UK Roofing News: July 2026

Two supply stories are shaping what a roof costs this month, and a bigger regulatory change is coming into view. One of the country’s largest manufacturers is pouring money into concrete tile capacity just as new steel tariffs push up the price of metal roofing, while the rules on solar for new homes edge closer. Here is what changed and why it matters before you commit to a job.

FP McCann invests to ease the concrete tile squeeze

FP McCann, one of the UK’s biggest concrete roof tile makers, has put serious money into new manufacturing capacity, including a large automated tile plant at its Cadeby site in Leicestershire, and has folded in the roofing accessories firm Easy-Trim and a Leighton Buzzard roofing business bought earlier in the year. The company says the expansion lets it offer one to two day lead times on many concrete tiles, which matters because a recent merchant survey found most specialist suppliers wrestling with problematic lead times, and waits stretching to many months on some concrete profiles in the worst cases. Concrete is the most common covering on British roofs, so more domestic capacity should ease the delays that were flagged across the trade earlier in the summer. The practical takeaway for a homeowner is unchanged: ask your roofer to confirm your exact tile is in stock before work starts rather than assuming quick supply. Our clay versus concrete roof tiles guide covers the trade-offs, and the roof tile types guide explains matching an existing roof. The announcement is covered at Roofing Today.

New steel tariffs threaten to lift metal roof prices

From July the government has cut the tariff-free quota for steel imports and applied a 50 per cent duty on volumes above it, part of its plan to protect UK steelmaking. The National Federation of Roofing Contractors urged ministers to delay or phase the change in, warning that domestic mills cannot yet supply every grade and volume the sector needs, so the near-term effect is a risk of shortages and higher prices for steel-based products. That reaches homeowners through metal and standing-seam roofs, steel rooflights, and some flashings and fixings, and reporting points to cost rises on live projects already. If you are pricing a metal roof or a steel-framed rooflight, expect the quote to move and get it in writing with a validity date. Our metal roofing guide explains where these systems make sense, and the roof cost per square metre guide shows what a fair figure looks like. The warning is reported at Construction.co.uk.

Solar on new-build roofs moves closer under the Future Homes Standard

The Future Homes Standard, delivered through the 2026 edition of Part L of the Building Regulations, brings in a requirement for on-site renewable generation on new homes, which in most cases means rooftop solar covering an area equal to roughly 40 per cent of the home’s ground-floor footprint. The standard is due to take effect on 24 March 2027 after a transitional period, so it does not force existing homeowners to fit panels, but it signals that solar-ready roof design is becoming the default on new build. If you are extending or planning a self-build, it is worth factoring roof orientation and panel space in early. Our guide to planning permission and building regs for a new roof covers where the rules bite on domestic work. The requirement is set out at Construction Magazine.