Everything Brisbane homeowners ask before getting their roof fixed

All questions

• How much does a roof restoration cost in Brisbane?

  Pricing

  A full restoration on a typical 3-bedroom Brisbane home — pressure clean, replace broken tiles, rebed and repoint the ridge capping, then a primer and two membrane coats — lands between $3,500 and $8,000. The spread comes down to roof size and pitch, how much repointing is needed, and access (a highset Queenslander on a steep block costs more to scaffold than a lowset brick home in Calamvale). Every quote is itemised in writing before any work starts.
• What does repointing and rebedding cost?

  Pricing

  Repointing alone (grinding out the old mortar face and applying flexible pointing compound) typically runs $1,500-$2,500 on a standard hip roof. Where the bedding mortar underneath has failed — capping rocking loose when you push it — rebedding plus repointing runs $2,500-$3,500. We quote per lineal metre of ridge and hip after inspecting, not a flat guess from the street.
• How much is roof painting on its own?

  Pricing

  Roof painting without the full restoration scope — pressure clean, spot repairs, then primer/sealer and two colour coats of membrane — runs $2,500-$5,500 on most Brisbane homes. Concrete tile and metal roofs both take a membrane system well. We won't paint over failed pointing or cracked tiles and call it done; if the substrate needs work first, that's quoted separately and you can decline it.
• What do minor tile repairs cost?

  Pricing

  Typical tile repair call-outs — a handful of cracked or slipped tiles, a dislodged ridge cap, a small leak trace-and-fix — land between $350 and $900 including materials. We carry common concrete tile profiles (Monier, Boral) in the van; discontinued terracotta profiles sometimes need sourcing from salvage yards, which we'll price before proceeding.
• How much does a full roof replacement cost?

  Pricing

  A full tile-to-Colorbond replacement on a standard Brisbane home runs $18,000-$45,000 depending on roof size, pitch, access, whether the battens need replacing, and insulation blanket spec. That includes stripping and disposing of the old tiles, new battens where required, sarking, Colorbond sheeting, flashings, and gutters if they're being done at the same time. Fixed-price quote in writing, always.
• Do you charge for inspections and quotes?

  Pricing

  No. Roof inspections and quotes are free across the Brisbane metro area, and we photograph everything we find — cracked tiles, failed pointing, rusted valleys — so you can see what we're quoting on without climbing a ladder yourself. The photo report is yours to keep whether you book with us or not.
• Why do quotes for the same roof vary so much between companies?

  Pricing

  Usually scope, not margin. One quote might be paint-only over the existing pointing; another includes full rebed and repoint, replacement of every cracked tile, and new valley irons. The cheap quote often skips the substrate work, which is why the coating fails in three summers. Compare quotes line by line — ours are itemised so you can see exactly what's included and what isn't.
• What happens after I request a quote?

  Process

  We respond within business hours with a booking for a free inspection — usually within 48 hours, faster for active leaks. On the day: full walk of the roof, photos of every defect, then a written itemised quote emailed the same day or next morning. No sign-on-the-spot pressure, no 'today only' pricing. You compare, ask questions, and book when you're ready.
• How long does a roof restoration take?

  Process

  Most restorations run 3-5 working days: day one pressure clean, day two repairs and rebedding, day three repointing and primer, days four and five the membrane coats. Weather-dependent — membrane coats need a dry roof and won't be applied if storms are forecast that afternoon, which in a Brisbane summer can push a job out a day or two. Better a short delay than a washed-off coat.
• Do I need to be home while the work is done?

  Process

  No — nearly all the work happens on the roof and outside. We need access to external power and a tap for the pressure clean, and somewhere to park the trailer. We'll text before starting each day and send progress photos, which matters if you're at work in the city while we're on your roof in Aspley.
• Will the pressure cleaning make a mess?

  Process

  It moves a lot of debris — years of dirt, lichen and old paint flake come off the roof and down the downpipes. We screen the downpipes before cleaning, flush the gutters afterwards, and hose down paths, windows and any affected walls before we leave. Cover or move anything delicate near the house (potted orchids, outdoor cushions) and we'll do the rest.
• What if you find more damage once you're on the roof?

  Process

  We stop and show you. Photos of exactly what we found, a written variation with the price, and the work only proceeds with your approval. The most common surprises are rusted valley irons hidden under tile overlaps and rotten battens under previously repaired sections. The original quote stands for the original scope regardless.
• What should I do straight after storm or hail damage?

