Metal Roof Restoration in Toowoomba
- 8 listed service areas
- Referral service
- ABN 47 632 426 549
When a steel roof is restorable
The Yakka Labour guide says metal roofs are restored when the paint has chalked and faded, screws have rusted or lifted, and there is surface rust that has not yet eaten through. If a steel roof is rusting through in many places, it says the money may be better put toward a new roof. Ask the restorer to show you photos of the worst areas before you decide.
The stages for steel
The guide says a metal restoration follows the same idea as a tile one with different repairs: rust treatment, replacing rusted or loose screws, resealing laps and flashings, swapping out any sheets that are rusted through, then primer and two coats. Ask each business to list those stages, and ask where the clean and degrease fits in, because rust and chalk affect how paint holds.
Rust treatment is the key
The guide says the key is rust treatment and a primer made for metal, and that painting straight over rust without treatment looks fine for a year, then fails. It lists no sealer or primer as a red flag on a quote. Ask what rust treatment is named on the quote, how deep surface rust is removed and what the plan is for sheets that are rusted through.
Screws and laps
Lifted or rusted screws let water in at every fixing point. The guide prices replacing all roof screws on a metal roof at $900 to $2,000 per roof and says it is worthwhile on roofs over 20 years old. It lists resealing laps and flashings as part of the job. Ask how many screws are in the price and what type of fixing will go in.
Rusted sheets
Where sheets have rusted through, the guide prices replacing steel sheets at $80 to $150 per square metre and says it is usually only a few sheets near the gutters. Ask whether the replacement sheets will be painted along with the rest. Ask also how the old sheets are disposed of.
What the guide says it costs
For a full metal restoration with coating, the guide gives $3,500 to $6,500 for under 150 square metres, $4,500 to $9,500 for 150 to 220 and $7,500 to $13,000 above that. Its Chermside example of a 160 square metre, 25-year-old steel roof totals $7,540 including GST. These are national figures from a labour platform, not Toowoomba quotes.
Licence classes for metal roofs
The QBCC says a licence is needed over $3,300 for building work, in the class that fits. Its roof and wall cladding class covers selecting and installing roof cladding other than terracotta and concrete tiles, and refurbishing and maintaining roofs, but excludes painting roofs. Ask who does the repairs and who applies the coating, which classes each holds and for the numbers, then check the register.
Asbestos sheets on older roofs
The Queensland Government says asbestos is common in houses built before 1990 and is not dangerous when in good condition. Some older corrugated roofing is asbestos cement. If your roof is old, ask each business how it would handle suspected asbestos sheets, and do not let anyone scrub, spray or drill into them while you wait. The Yakka guide says spraying asbestos cement roofs is prohibited.
Wind, noise and heat
Toowoomba Airport has recorded a gust of 111 kilometres an hour, and Wikipedia says high winds are more frequent here. Wind lifts loose fixings and sheet edges first. The airport's mean daily solar exposure is 24.9 megajoules per square metre in January, and a mean of 36.5 days a year reach 30 degrees. Ask what coating suits those conditions and what colour it recommends.
Light and dark colours
The guide says light greys, off-whites and pale stone colours reflect much more summer heat than dark charcoals, which look sharp and hide dirt but run hotter. It says heat-reflective pigments can noticeably reduce roof space temperatures in hot climates. Ask the business whether the coating includes such pigments, and ask for a colour sample you can hold up against your walls and gutters.
Safety on steel
The guide says to stay off the roof in wind, rain or morning dew. It says falls from single-storey roofs put people in hospital every year and that all roof work with a fall risk over two metres needs fall protection and a safe work method statement. Ask who supplies the edge protection and whether it is in the price.
What a quote should list
Ask for the roof area, the clean and degrease step, the rust treatment, the number of screws, the sheets to be replaced, the primer, top coat, colour and number of coats, edge protection, clean-up, the licence numbers and classes, the warranty in writing and the payment stages. Ask what the warranty covers and who backs it, the manufacturer, the contractor or both.
Next steps
Read the guides to roof cleaning, painting and leak repairs, then send the form with your suburb, the roof type and photos of rust or fixings from the ground. Independent Toowoomba restorers may reply, and you can ask each one the questions above. We do not restore roofs or check businesses.
How much does metal roof restoration cost?
One national guide gives $4,500 to $9,500 for a medium metal roof of 150 to 220 square metres with coating. It is not a Toowoomba quote, so ask for written prices.
Can I paint over rust on a steel roof?
The guide says painting straight over rust without treatment looks fine for a year, then fails. Ask what rust treatment and primer are on the quote.
Do the screws need replacing?
The guide says replacing all screws is worthwhile on roofs over 20 years old and prices it at $900 to $2,000 per roof. Ask how many are in the price.
Which licence do I ask about?
Ask each business which QBCC classes it holds for the repairs and for the coating, since the roof and wall cladding class excludes painting roofs, and check the numbers.