# Forum Home Renovation Roofing  roof restoration experiences?

## George

I  need to do something about my roof (large number of broken tiles, all are deglazed and the pointing is crumbling). It is not actually leaking but it is not good. 
Does anyone have any experience with roof restorations  on concrete tiles. The general process is to replace cracked tiles, re-bed and re-point ridge capping, high pressure clean whole roof and then apply a proprietry coating (basically a special paint applied by sprayer). Various warranties and longevities are claimed by the companies involved. 
I was not impressed with the sales tactics of the well known roof restoration company that inspected and quoted (they won't actually leave you with a written quote and want you to sign a contract on the spot) I have also heard mixed results about how long such a coating lasts. 
Any thoughts? 
Thanks
George

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## DaveInOz

I found the high pressure sales of the two leading companies really annoyed me, plus their warrenties are not as good as some. 
By which I mean they will only warranty work they do, so they demand to re do it all. Other companies will do only what they believe is required and warranty the whole roof (basically warranty their judgement that parts didn't need repointing etc). 
Price for the big 2 companies is really bad, hence high pressure sales, if you shop around you will find most small companies will quote 2/3 of teh big 2's final price (inc discounts and sticking a stupid sign in your garden) 
Don't be pushed into anything. 
The thing to check is what type of sealant the smaller companies are useing. Beware anyone too cheap, they may be only painting your roof. 
Last thing is get them to seal any spare tiles you have, or to supply and seal some spare tiles, so you have the correct colour replacements (as part of the quote).  
the more quotes you get the more cofidant you will become as to the correct price for the job and make an informed decision.

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## Baz

Hi George,
     Had my roof restored about 8 years ago by one of those well known company's, after I had seen what they done work wise and the time spent I was not that happy and wished that I had spent the extra and replaced the tiles with colourbond. Last year I was up on the roof cleaning the flue and noticed some red (my tiles are black) showing through , the tiles they used to replace the brocken ones were red and the paint had come off. I contacted the company and they came and inspected the roof and told me the roof needed repainting and that they would contact me when that was to happen, 6 months later and quiet a few phone calls later the roof has been resprayed. I still wish I had paid the extra for a colourbond roof.
Cheers
Barry

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## Reno8ter

Have you thought of painting the roof yourself...it's not rocket science....I cleaned my roof with broom and bleach then high pressure cleaner..hired a airless spray gun and painted using solarguard type paint. 5 years later still looks better than some from the professional companies....cost me about $400 to hire everything and paint and beer for helpers!!

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## Jacksin

A friend had her roof 'resealed' 7 years ago which is now peeling badly. She is in a quandary about what to do. If she gets it re-done, will the pressure cleaning remove all the peeling paint leaving the surface sound for the new coating? She thinks she should have initially retiled instead.

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## Sturdee

I've had my concrete tiled roof done about 10 years ago. Not by one of the majors but a smaller company. I got a good price and got great service. 
They did not pressure me into signing on the spot, I paid only a holding deposit of $ 20.00 until the roof was done and they turned up as arranged. They replace broken tiles (with my own),  repointed everything, cleaned the roof and sealed it with a sealing coat and two days later finished it with a final colour coat. They also did about 30 spare tiles (again my own) as future spares. 
I did take time of from work to supervise and check to make sure they did it correctly and that was well worth it. I suppose I could have done it my self but it is a very large roof and the back part is 2 stories high and I don't fancy working that high. Better let an expert work that high. 
Peter.

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## petemck

I was quoted nearly $5200 for a 10x15 M house by a big co. a couple of months ago....for those $$$ I'd rather put on a new colourbond roof, or do it myself & spend the change on lager....
Pete McK

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## paullmichelle

I'm a qualified Roof Tiler and have been doing Restoration work for almost 20 years now. 
George, as for your question, try and avoid the big companies if you can.
They have large overheads, their salemen are on very high commisions, and having done a coulple of roofs for them in my quieter times, the way they want a roof restored is not of very high standards. They mostly train any average jo-blo of the street that has no idea about roof tiling.
If you can, get someone like myself, that's a qualified tiler and has their own small business. Always ask for a list of names and addresses of jobs they have completed, and not one's they have done within the last 12 months. Also if good quality coatings are used with proper preperation, it should last 10-15 years. The reasonably new flexible pointing we use for the ridge caps now is a lot better than the old motar mix. 
Jacksin, as for your friend, usually most of the old coating will not be removed, but anything that does not come of with proper pressure washing can stay their, as long as a good sealer/primer is used before the top coatings. 
If anybody else has any queries about Roof Restoration, you are welcome to email me at: paullmichelle@hotmail.com

