Ordering Marley Roof Tiles: Quantities, Fittings and Delivery

A well-prepared Marley roof tile order does more than get enough tiles to site. It connects the roof drawing, the approved product choice, the roofer's quantities and the delivery plan. That connection matters because a roof can contain several tile types and many small fittings, each with a different way of being counted. This guide shows how to organise the information so your quotation and order are easier to check before money is committed.

Use one current set of project information

Begin with the latest roof drawings and the agreed specification. Mark the revision and date, and confirm that the roofer is estimating from the same version. Changes to a dormer, rooflight, pitch or extension footprint can alter the quantities and junction details. A beautifully organised order based on an old drawing is still the wrong order, so establish the source information before comparing prices.

Record the chosen main tile in full, including material, range, colour and finish. Link the selection to the relevant product in the Marley roof tiles and fittings collection. If there are different coverings on separate roof areas, give each area a clear reference and its own specification. Avoid using a single note such as “Marley grey throughout” when the project actually includes different tile families or special finishes.

Measure the roof surface, not just the building footprint

The horizontal footprint of a house is not the same as the area of its sloping roof. Ask the roofer or estimator to calculate the actual roof surfaces from reliable drawings or measurements. Separate the slopes where their geometry or covering differs, and identify dormers, rooflights, hips and valleys. Keep the calculation with the quotation so the basis of the tile quantity can be understood later.

Do not subtract every opening from the gross area without considering the surrounding setting out and cuts. The estimator should decide how openings and complex junctions affect the order. Your role as buyer is to ask for the basis, rather than apply an arbitrary online calculator to a complicated roof. A simple rectangular slope and a roof with several valleys may need different allowances even if their measured areas are similar.

Use coverage for the selected tile and installation

A tile's overall dimensions do not equal its installed coverage. Overlaps and the specified laying arrangement affect the number required. The coverage basis for Marley concrete plain roof tiles should not be transferred to Marley Mendip interlocking concrete tiles, and neither should be estimated by dividing the roof area by the visible size of a product photograph. Use the current product-specific information with the roofer's approved gauge and headlap.

Marley's explanation of roof tiles per square metre makes clear that tile formats have very different coverage rates. For an actual order, ask the estimator to state the rate used and the conditions behind it. This makes comparisons meaningful and gives you something concrete to check if two quotations contain noticeably different quantities for the same roof.

Treat a worked calculation as a method, not a specification

The basic estimating relationship is roof area multiplied by the confirmed installed coverage rate, followed by the project-specific allowance and rounding to the purchase quantity. For illustration only, an area of 80 square metres at a hypothetical rate of 12 tiles per square metre gives 960 tiles before allowances. Those figures are not a Marley product specification; they simply show why both the measured area and the coverage rate must be correct.

Ask the roofer to explain the allowance for cuts, handling and appropriate spares. Avoid imposing a fixed percentage on every roof. A straightforward roof with few cuts and a complex design with many small slopes are different estimating problems. Keep the base quantity and allowance visible as separate figures so later changes can be assessed without losing track of how the order was built.

Build the fittings list separately

The main tile quantity does not cover every component needed to finish the roof. For a plain-tile arrangement, products such as Marley concrete plain eaves top tiles may appear as separate lines. Clay systems have their own named fittings, including Marley Acme Single Camber eaves tiles and Marley Hawkins clay eaves tiles. The correct choice follows the specified range and detail, not whichever fitting happens to be closest in colour.

Ask the roofer to count the specialist components from the setting-out design and roof junctions. Record standard field tiles, special tiles, ridges, hips, valleys and end fittings separately. If a quote combines everything under “roof tiles”, request a breakdown before ordering. The purpose is not to duplicate the roofer's work; it is to ensure that the purchase list contains the components their installation depends on.

Check long runs and small terminations

Measured lengths help estimate ridge and hip components, but the final count depends on the installed detail. A Marley concrete segmental ridge tile belongs on a clearly identified ridge line, with the associated fixing system and any required end components. Record short separate runs as well as the main ridge. Small dormers can add several terminations without contributing much to the total roof area.

