How to become a Roofer
Also called: Metal roofer, Roof tiler, Roof worker, Roofing contractor, Roofing installer, Roofing labourer, Roofing plumber, Slate and tile roofer, Steel roofer, Thatcher, Metal roofer, Roofing contractor
Roofer builds and repairs roofs on all types of buildings using one or more kinds of materials. He/she builds, repairs and covers roofs of structures with shingles, slate, asphalt, aluminium, wood, or related materials. He/she may spray roofs, sidings, and walls with material to bind, seal, insulate, or soundproof sections of structures.
Main tasks
- Studying drawings, specifications and construction sites to determine materials required
- Covering roof frameworks with slate and pre-fabricated tiles to cover pitched roofs
- Laying a waterproof shield and fixing metallic or synthetic materials to a building’s frame
- Sizing and cutting roofing materials to fit around edges corners and protuberances such as chimney
- Using natural materials such as thatching to provide roof coverings
- Creating temporary structures such as scaffolding and ladders
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
Related jobs
- Floor/Wall tiler
- Plasterer
- Refrigeration/Air-conditioning equipment insulator
- Boiler/Pipe insulator
- Glazier
- Plumber
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Questions people ask
Will AI change the work of a Roofer?
Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
Sources
- International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
Updated 4 October 2026