Free roof inspection and an obligation-free quote.
Roof Restoration Canterbury
Terracotta roofs in Canterbury and the Maling Road precinct — restored by roof tilers who match original profiles rather than substitute the nearest modern equivalent.
Canterbury has the tightest heritage controls of any suburb we work in regularly, and some of the best preserved Edwardian and Federation roofs in Melbourne. Those two facts are connected.
What Canterbury roofs are made of
The Maling Road precinct and surrounds hold substantial Federation and Edwardian houses, most under original Marseille-pattern terracotta with decorative ridge capping, finials and terracotta chimney pots. Many are close to original because the overlay has discouraged the cheap substitutions that stripped character elsewhere.
The later Canterbury streets carry interwar bungalows under Wunderlich and early Monier, and a limited amount of postwar concrete.
Heritage overlay is the defining constraint
Canterbury is extensively covered by Boroondara heritage overlay, and the Maling Road precinct is among the most closely controlled areas in the municipality.
In practice this means replacing like with like — terracotta with terracotta, same profile, same colour family — is the path of least resistance. Changing to metal, or to a visibly different tile pattern, is where owners meet objections and delays.
It also means the details matter. Finials, cresting and terracotta chimney pots are part of what the overlay is protecting. A general roofer who removes them or renders them in cement creates a problem that is expensive and sometimes impossible to reverse.
We are not planning consultants. What we can do is tell you, from decades of working these streets, what is likely to be accepted before you spend on an application. See heritage roof restoration.
Why we keep the details
On a Canterbury roof the decorative work is most of the character. We repair or source rather than delete — and where a previous repairer has cemented over cresting or a finial base, we will tell you whether it can be undone.
This is slow work and a lot of roofers avoid it. It is also the reason the company exists: Camberwell Potteries began by manufacturing terracotta tiles in 1930, so these are the roofs it was built around.
What usually fails first
Bedding and pointing on ridges and hips. Universal, and rarely means the tile is finished.
Valley irons. Original unlined steel rusts through and lets water in at the junction of two roof planes.
Chimney flashings. Canterbury houses often have multiple chimneys, and lead flashings that have been patched with silicone or cement by someone in a hurry.
Restoration, almost always
Where the battens are sound and most tiles are intact — which on a well kept Canterbury roof is usually the case — restoration is right and far cheaper than replacement. Where battens have failed, re-roofing means lifting the original tiles, replacing only what is broken with matched stock, and relaying.
Working in Canterbury
We are in Burwood, about ten minutes away. See the coverage map on our service areas page.
Terracotta and concrete tile only. No metal, no Colorbond, no slate — which on an overlay property is usually what you want to hear.
Some of our recent projects
WHAT FAILS FIRST
Signs a Canterbury roof needs attention
On a well kept period roof the tile usually outlasts everything holding it down.
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Ridge mortar cracked or dropping out
Universal on period roofs, and rarely a sign the tiles themselves are finished.
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Cement over decorative work
Finials, cresting or chimney flashings rendered by a previous repairer. A heritage problem as well as a leak.
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Multiple chimney flashings patched
Canterbury houses often have several chimneys, and silicone patches fail within a few seasons.
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Pests
Many people face small pests crawling into their space. All they need is a small crack to enter. It is something that requires immediate attention from the roofing experts.
There were common signs that your home needs solar roof vents or others to keep it safe from future damages and cost you a big amount.
WHY US
Why call us for a Canterbury roof
Overlay experience
We match rather than substitute
We keep the details
We began as tile makers
5. Maintenance
Related Services
Roof Restoration Canterbury
Frequently asked questions
Our house is in the Maling Road precinct. What can we actually do to the roof?
Replacing like with like in terracotta — same profile, same colour family — is the straightforward path and attracts far less scrutiny. Changing material or pattern is where applications run into objections. We can tell you what Boroondara is likely to accept before you spend on an application.
Can you match an original Marseille-pattern tile?
Usually. Those profiles are no longer made in volume, but we hold both Monier and Bristile and know which current tile sits closest. Where nothing matches well enough we will say so before you commit rather than after.
A previous roofer cemented over our finials. Can that be reversed?
Often, depending how much original survives underneath. It is a common problem and it is exactly what the overlay is meant to prevent. We will assess it and tell you honestly.
Do you remove decorative ridge capping to make the job easier?
No. On a Canterbury roof the decorative work is most of the character, and removing it is usually a heritage problem as well as an aesthetic one. We repair or source replacements.
Can we change to Colorbond? It would be cheaper.
On an overlay property in Canterbury that is likely to be refused, and we do not do metal roofing in any case. Terracotta and concrete tile only.
How long does a Canterbury restoration take?
Two to three days for bedding, pointing and painting on a straightforward roof, longer where valleys, flashings or decorative work need attention. Because tiles come off, we watch the weather rather than the diary.
Period roof in Canterbury that needs looking at?
If you have a period tiled roof in Canterbury, particularly under heritage overlay, we will look at it and tell you what it needs and what council is likely to accept.
Free inspection and obligation-free quote. Call 03 9888 7088, Monday to Friday 9:00am to 4:00pm. Safety is always our first priority — hand-rail, scaffolding or a roof harness is used on every job and included in the quote.