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## Brudda

I had my roof repainted just be fore christmas, cost me a bit bit at th etime I felt it was worth it.  
HOWEVER I contacted the company, They didnt contact me. 
I have had to call them back for a few bits and pieces, and had prompt attention to my calls, this could just be due to the fact they are relativly "local". 
In hind sight, I should have saved a bit more and put colourbond on the roof, but atleast now I have (on paper) a 15 year warranty on the roof. I may replace the whole roof in the next few years, but I have for now a waterproof/weather proof barrier between the inside and the outside :Smilie:

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## Sturdee

> I've had my concrete tiled roof done about 10 years ago. Not by one of the majors but a smaller company. I got a good price and got great service. 
> Peter.

  Further to this post recently I found my original invoice and I can give some more details. 
It was done in 1994, which makes it 11.5 years ago and so far I'm happy with it. 
It was done by Weatherguard industries using a coloured ceramix coating. 
A search of the net shows the following link http://users.atnet.net.au/ceramix/default.htm which although has a slight name change and different street number and phone number is I think the same company and using the same process and roof covering. 
The total amount was $ 3500 with a deposit of $ 350 and balance on completion. I have a large roof and the price was much better than from the majors.  
I had no complaints then and still haven't. 
Peter.

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## Kerryv

Hi everyone, I love this site!  
I have recently received a couple of quotes for painting and restoring my cement tile roof as well as replacing the gutters. I have had three different opinions on the Nutech paint, Regent paint and Premier Topcoat paint. They all claim to be better than each other. Is there much of a difference? Does anyone know which is best or does it all come down to preparation, primer, sealant and number of coats? Should the job last for 7 years or 15 years like some companies are claiming? 
Someone on this site recommended a company called Weatherguard but it seems like they may have gone out of business as there was no answer when I tried to call them. Does anyone have anyone else they can recommend?  
Thanks a lot    
Kerry   :Smilie:

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## paullmichelle

Hi, I will talk to you about it over the next few days. Too busy at the moment. I've my own restoration business for over 20 years.
I will be able to advise you best, or if your not in an urgent hurry, could do a much better job for you. 
Chat soon.

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## Kerryv

Thanks Paul, any advice would be fantastic. 
Thanks! 
Kerry

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## paullmichelle

Kerry, I use Nutech paint, but your right, it more comes down to preparation and applications of the coatings.
You will pay alot more for your restoration through one of the larger companies, bigger overheads, salesmen ect., but mostly just a big rip off.
I've done a couple of jobs for them in the past and the quality of the work they require is well under my standards.
I suggest you try and use a smaller company or tradesman. A recommendation is always good.
I could do your roof for you but I'm booked out til early next year.
If you wanted to send some pics of your roof I could give you an idea on what it should cost. paullmichelle@hotmail.com
You should not be paying any more than $2000-3000 for an average house roof and that will be for a top quality complete restoration. Ridges, valleys, tiles, cleaning and painting ect:.
As for how long it will last, I've been past roofs that I restored 15+ years ago and they still look pretty good. As long as it's done properly. 
Please reply Kerry if you have any other questions and I'll answer them the best I can.
Good luck, and like I said, if you are willing to wait for a while I would be happy to do your roof for you. 
Paull
P & M Roofing

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## Kerryv

Hi Paul, thanks for your advice. I am wanting to get my roof restored quite quickly so will have to go with someone else. 
I have received a couple of quotes now and am probably going to go with a company called Roof Recyclers. Their quote was $1100.00 less than the first two quotes I got. The quote is $3400.00 inc GST and this includes repointing, replacement of valley, downpipes, pressure cleaning and painting the cement tiles and also includes complete Colorbond gutters to the whole house. He said he will put one coat of sealer and 3 coats of Regent ultra. I have to have the companies sign out the front for a couple of weeks which is fine. 
Do you think this sounds ok? On their written quote they have a Master Contractors logo. Is there anything such as Master Contractors? I have ony heard of Master Builders. 
Thanks 
Kerry

