# Roof repair: where to start, what the law says and what to ask > Broken tiles, leaks, loose gutters: what to do first, how the cause is found, permit, VAT, prices and how to choose who repairs. - Page: https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/roof-repair - Language: English - Updated: 2026-11-03 ## Summary - Repairing a roof to keep it as it is counts as conservation work and needs no permit. - Water rarely enters above the stain: find the cause before you pay. - Falls from height are the main risk. Do not climb onto the roof. - Ask for a written quote, by area and by task. Portal prices are not quotes. Broken tiles, a stain on the ceiling, a gutter hanging loose after the wind: the first question is almost always whether the roof needs a repair or a replacement. This section gathers what we have published about repairing a roof: what to do first, how the cause is found, what the law says about permits, VAT, the prices we found and how to pick who does the work. We do not repair roofs: we give information, with sources. *Updated 3 November 2026.* ## The essentials - **Repairing a roof to keep it as it is needs no permit.** The RJUE exempts conservation works: restoration, repair or cleaning. Changing the material, colour or shape is a different matter. See the [permit guide](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/roof-works-permit-2026). - **Water rarely enters above the stain.** Before you pay, find where it comes from. The [leak guide](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/roof-leak-causes) shows the most cited causes. - **Do not climb onto the roof.** Falls from height are the main risk. In rain or wind, more so. - **VAT.** Labour for repairing a home can carry 6%, with conditions. Cleaning is excluded. See the [VAT guide](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/roof-works-vat). - **Always ask for a written quote, by area and by task.** Prices read online are not quotes. ## Where to start 1. **Is the roof letting water in right now?** Read the [first 48 hours](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/damaged-roof-first-48-hours): people first, then evidence, then the insurer. 2. **Does it drip but you do not know from where?** Read the [causes of a leak](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/roof-leak-causes). 3. **Is it a one-off problem or is the roof at its end?** Read [repair or replace](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/roof-repair/repair-or-replace). 4. **Know what you want to do?** Run quotes through the [checker](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/roof-quote-checker) and [check the contractor](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/roofing-contractor-check). ## Guides in this section - [Repair or replace the roof: how to decide](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/roof-repair/repair-or-replace) ## Other guides that cross with this one - [Damaged roof: the first 48 hours](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/damaged-roof-first-48-hours) - [Roof leaks: causes](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/roof-leak-causes) - [What a roof costs: what we found](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/roof-cost-per-m2) - [Permits for roof works](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/roof-works-permit-2026) - [VAT on roof works](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/roof-works-vat) - [How to choose a roofing contractor](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/choosing-a-roofing-contractor) - [Warranty on roof works](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/roof-works-warranty) - [Home insurance and storms](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/home-insurance-storm-roof) - [Roofs in a condominium: who pays](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/condominium-roof-who-pays) - [Asbestos-cement roofs: questions and answers](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/asbestos-roof-questions) - [Damp at home: is it the roof or something else?](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/damp-at-home-roof-or-something-else) - [Work at height on the roof: what the law requires of whoever does the job](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/work-at-height-roof) - [Cleaning gutters and downpipes](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/roof-cleaning/gutters) - [Roof insulation: where, techniques, prices and aid](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/roof-insulation) - [Damage file](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/roof-damage-file) and [area calculator](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/roof-area-calculator) ## What we could not confirm - **Official repair prices.** There is no State table or sector-association table we could read. The figures are in the price guide, with the source of each. - **How many broken tiles justify replacing the roof.** No source we read gives a number. The decision depends on the state of the structure and on how often the roof has been patched. ## Sources (read 3 November 2026) The sources for each claim are in the guides linked above, in particular: APICER and CTCV, *Guia para Projeto e Aplicação de Telhas Cerâmicas* (2018); ACT, leaflet *Reparação de telhados após intempéries*; Regime Jurídico da Urbanização e da Edificação (Decreto-Lei n.º 555/99, as in force); VAT Code, item 2.27 of List I. ## FAQ ### Do I need a permit to repair the roof? If the work only keeps the roof as it is (repair, restoration, cleaning), it is conservation work and exempt from a licence and prior communication. Changing the material, colour or shape may need one. If in doubt, ask the town hall. ### Can I climb onto the roof to see what is wrong? We do not advise it. ACT warns that wet surfaces, broken tiles and strong wind greatly raise the risk of serious falls. Look from the ground, the attic or a higher spot. ### How much does a roof repair cost? There is no official table. The price guide gathers private-portal figures, with the source and date of each. Only a quote from someone who sees the roof gives the real figure. --- Source: https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/roof-repair. Independent information, not legal or tax advice.