Case Study - Ian Barrett Roofing Ltd

Wednesday 26 August 2026

An apprenticeship, a one man start in 2013, and a heritage roof near St Andrews

Ian Barrett served his apprenticeship with Matthewson & McKenna before setting out on his own in 2013. What began as a one man sole trader operation has grown into Ian Barrett Roofing Ltd, a limited company since 2022 with an experienced, fully trained team. Based in Leven, the firm now covers Fife, Dundee, Perth and Edinburgh, handling everything from roof repairs, slating and tiling to guttering, roughcasting, lead work, Velux installation and full property renovation. Thirteen years on, the business holds a 5.0 rating built from 185 verified customer reviews.

Why we joined Fife Trusted Trader

For Ian, it came down to visibility and trust. “We joined Trusted Trader to have a better chance of being seen in our local area. People trust the brand, and it is important that customers know any contractor on the Trusted Trader site is strictly vetted to obtain membership.” The scheme gives customers a place to find out more about the company and, just as importantly, to read genuine reviews for themselves and know they are dealing with a business that can be trusted.

A vetting process worth the effort

Ian is reassured by the sheer number of checks that sit behind membership, even if being picked for a spot check at renewal time can feel a little overwhelming. That thoroughness is exactly the point. It is what makes the Trading Standards vetted badge mean something to the homeowners who see it, and it sets vetted traders apart from the rest.

Fife Trusted Trader is run in partnership with Fife Council Trading Standards. What Trading Standards check is the business and the people who own it: complaints history, insurances, Companies House records, the disqualified directors register, advertising and terms of business. They do not inspect or approve anybody's workmanship. That part is judged by customers, in the reviews on the profile.

What membership delivers

The scheme earns its keep. Ian Barrett Roofing receives a steady flow of enquiries through Trusted Trader, with customers often choosing the firm on the strength of its reviews. The team works hard to build that reputation, sending every customer the review widget so feedback is quick and easy to leave. As Ian puts it, membership means “much better exposure as a business”, and it has tipped the balance on more than one job.

“Scheme membership has been the deciding factor in a few of my quotes being accepted.”

A fair hearing when it mattered

Ian also values knowing that reviews are handled fairly. When a customer recently left an unfair negative review, he contacted the Trusted Trader team. “The member we spoke to was very understanding, listened to our side of the story, and after explanation decided not to post the review. You don't just let people put any review on without checking the facts first.” For a business that lives by its reputation, that even handed approach means a great deal.

Proudest achievement: Fallside Mill, St Andrews

Ask Ian about the job he is proudest of and the answer comes quickly: Fallside Mill near St Andrews, a large and demanding contract to re-roof a substantial farm steading. The photographs tell the story. A tired, weather worn roof was stripped right back to the timbers, re-felted and battened, then re-covered in new clay pantiles with Velux roof windows and crisp lead work throughout.

The finished courtyard development, captured from the air, shows what a skilled roofing team can achieve on a heritage building: clean ridges, neatly cut hips and valleys, and a crisp new roof that will protect the steading for generations.

It is the kind of project that reflects how Ian sees the business. “We are honest and trustworthy, and we get lots of repeat business.” The scheme, he says, has done exactly what he hoped it would. “We really liked the idea of a trustworthy scheme our customers could get assurances from, backed by Trading Standards and supported by Police Scotland. It has achieved what we wanted.”

Ian Barrett
Director, Ian Barrett Roofing Ltd

Common questions

What areas does Ian Barrett Roofing cover?
Ian Barrett Roofing works from Burnmill Industrial Estate in Leven and covers Fife, Dundee, Perth and Edinburgh.

What roofing work do they take on?
Roof repairs, slating and tiling, flat and felt roofing, zinc roofing, lead work and flashings, roof windows and Velux installation, guttering and roofline, roughcasting and plastering, and full property renovation, from single repairs to complete heritage re-roofing.

What does Trading Standards vetted mean?
The business and its owners have been vetted by Trading Standards before being admitted to the scheme. Trading Standards vet the business and its owners, they do not check, inspect or approve the quality of the work carried out.

• View Ian Barrett Roofing's Fife Trusted Trader profile.
• Read Ian Barrett Roofing's verified customer reviews.
• If you would like to become a Trusted Trader, you can apply here.
• If you are a Trusted Trader and would like to leave a case study either as text or as a video, get in touch.