Missed call text back for roofers
By JP, who runs Ralphio. Updated 8 October 2026.
Nobody answers a phone halfway up a ladder, and a roofer's phone rings most when you can't touch it. A missed call text goes out within seconds, asks what needs doing and where, and sends you what you need to quote or book a survey.
What do a roofer's missed calls turn into?
- A full re-roof.
- Repairs: slipped tiles, flashing or a patch.
- A flat roof re-covering.
- Chimney and lead work.
- Gutters, fascias and soffits.
- A roof survey or inspection, often before the person decides what they want done.
The caller can't always say which of these they need, and most can't see the roof well from the ground. That is why the text asks what they can see.
It matters because people don't leave voicemails. In a 2023 survey of 2,000 people, 54% said they won't leave one if they can't get through, and they ring the next roofer instead.
Why does a photo help?
A photo from the ground often shows the roof type, the pitch and how much scaffolding you'd need, before you drive over. It can tell you which jobs are worth a visit and which you can price from the van. Ask for one in your reply, once you're talking to them.
What do you need to ask before you can quote?
| Job | Worth asking for |
|---|---|
| Re-roof | Type of house, storeys, tile type if known, and a photo |
| Repair | Where on the roof, what they can see, and a photo |
| Flat roof | Roughly how big, what it is covered with now, and how you get to it |
| Chimney or lead | Which one, what they have noticed, and a photo |
| Gutters and fascias | Roughly how much of the house, and how many storeys |
| Survey | Access to the roof and when someone is home |
What does the text exchange look like?
An example, not a real customer:
Marsh Roofing: Hi, it's Marsh Roofing. Sorry I missed your call, I'm up a roof. What needs doing and what's your postcode?
Caller: A few slipped tiles on the back of a 1930s semi. LS6
Marsh Roofing: Thanks. Is there any scaffolding up? I'll get back to you with a time to take a look.
What reaches you is the job, the type of house and the postcode in one message. You decide whether it's a quick quote or a survey before you pick up the phone, and you can ask for a photo when you reply.
What is a re-roof worth?
One published 2026 cost guide, built on regional pricing and NFRC member data, puts a concrete-tile re-roof on a typical 3-bed semi at £6,500 to £11,500 including scaffolding, and 5 to 8 days on site. London and the South East run 20 to 30% higher. Use your own average in the missed call calculator.
Booking the survey
Many roof jobs start with someone coming to look. Ralphio can book that visit into your diary and send the customer a reminder the night before, so you aren't ringing round on the day.
How does Ralphio work for roofers?
You divert the calls you don't answer to a Ralphio number, and the caller gets a text from your business within seconds. It asks what the job is, collects the answers above, and sends you a lead with their number. It can ask a couple of follow-up questions about the roof. It chases the quote if they go quiet and asks for the Google review once the job is done. There's no new number to give out.
Worth a look next: the missed call calculator, to see what your own missed calls cost, how the text back works, and the website chat widget for enquiries that come through your site. The guides on texts to copy, setting up the divert and whether it's legal cover the practical bits. Prices are on the pricing page.