business. Rewrite with a real pay number, cut requirements to what genuinely matters, and describe your business in 2-3 specific sentences.
Should I require CSCS cards and NVQ for all roofing roles?
CSCS should be required for any commercial or contractor-site work. For residential roofing, an experienced tradesperson without formal certification may still be a strong candidate — particularly for specialist heritage or leadwork. List certifications as "preferred" rather than "essential" if your work could accommodate someone without them, and you'll get more applications from experienced candidates who've built their skills informally.
How do I compete with larger roofing companies for skilled workers?
On what large companies genuinely can't offer: direct access to the business owner, varied and interesting work, being treated as a professional rather than a number, and the opportunity to genuinely influence how the business operates. Many experienced roofers actively prefer smaller teams — lead with those advantages honestly and specifically.
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