# Repair or replace the roof: how to decide, and what changes for the permit and VAT > Signs a repair is enough, signs it is time to replace, what to ask whoever looks at the roof and what the law changes between the two. - Page: https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/roof-repair/repair-or-replace - Language: English - Updated: 2026-11-03 ## Summary - Repair makes sense when the problem is local and the timber is sound. - According to APICER and CTCV, most defects come from lack of maintenance. - Repairing to keep the roof as it is needs no permit; changing its look may. - Ask for a quote for both options, side by side. Almost everyone with a leak or a few broken tiles asks the same question: is it worth repairing, or is it better to replace the roof? There is no official formula. This guide gathers what the sources say about the causes of defects and what the law and VAT change between the two options, and suggests questions to ask whoever looks at the roof. When we write "common practice", it is general building knowledge with no specific official source. *Updated 3 November 2026. General information, not a substitute for a technician's inspection.* ## The essentials - **Repair makes sense when the problem is local and the structure is sound.** Broken or displaced tiles, a ridge with mortar coming loose, a chimney flashing, a loose gutter: these are repairs. - **Replacement makes sense when the problem is spread out.** Rotten battens and timber, leaks that return after repair, tiles crumbling in many places (common practice). - **The cause comes before the price.** According to the APICER and CTCV technical guide, most defects come from lack of maintenance. If the cause is not treated, the repair repeats. - **The permit changes.** Repairing a roof to keep it as it is counts as conservation work and is exempt. Replacing the covering with one that looks different may need a licence or prior communication. See the [permit guide](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/roof-works-permit-2026). - **VAT changes too.** Repair and conservation of a home may carry 6% on labour, with a cap on materials. See the [VAT guide](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/roof-works-vat). ## Signs a repair is enough - A few broken or displaced tiles, with no old stain on the ceiling. - The leak shows only in strong wind and rain, in one spot. - A loose chimney or wall flashing, or a blocked or detached gutter. - Battens and rafters, seen from the attic, are dry and firm. - The roof has never had a major repair before. ## Signs it is time to talk about replacement - Dark, soft or dusty timber in the attic (common practice: a sign of old damp or insects). - Several leaks in different places, or the same leak returning after repair. - Tiles badly worn or crumbling over much of the covering. - The roof has been patched many times. - **Asbestos-cement.** Do not break or wash it. Ask someone trained and read the [asbestos guide](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/asbestos-roof-questions). If you are in between, ask the contractor for a quote for **both options**, side by side, on one sheet. ## Repair or replace: side by side | What to look at | A repair tends to be enough | Time to talk about replacement | |---|---|---| | Extent of damage | One spot or a few | Spread over many spots | | Leaks | One, with a known cause | Several, or the same one returning | | Timber (battens, rafters) | Dry and firm | Dark, soft or dusty | | Tiles | A few broken or loose | Worn or crumbling over much of the roof | | History | Never had a major repair | Patched many times | | Permit | Exempt, if it keeps the roof as it is | May need a licence or prior communication if the look changes | | VAT | Labour may carry 6% | Reconstruction works fall outside the 6% rate | The table is common-practice guidance, not a rule. The decision belongs to whoever sees the roof from above and below. ## What to ask whoever looks at the roof 1. **Where is the cause?** Ask them to show it, with a photo, from above and from the attic. 2. **What happens if I do nothing?** The honest answer is usually "the leak continues and the timber gets worse". 3. **Does the quote state area, task and materials?** Use the [quote checker](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/roof-quote-checker). 4. **Does the contractor hold a valid licence?** Use the [contractor check](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/roofing-contractor-check). 5. **What warranty do they give, in writing?** See the [warranty guide](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/roof-works-warranty). 6. **How do they protect their workers?** Falls from height are the main risk: ACT notes that wet surfaces, broken tiles and strong wind raise it a lot. Do not accept quotes that ignore this point. ## And the price? The figures we found (private portals, no official table) are in the [price guide](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/roof-cost-per-m2). For repair, Habitissimo gives 15 to 50 €/m² and, for swapping one or two tiles, about 50 € of labour; these figures are not quotes. The [area calculator](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/roof-area-calculator) helps you work out how many square metres the roof has before you compare offers. ## If it is a condominium or a rented home - In a building under horizontal property, the roof is as a rule a common part: the condominium decides and pays. See [who pays](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/condominium-roof-who-pays). - If the roof leaks in a rented home, see the guide for [tenants and landlords](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/leaking-roof-tenant-guide). ## What we could not confirm - **An official line between "repair" and "replace".** We found no rule or guide giving a share of damaged roof beyond which it should be replaced. - **How long a repair lasts.** It depends on the cause and the state of the structure. No source we read gives years. - **Official prices.** See the price guide. ## Sources (read 3 November 2026) - APICER and CTCV, [Guia para Projeto e Aplicação de Telhas Cerâmicas](https://www.apicer.pt/apicer/media/5c06bd0e8d436.pdf), 2nd edition, 2018 (defects from lack of maintenance; yearly inspection and cleaning). - ACT, [Reparação de telhados após intempéries](https://portal.act.gov.pt/AnexosPDF/Dossiers%20tem%C3%A1ticos/Intemperies/Flyer_REPARA%C3%87%C3%83O%20DE%20TELHADOS.pdf), leaflet, undated (risk of falls from height). - This site's guides on [permits](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/roof-works-permit-2026), [VAT](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/roof-works-vat), [leaks](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/roof-leak-causes) and [prices](https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/guides/roof-cost-per-m2), with their own sources. ## FAQ ### How many broken tiles justify replacing the roof? No source we read gives a number. It depends on the state of the battens and timber and on how often the roof has been patched. Ask for a quote for both options. ### Is repair charged 6% VAT? Labour for repair and conservation of a home may carry 6%, with a cap on materials and a mandatory sentence on the invoice. Cleaning is excluded. ### If the roof is asbestos-cement, can I repair it myself? Do not break, cut or wash it. It may contain asbestos. Read the asbestos-cement guide and ask someone trained. --- Source: https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/roof-repair/repair-or-replace. Independent information, not legal or tax advice.