German Roofers' Association (ZVDH)

The Zentralverband des Deutschen Dachdeckerhandwerks (ZVDH), the Central Association of the German Roofing Trade, is the national umbrella organisation for roofers in Germany. It was founded on 2 April 1949 in Marburg an der Lahn and is headquartered in Cologne. Its website is dachdecker.de.

Structure

German skilled trades (Handwerk) are organised in a system of guilds (Innungen) and chambers of crafts. The ZVDH sits at the top of the roofing trade's structure:

• its direct members are 16 state-level roofing associations (Landesverbände and Landesinnungsverbände), whose names vary by region;
• these in turn include local roofing guilds;
• together they represent about 6,700 member companies (2024 figure), with combined annual turnover of roughly €10 billion.

Technical rules

The ZVDH issues the technical rules of the German roofing trade (often called the Fachregeln or the Regelwerk des Deutschen Dachdeckerhandwerks). These rules cover pitched roofs with slate, tile and metal, flat roof waterproofing, exterior wall cladding and roof drainage. They are widely treated in Germany as the recognised rules of good practice, and they are used in contracts and by expert witnesses when roofing disputes arise.

Training

Roofer (Dachdecker) is a regulated craft in Germany. Training usually follows the dual system: apprentices work in a company and attend vocational school, over about three years. The master craftsman qualification (Meister) is traditionally required to run a roofing business. The ZVDH supports training, competitions and recruitment for the trade.

Publications and events

The ZVDH co-publishes the trade journal DDH – Das Dachdecker-Handwerk, which covers roofing, wall and waterproofing technology.

International role

The International Federation for the Roofing Trade (IFD), the global umbrella body for national roofing associations, is also based in Germany. Roofing in German-speaking Europe is showcased at trade fairs such as DACH+HOLZ International.