Tile Roof Restoration in Toowoomba
- 8 listed service areas
- Referral service
- ABN 47 632 426 549
What a tile restoration involves
The Yakka Labour guide lists seven stages for a tiled roof: inspection, a high-pressure clean, repairs, rebedding, repointing, coating and clean-up. Broken tiles are replaced, slipped tiles are re-fixed and damaged valley irons or flashings are repaired or replaced. Ask each business to put its own stages in writing, because the guide warns that some companies call a pressure wash and one coat of paint a restoration.
Concrete tiles
The guide says concrete tiles are the most commonly restored roofs in Australia. The tile body lasts a long time, but the coloured surface wears away over 15 to 25 years, leaving a porous tile that grows moss and absorbs water. That is why it says concrete tile restorations nearly always include a sealer and coating. Ask the restorer what condition your tiles are in and why.
Terracotta tiles
Terracotta is fired clay, and the guide says its colour goes all the way through, so unglazed terracotta does not need painting to stay weatherproof. Restoration is mostly ridge capping, valleys and replacing broken tiles. Glazed terracotta should not be painted at all, because coatings do not bond well to the glaze. Matching old profiles can take time, and salvaged tiles are often the best option.
What the guide says it costs
For a concrete tile roof with full restoration and coating, the guide gives $3,800 to $6,500 for under 150 square metres, $5,000 to $10,000 for 150 to 220 and $8,000 to $14,000 above that. Terracotta repairs and repointing without coating run $3,000 to $5,500, $4,000 to $7,500 and $6,500 to $11,000. These are national figures, not Toowoomba quotes.
Ridges, bedding and pointing
The guide says rebedding and repointing ridges and hips costs $35 to $60 per linear metre and that most homes have 40 to 70 metres. Repointing alone is $15 to $30 per linear metre if the bedding is still sound. It says flexible pointing has largely replaced old cement pointing because it moves with the roof. It also says this ridge work is what keeps water out, while paint makes a roof look new.
Replacing broken tiles
The guide prices broken concrete tiles at $10 to $25 each and broken terracotta tiles at $15 to $40 each, and notes that old profiles may need salvaged matches. It says aerial, solar and air-conditioning installers often crack tiles. Ask the business how many tiles it expects to replace, where the matches come from and what the price is per extra tile if more are broken than it expects.
When replacement is the better spend
The guide says that if more than about a third of a tile roof is cracked or soft, the restoration money may be better put toward a new roof. It says a sound roof that only looks grubby needs a clean, and that a roof with failed pointing but acceptable tiles can have rebedding and repointing only. Ask the restorer for an honest view of which of these your roof is.
Which licence class
The QBCC says a licence is needed for building work valued over $3,300, in the class that fits the work. Its roof and wall cladding scope covers cladding other than terracotta and concrete roof tiles, and it excludes painting roofs. That wording leaves a tile job without an obvious answer here, so ask each business which class it holds for tiled roofs and for the coating stage, and check the register.
Asbestos and old roofs
The Queensland Government says asbestos is common in houses built before 1990 and that it is not dangerous when in good condition. If any part of your roof or property is unclear, ask the business how it would handle suspected asbestos, and read the Queensland Government page before work starts.
Wind, hail and tiles
Wikipedia says Toowoomba's elevation and exposed position bring more frequent high winds, hail and fog. The Bureau of Meteorology station at the airport has recorded a gust of 111 kilometres an hour and a daily rainfall of 166.4 millimetres. Ridge caps and loose tiles are where storms find a way in. After a big storm, the guide suggests checking the roof space with a torch for fresh stains.
Timing and weather
The guide says a single-storey tile restoration usually takes three to five days, spread over a week or so, with a day for cleaning and drying first. It says coatings need dry weather and mild temperatures, and suggests booking in late autumn or winter in Queensland. Toowoomba Airport's rainfall is lowest in April, July and August. Ask each restorer for a start window and a wet-weather plan.
What a quote should list
Ask for the roof area, the metres of ridge to be rebedded and repointed, the allowance for tiles, the sealer and top coat by name, the number of coats, the colour, edge protection, clean-up, the QBCC licence number and class, the warranty in writing and the payment stages. The guide's red flags include one coat, no sealer, no rebedding and no licence number.
Next steps
Read the guides to roof cleaning, painting and leak repairs, then send the form with your suburb, the tile type and photos 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.
What does a tile roof restoration cost?
One national guide gives $5,000 to $10,000 for a medium concrete tile roof of 150 to 220 square metres. It is not a Toowoomba quote, so ask for written prices.
Can my terracotta roof be painted?
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.
What is rebedding and repointing?
Loose ridge and hip caps are lifted and re-laid on fresh bedding, then sealed with a flexible pointing compound. Ask how many metres are in the price.
Which licence class do tile roofs need?
Ask each business. The QBCC scope for roof cladding mentions cladding other than terracotta and concrete tiles, so the class for tile work is a question to put to the business and the QBCC.