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## namtrak

Personally I wouldn't throw good money after bad.  How old is your roof?  What condition are the tiles in? 
We had concrete tiles on the roof, which were about 50 years old.  There were mutliple problems. 
The concrete held water and besides making the roof itself extremely heavy, it developed a predisposition towards leaking. 
The overlapping lip of the tile (the piece you walk on) had worn down on most of the tiles to around 5mm or less.  This meant that the tiles had become eggshell brittle, and repairing them became nonsensical.  Every second tile you walked on cracked. 
It was nigh on impossible to find matching tiles for the profile I needed.  The newer tiles were all longer, wider or of a different shape all together. 
Eventually (after a year of tarp roof) we just switched to Colorbond - no mucking around.  We did try and stall until the renos were done, but the roof deteriorated beyond tarp help.   
My advice - Colorbond.

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## Kerryv

Thanks for your ideas Namtrak. 
I had a preinspection report done by the Archicentre when I first bought my house and the guy said the cement tiles were in good condition with only a bit of moisture underneath them when they were lifted which was normal. He suggested having the roof painted if I wanted to improve the appearance.  
I love the look of Colorbond but probably can't justify the $10,000 or so that it would cost me to do the roof and gutters. The roof painting guys told me my tiles were in good condition also and that I would only be replacing the roof with Colorbond for looks only and so why do it. Not sure if they make more money from painting roofs than replacing with Colorbond. Maybe... One of them also said that it is easier to extend if the roof is tiles compared to Colorbond which is cut to size and would have to be replaced. Would you agree with this? 
Anyway only about 5 tiles will need to be replaced in the restoration. Sounds like your tiles had deteriorated a lot more than mine but my tiles are about 50 years old too so not sure why. 
Thanks 
Kerry

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## namtrak

I couldn't really say about the ease of extending with a colorbond roof as opposed to a tile roof.  I suspect they are probably right.  We will need to cut iron off the roof, which we will lose and not be able to reuse - about 60 sqm of iron - this wouldnt be the case with a tile roof (assuming your careful)  And yes, you would be looking at around $10,000. 
To check the quality of the tiles, lift one (if you can without drama) and check the thickness of the lip at the top - the bit that sits on the tile above.  That is where we had our probs. 
Cheers

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## Nutta

I've been restoring roofs in qld for 18 years and the worst product i ever used was regent ultra, wouldnt go near the garbage, also nutech and a few other small mobs, the sun up here is pretty harsh too. Regent coating was washing away in 18 months, they gave me every excuse under the sun, blamed me for everything, i'd never had that sort of drama in all these years, then they changed the formula,now i only use dulux 962 roof membrane, dont like supporting big companies, but,thats wot happens wen u get burnt.
If anyone needs a restoration in melbourne i've some family down there been doing that have been doing it for years, let me know, Wayne.     
.

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## Kerryv

Hi Nutta, I sent you a PM.  
When I cancelled with the roof company that wanted to use Regent Ultra I had the owner call me and I told him of your experience with it and that you use Dulux. He said that I was told the wrong thing from the guy that works for him and that they will in fact use Nu roof resins which are made by another small roof paint company in Thomastown, VIC.  
Have you heard of this paint?  
I have also contacted Dulux and they are putting me onto an applicator of Dulux 962 but I have a feeling they might charge a lot more than the quotes I received so far. 
Thanks 
Kerry

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## Doughboy

George 
Look into all the costs and compare it to having a new colourbond roof put on.. I bet you will be really surprised. I love the sound of rain on the tin roof, nothing more soothing. But I like that sort of thing. 
Pete

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## willbeaton

K 
Did you get the roof you wanted?  What did you end up going for? 
I have a large terracotta roof and have just been quoted 11,000 for a repoint, rebed (if needed), clean, seal.  A lot of money.  The roof is 25sq (so quite large) but still alot of money. 
The roof has lichen on most of it and looks a little unsightly.  I dont really want it cleaned or resealed or painted.  I just want it repointed and I dont want to pay 10k plus for it. 
Anyone have some suggestions on what the job actually entails and what I should estimate as a cost.  Also anyone have some recommendations of a company in Melbourne.  Please?

