FAQ’s – for the Roof

Short answer – Yes. All house components are covered by your building insurance. Unfortunatly insurance companies only cover the house components for their Policy listed specified ‘events’. For your roof, the most common specified event is Storm damage, this includes hail damage, wind damage and lightning damage. The other not so common event that effects the roof is ‘impact’ damage due to falling trees or tree branches. Insurance companies will usually repair your roof should these above events cause damage to your roof. Please note – roof maintenance damage or lack of roof maintenance damage like rusted flashings, aged broken roof tiles and decaying pointing mortar is not something that the insurance companies will cover or repair.

Roof restoration usually refers to the complete restoration of the roof covering, either roof tiles or metal roof sheeting. The drainage system ie gutters and downpipes are not usually included unless specified. Not all roof restorers can restore the entire roof and all components including the drainage system. Most tiled roofs can be pressure cleaned, capping tiles re-pointed and the roof recoated with an improved paint product. Metal roofs do not have the same options, repainting is not usually the best option as an aged metal roof usually have deeper problems, a professional roof inspection would be prudent before any restorations are pplanned for..

Roof repointing refers to a tiled roof and is the mortar product that sits between the capping tiles and the roof tiles. Modern pointing mortar products are much improved compared to the cement/sand/pigment manually mixed mortar of the 1900’s. modern mortar for roof capping tiles is flexible, weather proof, longlasting and comes in a multitude of colours that match most tiles on the market. It is easily handled for the DIY people out there.

Roof Inspections conducted as part of a Building Inspection can be lacking in detail and often not be as comprehensive as is required. A good Roof Inspection will include an assessment of all the external components of the roof including the drainage ie gutters, flashings and downpipes. A good Roof Inspection should also include an assessment of the Roof Cavity which will cover the structural components etc.

The timeline for the restoration of a roof is dependant on so many factors. Most restoration companies consist of a team of trades and labourers, the more people the quicker the job. Secondly, the time of year can be a factor, if the restoration is happening mid winter then the restoration team maybe having to tarp up your roof during the restoration period, ie adding days to the timeline. A good restoration team can map out a basic timeline for you, probably without guarentees unfortunatly.

The timeline for the replacement of a roof is dependant on so many factors. Most roof companies consist of a team of trades and labourers, the more people the quicker the job. Secondly, the time of year can be a factor, if the work is happening mid winter then the roofing team maybe having to tarp up your roof during the critical periods, (adding days to the timeline). A good Roofing team can map out a basic timeline for you, probably without guarentees unfortunatly.

As a general guide, most Australian homes benefit from a roof inspection every one to two years, with more frequent checks recommended for roofs over 15 to 20 years old, or in regions that experience harsh sun, storms, or heavy rainfall. It’s also worth arranging an inspection after any significant weather event — hailstorms, high winds, or heavy storm activity — even if no damage is obvious from the ground, since impact damage to tiles or flashings isn’t always visible without a closer look. Homes with a history of leaks, ceiling staining, or previous roof repairs generally warrant more frequent checks than a roof with a clean history.

Possible reasons for a roof leak when it rains include damaged or missing roof tiles, clogged gutters, flashing issues – blocked with leaves, damaged roof vent seals, or inadequate drainage fall for the guttering. Inspect these areas for signs of wear or damage.

Roof Tiles crack or fail for many reasons – Clay/Terracota roof tiles become brittle with age and weaken – easy to break when stepped on. Cement/concrete tile remain stronger but can also break with large hail, tree branches or when stepped on. Clay/Terracota roof tiles also suffer ’tile fretting’ a form of decay, often associated with coastal locations.

Some houses have water service plumbing inside the ceiling cavity; often, a small leak won’t be visible. Also, some roof leaks will be located a few meters from the ceiling stain, but due to the pitch of the roof, the water may travel down a rafter or the underside of a metal roof before dripping onto the ceiling.

Yes — a dedicated roof inspection is strongly worth arranging as part of the property purchase process, separate from a standard pest and building inspection. A general pre-purchase building inspection typically covers the roof only briefly, often without accessing the roof cavity at all, which means structural issues, sarking damage, or moisture problems can easily go unnoticed until after settlement. Given how expensive roof repairs or replacement can be, a specialist roof inspection during the due diligence or cooling-off period gives a much clearer picture of the roof’s true condition, and can be a genuinely useful bargaining point if significant issues are found before the sale is finalised.

Reliable roofers are like any other trade, word of mouth appears to be the best and time tested method. Even before you need a roof trade or any home related trade, when a word of mouth suggestion comes up, keep the details. Good trades in general will be able to recommend someone they know. Local Facebook groups are also helpfull.

A temporary fix for a roof leak depands largley on which component is leaking and how bad is the problem. For instance, a small crack to a roof tile may just need some silicon applied to the crack. If the problem is greater, maybe 4 or 5 badly cracked tiles then a small tarpaulin may be needed held down with sand bags. Don’t forget, most Insurance companies will offer a ‘make safe’ (temporary roof repair) as a service

Firstly, You must identify the problem that will require repair or replacement. A good roof inspection can give you a list of any issues on the roof and will be able to prioritise them for you. A good roof inspector may also be able to give you contact details for the Trades required for each of the tasks. Depending on availability, try to to approach at least 2 trades for every quote, 3 trades would be preferred.