  Storm & Insurance

  If water is coming in: move belongings, catch what you can, and photograph everything before anything is moved or repaired — insurers want to see the damage as it happened. Don't get on the roof yourself, especially a wet tiled one. Ring us for a make-safe; then lodge the claim with your insurer. Keep every receipt, including tarps and emergency accommodation, as most policies reimburse reasonable emergency costs.
• Do you do emergency tarping and make-safes?

  Storm & Insurance

  Yes. During storm season we run make-safe crews with heavy-duty tarps, sandbags and battens to get damaged sections watertight until the permanent repair is approved. A proper make-safe is battened and weighted, not a tarp draped over the ridge that ends up in the neighbour's pool by morning. Make-safe costs are generally claimable under your policy's emergency provisions.
• How does the insurance claim process work for roof damage?

  Storm & Insurance

  Typical sequence: make-safe, you lodge the claim, we prepare a scope of works with photos that matches how assessors read damage (hail strikes, wind-lifted tiles, impact points), the insurer's assessor inspects, scope is agreed, work is approved and completed, and we invoice per the approved scope. We've worked with the scoping formats used by the major insurers operating in South East Queensland and can walk you through each step.
• Will my insurer cover hail damage that I only noticed months later?

  Storm & Insurance

  Often yes — hail fractures in concrete tiles commonly don't leak until several wet seasons later, and policies generally cover damage from an identifiable storm event even when discovered late. The key is evidence: our inspection reports date-stamp and photograph fracture patterns consistent with hail versus general wear, which is exactly the distinction assessors are looking at. Check your policy's notification window and lodge as soon as you know.
• Should I accept the insurer's cash settlement or use their builder?

  Storm & Insurance

  You're generally entitled to choose your own licensed contractor rather than the insurer's panel builder — check your PDS. If offered a cash settlement, get an independent scope first: settlements based on the assessor's first pass sometimes miss hidden damage like cracked sarking or sprung valley irons that only shows up during the repair. We provide independent scopes you can put against the insurer's numbers.
• When is Brisbane storm season and should I book before it?

  Storm & Insurance

  November through March, with the worst supercell activity usually late spring — the season's first big hail event often arrives in November before people have thought about their roofs. Book inspections and preventative work (repointing, tile replacement, valley renewal) in the dry winter months: the calendar is open, the roof is dry, and you're not competing with half of Brisbane for a crew after a hail event.
• Terracotta, concrete or Colorbond — what's the difference for a Brisbane roof?

  Materials

  Terracotta holds its colour for life and suits character homes, but individual tiles are brittle and older profiles can be hard to match. Concrete tiles are cheap to repair and paint well, but the surface erodes and they fade — most Brisbane restorations are on concrete tile. Colorbond is lighter, sheds storm water fast, and handles hail better than tile, which is why so many tile-to-Colorbond conversions happen here. All three work in Brisbane; the right answer depends on the house, the budget and how long you're staying.
• What is ridge capping and why does it fail?

  Materials

  Ridge caps are the tiles running along the ridges and hips, held down on a bed of mortar and finished with pointing. Brisbane's heat cycles and storm-season movement crack rigid old mortar over 15-25 years; once the pointing cracks, water gets into the bedding, the caps loosen, and they become the first thing a storm removes. Modern flexible pointing compounds move with the roof and are the standard fix — cement mortar pointing alone doesn't meet current practice.
• What are valley irons and when do they need replacing?

  Materials

  Valley irons are the metal channels where two roof planes meet — they carry more water than any other part of the roof. Original galvanised valleys rust from the underside where leaf litter holds moisture, so they can look fine from above and be perforated underneath; a leak that appears in heavy rain but not drizzle is classic valley failure. Replacement means lifting the tile courses either side and fitting new Colorbond valley trays — typically done during a restoration.
• Are whirlybirds worth installing?

  Materials

  In Brisbane, generally yes. A hot roof cavity here can sit well above 50 degrees in summer, and turbine vents pull that heat out, easing the load on air conditioning and helping the roof structure dry after storms. Two or three units suit most homes, positioned near the ridge on the leeward side. The economical time to fit them is during a restoration or repaint when we're already set up on the roof.
• What actually goes on the roof in a restoration coating?

  Materials

  A three-coat acrylic membrane system: a primer/sealer that binds the cleaned tile surface, then two full membrane colour coats sprayed on. The membrane stays flexible, bridges surface crazing, and reflects heat — worthwhile on a west-facing Brisbane roof. One-coat 'restorations' over unprimed tiles are why some repaints peel within a couple of summers; the primer coat is not optional.
• My south-facing roof is covered in lichen and moss. Is that a problem?

