Can roof repairs be done without scaffolding?
Some repairs can be completed using other appropriate access methods, but not every roof can or should be worked on without scaffolding. Height, pitch, duration, task and site conditions determine the safe method of access.
Access without scaffolding
Some repairs can be carried out safely from ladders or a tower, particularly at low level or close to the eaves. Whether that is appropriate depends on the height, the pitch, the ground beneath and the nature of the work.
Inspection is different from repair. Looking at a roof can often be done from the air, whereas physically fixing something usually requires being on or at the roof.
Why the answer varies by property
A bungalow gutter detail and a three-storey chimney are not comparable jobs. Nor are two houses of the same height where one has clear, level ground and the other has a conservatory beneath the work area.
A roofer should be able to explain why a particular access method is being proposed, and you are entitled to ask.