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## tondel

Hello to all I am a roof paint manufacturer at Regent Paints, I am NOT A SALES man I am the foreman of 3 guys.  I personally have been making the paint for about 6 years now and I am a little biast towards my paint but I can tell you that we take great care in making it. I like to ensure that the product goes out the door the same way every time, now thats very hard work but I try my hardest,  the paint itself is very very good  and if APLIED CORRECTLY it will do what we say its supposed to, there are not many instructions on the drum even my children could understand it.  If anyone wants to talk to me about the paint please post  a Question and I will be very happy to answer it Thanks

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## pom79

Hi all, new to this forum so though I'd make my first! 
We used Creative Roofing in Doncaster for our place, 1960's weatherboard with cement tiles (Standard M profile tiles) paid near enough $4k for the complete job including flashing, valley irons, soakers and of course re-bed, flexi point and top of the range paint. 
Not the cheapest mob who quoted of course, but good service and happy with the results. 
We priced colourbond and new tiles (both cement and terracotta) but based on the value of the house and the fact we're not planning on staying for years, it was the most cost effective solution for us. 
Cheers!

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## rsser

Had a plumber look at our cement roof tiles - paint flaking off and some 'erosion' - and his recommendation was to replace the lot with terracotta; that repainting would only ever be temporary. 
He did say that if I wanted to keep going for as long as possible as is, to clean out the little 'gutters' on the overlapped long edge of the tiles for the last 3 or so rows next to the spouting.  They tend to clog up with sand.  I've done this and it helped. 
Unbiassed advice I figured since he's not a roofing specialist and didn't want the job.

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## Metung

I have been interested by some of the figures mentioned because when I designed the house that I am building I specified a curved roof on a 40 metre radius. The outilne of the roof is basically an "L" shape, 9.5 metres wide on the vertical part of the "L" and 11.6 on the horizontal leg. All up 140 sq.m. of roofing. It was dead easy to install with no ridges, valleys or flashings to worry about, just straight sections of iron layed over the roofing battens. It also only requires on gutter running along the low side. Probably not everybody's cup of tea as far as looks go but it certainly does the job and it would seem to be a fairly cheap design - all up, with sisalation as well, it cost $7000 to have installed and I reckon the plumber knew he had me over a barrel when he charged me $3000 for the install. It only took 2 days for two of them to install it, which is pretty good money, although I think that figure included crane hire to get the iron up on the roof.

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## Tabby

Hi Paul,
Literally half an hour ago I phoned one of those big companies to organise a quote then decided to search the web and found this bulletin board.  Is there someone local you would recommend or in deed yourself.
Thank you in advance for your advice.

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## mreddie

Like Tabby, I too are looking for a good roof restorer in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne just for some rebedding / repointing.  Can anyone on these boards suggest anyone?

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## Bloss

Do a search on the forum as there have been many threads on this subject all with plenty of info. 
Two reasons for roof restoration on concrete tiles: 
1. Aesthetic - so that the colour and appearance is redone to a 'new' look. 
2. Structural - to remove, replace and repair broken tiles and ridge capping and failing pointing. 
Either can be done, but if you want 1. you need to make sure that 2. gets done properly before anything proceeds with 1. 
You can get a good tiler to remove any cracked or broken tiles, remove and re-bed any loose or cracked ridge-capping and re-point all ridges, gable ends etc using a good quality flexible acrylic pointing compound. 
If you are happy with the look of the roof as it is then you need do no more - unpainted concrete tiles rarely leak (unless they are cracked). They can become soft and crumbly with age, but in most cases this would after 60 years and mostly much longer. The pitch of the roof is what stops water ingress so long as there is no structural issue with the covering (in this case tiles). 
If you do want that new colour and appearance then the restoration process will then include a coating system (and it is not necessarily to have the repairs done by the same people who do the roof coating). 
Word of mouth is a reasonable test and these forums are good for that too - some people have many troubles with roof restorations - others still have good results after 10 years or so. My experience is that most coatings start to fail within 5-7 years (as do most external paints). 
As others have said and is so for all painting preparation is critical - what the paint has to stick to is at least as important as the paint formulation and application. 
Whatever is put on your roof will likely last around 10-12 years with existing technologies so ignore guarantees that suggest that life or longer. For one thing few companies will be around in 5 years let alone 10 (and those that have been around longer are probably worth getting quotes from). Even if the company is around most warranties will have a 'pro rata' clause meaning that the value of any warranty is depreciating (as your roof finish wears of course). 
Look at the consumer affairs or fair trading sites for any business you are thinking of signing up with - not a certainty, but the worst rogues will usually have many complaints on record.

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## mreddie

That is all fine and most of it very good advice thanks.... but if anyone has experience with a good repairer in Melbourne (eastern suburbs) that would be very helpful.....