  Materials

  More than cosmetic. The southern face of a Brisbane roof stays damp longest, and lichen roots into the tile surface, holding moisture against it and accelerating erosion of concrete tiles — it also makes the roof dangerously slippery. Pressure cleaning removes it, and an anti-fungal wash before coating stops the regrowth that otherwise reappears within a year or two on the shaded side.
• Why does my gutter overflow into the eaves during storms?

  Materials

  Three usual causes: gutters blocked with leaf litter, undersized or back-sloped gutters that can't handle a Brisbane cell dropping 50mm in half an hour, or missing anti-ponding boards letting water track behind the gutter at the tile overhang. Overflow into the eaves rots the eaves lining and can bring ceilings down along the external walls. We diagnose which one you've got before quoting — often it's a clean and re-slope, not a full gutter replacement.
• Do I need a licensed roofer in Queensland?

  Warranty & Licensing

  For any roofing work valued over $3,300 including materials and labour, yes — Queensland law requires the contractor to hold the appropriate QBCC licence, and unlicensed contracting over that threshold is an offence. That covers effectively every restoration, repaint and replacement. Below the threshold licensing isn't mandatory for all work, but an unlicensed operator also can't offer you the statutory protections that come with licensed work.
• How do I check a roofer's QBCC licence?

  Warranty & Licensing

  Search the free QBCC licence register online at qbcc.qld.gov.au — you can confirm the licence is current, covers the right class of work, and see any disciplinary history. Ask for the licence number before signing anything; a legitimate Queensland contractor expects the question and puts the number on their quotes and invoices. Walk away from anyone who won't provide it.
• What warranty do I get on the work?

  Warranty & Licensing

  A written workmanship warranty on every job — get this in writing from any roofer you use; a verbal 'we'll look after you' is worth nothing three years later. On restorations, the membrane coating systems we apply carry manufacturer product warranties of 10-15 years when applied per spec over a properly prepared surface, which is exactly why we don't skip the preparation. Warranty documents are emailed with your final invoice.
• Does roofing work in Queensland come with any statutory protection?

  Warranty & Licensing

  Yes. Residential roofing by a licensed contractor falls under the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme for eligible work over $3,300 — the contractor pays the premium and it protects you if the work is defective and the contractor won't or can't fix it. This is a major reason the QBCC licence matters: unlicensed work carries none of this cover. Ask any contractor how the scheme applies to your job; they should be able to answer without hesitation.
• Are you insured to work on my roof?

  Warranty & Licensing

  Public liability insurance appropriate for roofing work, and workers on site are covered for workplace injury as the law requires. Certificates of currency available on request before work starts — worth asking of any trade doing height work on your property, because if an uninsured worker is injured on your roof, the exposure can land on the homeowner.
• Which Brisbane suburbs do you cover?

  Service Areas

  The whole Brisbane metro: northside from Albany Creek and Bracken Ridge through Aspley, Boondall and Ascot; inner city including Paddington, New Farm, Ashgrove and West End; the western suburbs out through The Gap, Kenmore and Indooroopilly; southside through Sunnybank, Calamvale, Algester and Eight Mile Plains; and the eastern corridor from Carindale and Tingalpa out to Wynnum and Capalaba.
• Do you travel outside Brisbane — Ipswich, Logan, Redlands, Moreton Bay?

  Service Areas

  Regularly for full restorations and replacements, where the job size justifies the travel — Logan, Redland City, the Moreton Bay corridor up to Caboolture, and Ipswich. For small tile repairs at the far edges we'll be upfront if the travel makes us uncompetitive against a good local. Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast are outside our standard area.
• Can you work on highset Queenslanders and steep character roofs?

  Service Areas

  Yes — a large share of our inner-north and inner-west work (Paddington, Ashgrove, New Farm) is on highset timber homes with steep pitches and original terracotta or early concrete tile. These roofs need proper edge protection or scaffold, which is priced into the quote rather than discovered as an extra. Character housing overlays don't usually restrict like-for-like roof repairs, but we'll flag it if your planned change (say tile to Colorbond) could need checking with council.
• How quickly can you get to me after a storm?

  Service Areas

  Make-safes are triaged by severity: active water ingress into living areas comes first, damaged-but-dry roofs second. In a normal week we can inspect within 48 hours anywhere in the metro. After a major hail event the whole city is calling at once — we still respond in order of urgency, and a battened tarp buys weeks of protection while the permanent repair is scheduled, so nobody is left with water coming in while they wait.

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