Clients often ask for a price per square metre before we have seen the building. It is an understandable question, but it hides the things that actually move a roofing budget. Here is what sits inside a roofing cost in Nigeria.
The covering is only part of it
The visible roof — the tiles or sheets — is one line on the estimate. Underneath it sits the substructure: trusses, carpentry, fixings and treatment. A cheap quote often saves money exactly there, where you cannot see it, and that is where roofs fail.
What drives the number
- Roof geometry. Hips, valleys and dormers cost more to set out and cover than a simple gable.
- Span. Wide clear spans need engineered trusses — timber or steel — sized to the load.
- Material grade. Genuine Gerard or aluminium of the correct gauge is not the cheapest sheet on the market, and should not be.
- Drainage. Properly sized gutters and downpipes protect the whole building and belong in the budget.
- Access and site. Height, congestion and logistics all affect labour.
Reading a quote properly
A trustworthy estimate is itemised. You should be able to see the covering, the substructure, the drainage and the labour as separate lines. If a quote is a single lump sum with no breakdown, you cannot tell what has been left out.
The most expensive roof is the one you pay for twice. Spending correctly on the structure and genuine materials is what makes the first roof the last roof.
We provide itemised quotations after a site inspection, with the reasoning behind each specification, so you can compare like with like.
