Free roof inspection and an obligation-free quote.
Re-Roofing Melbourne
Most people cannot tell whether their roof needs replacing. That is not a failing — it is simply not visible from the ground.
A tiled roof gives very little away from the street. The tiles can look sound while the sarking, battens and fixings beneath them have reached the end of their life, and a stain on a bedroom ceiling can mean anything from a cracked tile to a roof that is finished. Putting off a replacement that is genuinely needed costs more than doing it.
We have been replacing Melbourne roofs since the 1930s. The only way to know where yours stands is for a tiler to get up there and look properly — lift a few tiles, check the sarking and the timbers, and see what is actually happening.
So that is where we start. We inspect the roof, show you what we found, and tell you plainly what it needs.
Repair, restore or replace
These three get used interchangeably and they should not be. They are different jobs at very different costs.
Repair — fixing what has failed. Broken tiles, repointing ridge capping, resealing flashings, clearing valleys. Days, not weeks. Right when the structure and tiles are sound and specific things have failed. See roof repairs.
Restoration — cleaning, repointing and recoating the existing tiles. Extends the life of a roof that is tired but intact, and improves how it looks. It does not replace the sarking or fixings underneath. See tiled roof restoration.
Re-roofing — removing the old roof entirely, inspecting and repairing the timbers, installing new sarking and laying a new roof. This is the one that resets the clock, and the only one worth doing when the system underneath has reached the end of its life.
We will tell you which one your roof needs. It is not always the expensive one.
Terracotta or concrete
Both are good roofs, and we install both from either manufacturer we supply.
Terracotta holds its colour, because the colour is fired through the clay rather than coated on. It is the traditional choice across the eastern suburbs and what most 1920s and 30s roofs were originally laid in. It costs more. See terracotta roof tiles.
Concrete is stronger per tile and cheaper, with a wider range of profiles and colours. It will weather and fade over time, and neither manufacturer covers concrete for colour. See concrete roof tiles.
If your home is in a heritage overlay the choice may not be entirely yours. We can advise on what your council is likely to accept.
Living in the house while it happens
Most people do. It is noisy, there are people on your roof, and there will be a skip out the front. What is worth knowing:
- Your ceilings are the only barrier to weather during the strip, which is why we work in sections and watch the forecast
- Fine dust can come through ceiling vents and downlights — cover or remove anything precious in upstairs rooms
- Access needs to be clear for a truck and bins
- Neighbours are worth a heads-up, particularly in the tighter streets around Camberwell and Hawthorn
Related services
- Heritage roof restoration — matching original terracotta on a period home
- Gutters, fascia and downpipes — cheaper to do while the scaffolding is up
- Roof ventilation installation — best fitted while the roof is open
- Service areas — the suburbs we cover across Melbourne
IS IT TIME?
Signs your roof may need replacing
Roofs rarely fail in an obvious way. Tiles can look sound from the street while the sarking, battens and fixings underneath have reached the end of their life, and that is not something anyone can judge from the ground — including us. These are the signs worth acting on. What they mean for your roof depends on what a tiler finds when they get up there and look properly.
-
Water Getting In
Stains on ceilings or cornices, damp in the roof space, or drips during driving rain. Water travels along battens before it drops, so where it shows inside tells you very little about where it is getting in. That has to be found, not guessed at.
-
What You Cannot See
Crumbling ridge capping is visible from the ground. The sarking, battens and fixings beneath the tiles are not — and they are what determines whether a roof can be repaired or needs replacing. That only becomes clear once a tiler lifts a few tiles.
-
Age and Repeated Repairs
Melbourne’s eastern suburbs are full of roofs laid in the 1920s and 1930s. Age on its own does not decide it, and neither does a single leak. If repairs keep failing in new places, the roof warrants a proper assessment.
THE PROCESS
What a re-roof actually involves
Protection
Stripping the Old Roof
Inspection Underneath
Preparation
Laying the New Roof
Clean-up
Related Services
Roof Improvement Services
New Roofing
Being the roofing specialist Melbourne, we aim to deliver exceptional services and provide support for quality living.
Re-Roofing
We value the customers and provide quality services to maintain the roof for a longer duration.
Roof Maintenance
Regular Roof maintenance is essential
for longevity.
Guarantees
Two separate guarantees apply to a new tiled roof.
The tiles. We install both CSR Monier and Bristile, and the cover differs, so it is worth choosing with this in mind. Monier warrants its tiles against manufacturing defects for 30 years, with terracotta also covered for colour retention over the same period. Bristile terracotta carries a Colour for Life warranty — the tile is warranted to stay the same colour for the life of the product — and selected profiles carry a 50 year product warranty against manufacturing faults. Bristile concrete carries 50 years.
Bristile’s longer terms apply to selected profiles only, and both manufacturers attach conditions for properties near salt water. We will tell you exactly which warranty applies to the tile you choose and supply the manufacturer’s current document with your quote.
Both require the same two things: installation by a qualified tradesperson to the manufacturer’s guides, and a roof cleaned and maintained in line with them. Neglect is grounds for a claim being refused — see roof maintenance.
The workmanship. Manufacturer warranties cover the tile, not the installation. Bristile’s 10 Year Total Roof Warranty applies only to roofs installed by Bristile Roofing, not to roofs we install — that part is our responsibility, and we guarantee our workmanship on a full re-roof for 10 years.
Both sit on top of your rights under Australian Consumer Law, which cannot be excluded.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know whether my roof needs replacing or just repairing?
You cannot tell from the ground, and honestly neither can we. What decides it is the condition of the sarking, battens and fixings under the tiles, and that only becomes visible once a tiler gets up there and lifts a few. Our inspection looks at the mortar, tiles, sarking, battens and flashings, and gives you a straight answer either way.
Do I need council approval or a permit?
For a straight like-for-like replacement, usually not. If your property sits in a heritage overlay — common through parts of Camberwell, Hawthorn and Kew — or you are changing the roof profile or colour significantly, you may. We will flag it during the inspection.
Will my roof leak while the work is happening?
We strip and re-lay in sections rather than opening the whole roof, and we watch the forecast. Your ceilings are the barrier during that window, which is why we do not open more than we can close.
Can you match the tiles on my existing roof?
Where the profile is still in production, yes. Many original Wunderlich and older Monier profiles are no longer made and we do not hold salvaged stock — on a full re-roof that matters less, because the whole roof is being replaced.
Is a re-roof the same as a roof restoration?
No. A restoration cleans, repoints and recoats the existing tiles. A re-roof strips the roof back to the timbers and replaces the sarking, battens and tiles. Restoration is a refresh; re-roofing resets the clock.
What happens if you find rot underneath?
We photograph it and talk to you before doing anything extra. You will not get a variation you have not heard about first.
Who guarantees the work?
We do — 10 years on our workmanship for a full re-roof. The tiles carry the manufacturer’s own warranty, which differs between Monier and Bristile. See the guarantees section above.
Not sure whether you need a new roof?
Most people are not, and it is not something you can judge from the street. We will get up there, show you what we found, and tell you what your roof actually needs.
Free roof inspection and obligation-free quote
03 9888 7088 — Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Or request a quote below.
Some of our recent Projects :
