Updated 2026-07-05
It's a fair question, because the two overlap and people use the terms loosely. Short version: a roof plumber handles the water side — gutters, downpipes, box gutters, flashings, rainwater goods — the metalwork that moves water off and away from the roof. A roofing contractor covers the roof surface itself: tiles, sheets, restoration, re-roofing, the whole covering.
Plenty of jobs need both, which is why a good roofing outfit does both or works hand-in-glove with a roof plumber. A leaking box gutter is plumbing. Cracked tiles are roofing. A flashing that's failed is arguably either, and it's why chasing the right tradesperson can get confusing.
The practical answer: describe the symptom, not the trade. Tell us the ceiling's staining near the wall, or the gutter overflows in heavy rain, or half the ridge caps are loose — and we'll tell you exactly what it needs. We cover the roof and the water side, so you're not stuck being the go-between for two trades pointing at each other.
Free documented inspection — we'll tell you straight what it needs.