Tile roof replacement in Perth
Tile roof replacement means stripping a worn concrete or terracotta tile roof and replacing it with either new tiles or Colorbond steel. Roofing Perth arranges tile roof replacement across the Perth metro area through independent local roofing contractors. Every job starts with a contractor on the roof and in the ceiling space, and the quote names the material, the battens, the sarking and every flashing.
Why Perth tile roofs wear out
Perth has a lot of brick-and-tile housing, and most of it was roofed in concrete tile. Decades of strong sun wear away the surface coating, after which the tile absorbs water, grows lichen and becomes brittle. Meanwhile:
- the mortar bedding under ridge and hip caps cracks and lets caps rock loose;
- pointing compound dries out, splits and lets water into the bedding;
- valleys rust or fill with leaves and overflow under the tiles;
- older homes often have no sarking, so any leak goes straight onto the ceiling.
Terracotta lasts longer as a material but suffers the same problems with bedding, valleys and broken tiles.
Option 1: new tiles
Re-tiling keeps the look of the house and the quiet of a tiled roof in heavy rain. The process is:
- Strip the old tiles and bedding.
- Inspect the frame and replace battens.
- Lay new sarking, dressed into the gutters.
- Lay new tiles, with clips or fixings as required for wind.
- Fix ridge and hip caps, bedded and pointed or mechanically fixed with a dry ridge system.
- Replace valleys and flashings.
Re-tiling is heavier and slower than steel, and the frame must be able to carry the load.
Option 2: tile to Colorbond
Most Perth owners replacing tiles now choose steel. Battens are changed to suit steel, an anticondensation blanket goes under the sheets, and fascia or eave details are adapted where tiles used to overhang the gutter. See Colorbond roofing and re-roofing for how that conversion works.
| Consideration | New tiles | Colorbond steel |
|---|---|---|
| Weight on the frame | Heavy | Light |
| Install time | Longer | Shorter |
| Rain noise | Quiet | Quiet with a good blanket |
| Minimum pitch | Steeper pitches only | Suits low pitches |
| Coastal exposure | Tile body unaffected; fixings matter | Grade chosen for distance from surf |
Bushfire-prone areas
In the Perth Hills and other areas mapped as bushfire prone, new roofing may need to meet a Bushfire Attack Level under AS 3959, which affects sarking, ember sealing and some materials. Check with your local government before choosing.
Permits
Changing roofing material can affect whether a building permit is needed. Check with your local government's building services, and read our building permit guide. For price bands, see the roof replacement cost guide.
What to expect on the day
Expect noise, dust in the roof space and a skip or truck on the driveway while tiles come off. Move valuables away from manholes and cover anything stored in the garage.