Valleys need their own specification and quantities too. If Marley Hawkins clay valley tiles are specified, keep them distinct from the main Hawkins tiles and other special pieces. A fitting with a familiar range name still needs the correct size, finish and geometry. The schedule should make unresolved items obvious rather than hiding them inside a general contingency allowance.

Confirm the unit of sale and selected variants

Read each listing carefully and check the purchase quantity before comparing totals. Establish whether the quoted price and basket quantity refer to an individual item, a pack or another defined unit. Product photographs do not reliably establish what is included. If a listing leaves any uncertainty, ask the supplier to clarify before placing the order, especially for fittings and system components that may be sold separately.

Keep the selected variant beside every order line. A main tile, ridge and hip fitting might each have their own colour selector. Do not assume that choosing the colour on one product automatically carries through to another. Have the person placing the order compare the final basket or quotation against the approved schedule line by line, including quantities and any handed or angle-specific components.

Compare total delivered materials costs fairly

Two quotations are only comparable when their scope matches. Check whether both include the same tile range, finish, quantities, fittings and fixing-system components. Note delivery charges, any stated handling arrangements and other exclusions. A lower tile unit price may not produce a lower complete materials total if the quote omits essential fittings or uses a different coverage assumption.

Keep materials and installation costs identifiable in the overall project budget. Scaffolding, disposal, labour and any work to the existing roof structure may be handled separately. Ask the contractor to explain those boundaries rather than assuming that a retail tile quotation covers a complete reroof. Clear scope helps you make a purchasing decision without confusing different parts of the project.

Plan delivery around the actual site

Discuss access before agreeing a delivery date. Provide accurate information about road restrictions, entrances, overhead obstructions and the proposed unloading area. Ask the supplier what delivery method and access conditions apply to the order. Do not assume that roof tiles can be placed exactly where you would like them simply because that location is convenient for the roofer.

Agree suitable storage and handling arrangements with the contractor. Materials should remain identifiable and accessible without obstructing other work. Confirm who will receive the delivery, check the paperwork and report any issue through the supplier's stated process. A delivery booked for a day when nobody can inspect or direct it can create avoidable confusion, particularly where several tile colours or fittings are arriving together.

Check the order before installation begins

Compare delivered product labels, variants and quantities with the schedule. Record visible damage or discrepancies promptly in line with the delivery terms, and keep relevant photographs and paperwork. Do not let similar-looking products lose their labels before they have been identified. The distinction between two fitting types may be obvious to the roofer but difficult for someone moving materials around the site.

Before the roof work reaches each junction, confirm that the required special pieces and fixing components are present. Keep a simple outstanding-items list if deliveries are staged. At the end of the job, retain the final product schedule and any agreed spares. This creates a useful maintenance record and makes a future replacement order much easier than starting from an unlabelled leftover tile.

Frequently asked questions

How many Marley roof tiles do I need per square metre?

It depends on the exact tile and approved laying arrangement. Ask the roofer to use the current product-specific coverage rate for the selected finish, gauge and headlap. There is no single rate that can be applied to every Marley roof tile.

Should I add the same waste percentage to every order?

No universal allowance suits every roof. Cuts, geometry, handling and the agreed spare quantity affect the calculation. Ask the estimator to state the allowance and its basis, then round the purchase quantity appropriately for the products being ordered.

Are ridge and eaves tiles included in the main tile count?

They should be identified separately where required by the specification. The field-tile area calculation does not automatically account for every specialist fitting. Use an itemised schedule so the roof can be completed with the correct components.

Can I book the roofer before confirming availability?

Coordinate the programme with the contractor and supplier. Confirm the exact products, fittings and delivery arrangements before relying on a materials date. A main tile being available does not establish that every required special component can arrive at the same time.

What is the best document to keep after ordering?

Retain the approved roof materials schedule, supplier quotation, order confirmation and delivery paperwork. Include exact variants and the roof drawing revision. Together they provide a clear record for checking the installation and arranging future maintenance.