Not every firm answering the phone at night actually sends someone. What a genuine emergency service looks like, and what to ask before you rely on it.
"24/7 emergency roofing" is written on a lot of vans. What it means in practice varies enormously — from a roofer who genuinely comes out at 2am, to a call centre that takes your details and books you for Thursday.
What Genuine Emergency Cover Looks Like
- A number that reaches someone who can actually decide to attend
- An honest answer about when they can get there — not "sometime"
- Someone who comes out to make the property watertight, not just to quote
- Temporary covering included in the job, not charged separately as an emergency premium
- A permanent repair scheduled before they leave
Questions Worth Asking
Before you rely on any emergency line: can you get here tonight, is the person on the phone the person coming, and is making it safe included in the price you've been quoted? If the answer is vague, you're not dealing with an emergency service — you're dealing with a booking line.
What Counts As An Emergency
- Water entering the house and you can't contain it
- Tiles or ridge sections loose and hanging over a path or drive
- The roof visibly sagging or partly collapsed
- Storm damage with rain still falling
- A ceiling bulging with trapped water
What Can Wait Until Morning
A single slipped tile with no water getting in, a damp patch that isn't growing, or gutters overflowing in heavy rain with the house still dry — all can wait. Being told honestly that you don't need an emergency callout is a good sign, not a bad one.
Our line is answered around the clock across every Medway town, and if you describe the problem we'll tell you honestly whether it can wait.
Want This Looked At Properly?
Free survey, photographs, and a fixed written price. No obligation and no sales pressure.
Costs and timings in this article are guides for Medway and Kent properties. Every roof is different — a survey is the only way to get an accurate figure.