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## paullmichelle

> That is all fine and most of it very good advice thanks.... but if anyone has experience with a good repairer in Melbourne (eastern suburbs) that would be very helpful.....

  Hi mreddie, 
I would be interested in giving you an estimate but it would not be until the end of summer as I am fully booked up. I also have to have a look at Tabby's "above post" as well then, so if you are not in a hurry you can leave your details at paullmichelle@hotmail.com 
Regards

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## Gooner

Restoring my concrete tile roof is one of the next jobs on my agenda. After getting Roof Seal and Modern to quote, I am thinking of doing it myself. Either that, or get someone to repoint/rebed and pressure wash and perhaps then I may apply the coating. Not sure yet. Need to look into it further and get some other quotes 
I must say that the sales guy from Modern was OK, but I found the "foot in the door" tactics used by the guy who came over from Roof Seal very annoying. I found him very arrogant, pushy, and extremely condescending. He wouldn't leave in a hurry either after repeatedly assuring him I would not commit to anything until I got further quotes from other companies.  
Apart from the quote being ultra expensive, I would not go with Roof Seal based on the sales experience. Sounds like their sales tactics are not doing themselves any favors.

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## pom79

As per my previous post, Creative Roofing did a good job at my place, now based in Vermont south I reckon ?

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## bubbles76

> Personally I wouldn't throw good money after bad. How old is your roof? What condition are the tiles in? 
> We had concrete tiles on the roof, which were about 50 years old. There were mutliple problems. 
> The concrete held water and besides making the roof itself extremely heavy, it developed a predisposition towards leaking. 
> The overlapping lip of the tile (the piece you walk on) had worn down on most of the tiles to around 5mm or less. This meant that the tiles had become eggshell brittle, and repairing them became nonsensical. Every second tile you walked on cracked. 
> It was nigh on impossible to find matching tiles for the profile I needed. The newer tiles were all longer, wider or of a different shape all together. 
> Eventually (after a year of tarp roof) we just switched to Colorbond - no mucking around. We did try and stall until the renos were done, but the roof deteriorated beyond tarp help.  
> My advice - Colorbond.

  hi there, we are wanting to change to colorbond, not sure on how to go about it.
any help would be great 
thanks

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## libretto

We desperately need to have our roof restored. It is 28 years old and the ridge capping was replaced 12 years ago - basically it needs some serious restoration. We know nothing about roof restoration and are becoming increasingly depressed by what looks like a very dodgy industry. We have had four quotes - one from a big high pressure bunch (who offered the stupid sign option), one medium-sized company where the owner actually came out to see us and two smaller businesses. The quotes have ranged from $5300 to $13,000 for a 20 square L-shaped house. We have heard about acrylic-based paint and concrete-based paint and all of the companies have bagged each other out. What is the real story for the uninitiated? Is concrete paint better than the acrylic systems? How much should we be paying? Why can't these guys figure out that slamming their competitors is NOT a good sales tactic?  :Annoyed:

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## nunga

I have just had my roof restored. Problem was they cleaned the roof across the road first by mistake.
I live in redlands qld and it was a local roof restoration and repairs company. they then sealed and painted the roof, two coats. This was fine. Painted the guttering and facia as well. There was over spray every where.
On the roof on the soffits, all over the garden ect, you can get the idea. The pump they used  for the green roof was not cleaned properly and then was used to spray the gutters in marino, this gave the gutters a green ting halfway round the house. A week later all the paint on the gutters began blistering. On close investigation the blisters were full of water. I had them back and they cleaned up most of the mess, scrapped of the gutters and repainted.The colour was correct this time also. Next day all the gutters had paint splitting. I contacted a painter who tells me the weather was to cold and moist to be painting over colourbond, and it had not been sanded at all before painting. I did not want these idiot that did the job back at all so I have had the gutters repainted by a local professional. It looks better, and i hope the roof painting is going to perform for the next 15 years or so. The moral of this story is, Get 3-4 quotes, address of previous jobs for referance, and inspect these properties and talk to the owners. Don't get burnt like me.
Good luck. :Mad:

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## crackerwoody

does this really belong in the monthly anti-roof restoration thread?... sounds like more of a general painting issue

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## brennan

Even if you did get 3-4 quotes and spoken to owners of the previous jobs, chances are you might end up getting idiots. That's exactly what happen to me. In short the roof started leaking within 2 months after it was restored. