Restore or replace
Restore or replace your tiled roof? An honest guide
A replacement quote is often two to three times the cost of a restoration. Sometimes it’s the right call. Here’s how to tell.
Usually restore
Restoration makes sense when
- The roof is structurally sound: no sagging, battens and timbers in good order
- Most tiles are intact, with cracked or broken tiles in patches rather than everywhere
- The problems are ridge capping, pointing, mould, lichen and faded colour
- Leaks trace back to cracked tiles, failed pointing or rusted valleys, which restoration fixes
- You want the roof to look new without the cost and disruption of a re-roof
Consider replacing
Replacement can be better value when
- Battens or roof timbers are rotten, or the roof line is sagging
- Tiles are failing across the whole roof: crumbling, porous or delaminating
- Leaks keep coming back after proper repairs
- The roof contains asbestos, which must never be pressure-cleaned or coated
- You’re changing the roof structure or adding a second storey anyway
Typical cost difference
For a typical single-storey Sunshine Coast tile roof, a full restoration with ridge work and a two-coat membrane usually sits in the high four to low five figures, while a re-roof is commonly two to three times that. Our pricing guide shows live ranges by roof size and condition.
Holding a replacement quote?
Book a free Roof Health Check and we’ll give you a second opinion with photos of your own roof. If replacement genuinely is the better option, we’ll tell you so and point you to a re-roofer. We don’t do re-roofs ourselves, so we have no reason to push one.
TipAsk any roofer recommending replacement to show you photos of the specific defects that make restoration unsuitable. A good one will.