Roof Restoration Questions and Answers

The QBCC says a licence is needed for building work valued over $3,300, in the class that fits. Ask each business which classes it holds and for the number.

The roof and wall cladding class excludes painting roofs, and the painting and decorating class covers applying protective substances. Ask who applies the coating and under which licence.

One national guide says about $25 to $50 per square metre, or $4,500 to $11,000 for a typical single-storey home. These are national figures and not Toowoomba quotes.

The guide lists inspection, a high-pressure clean, repairs, rebedding, repointing, coating and clean-up for a tile roof. Ask each business to list its own stages in writing.

No. The guide describes rebedding as lifting ridge caps and laying them on fresh bedding, then repointing as sealing the caps with a flexible compound. Ask whether both are in the price.

The guide says unglazed terracotta does not need painting and that glazed terracotta should not be painted. Ask the restorer what applies to your tiles and why.

The guide says yes, if the steel is not rusted through across large areas. It describes rust treatment, new screws, resealed laps, a metal primer and two coats.

The guide says that if more than about a third of a tile roof is cracked or soft, or steel is rusting through in many places, replacement may be the better use of money. Ask for an honest view.

Ask each business how it handles suspected asbestos sheets, and read the Queensland Government page. Do not let anyone disturb the sheets while you wait for an answer.

Wikipedia says high winds, hail and fog are more frequent. The airport station has recorded a gust of 111 kilometres an hour and a daily fall of 166.4 millimetres.

A cracked or dented roof may be a repair or insurance matter, not a restoration. Ask the business what it sees on your roof, and ask your insurer about claims.

The guide says three to five working days for a single-storey tile roof, spread over a week or so. Rain and dew can add days. Ask each restorer for a schedule.

The guide says a good job on a concrete tile roof usually gives 10 to 15 years before the next recoat, and that life depends on preparation, coating and conditions.

Ask what the warranty covers and who backs it, the manufacturer, the contractor or both, and ask for it in writing. The guide says coating warranties depend on how the product was applied.

No. They are national ranges with their publication date. The publisher is a labour platform, and quotes from Toowoomba businesses may be higher or lower.

No. We are a referral service. We pass your request to independent local businesses, and each decides whether to quote.

Ask for the QBCC licence number and class and look them up on the QBCC register. We do not check any business, and we do not say that any is licensed or insured.