The UK roofing market was estimated to be worth approximately £1.3 billion in 2008. Performance of this market is closely linked to that of construction output and the economy overall. As such, the market has been significantly affected by the global financial crisis and falling housing market. Although the market performed relatively well in the first half of 2008, the final quarter saw sharp falls in both domestic and non-domestic construction. This led to a decline in the overall roofing market of around 4% in 2008.

In 2009, the market is expected to deteriorate further. Bidding for projects is becoming increasingly competitive, with many contractors and sub-contractors lowering tenders and squeezing margins in order to secure work. It is thought that the market should start to recover towards the end of 2010, into the beginning of 2011 and the roofing market should see a return to growth in 2011 as construction levels start to increase.

Metal roofing and roof tiling remain the key sectors of the roofing market, with roof tiles dominating the domestic sector and metal roofing dominating non-domestic construction. In the longer term, roof glazing, membranes and felts are expected to gain share as demand for green and liquid roofs increases, while the need to incorporate natural light in design is likely to support the growth of roof glazing.

There is a wide range of suppliers within the roofing market. However, each roofing sector is dominated by a small number of large companies. The supply structure for roofing systems tends to be split by roofing type, e.g. tiling, membranes and felts, metal and glazing. Many companies are active in more than one market, although no single company is market leader in all fields.

Distribution of roofing materials in the UK is relatively complex and varies significantly between different market sectors.

Roofing contractors are the primary end-buyers in the roofing market. Contractors can purchase directly from manufacturers or via specialist distributors or merchants. Most contractors use a variety of procurement methods.

Supplying direct from the manufacturer is used much more widely in the metal and glazing markets, as projects often require bespoke structures that require the contractor to work closely with the manufacturer.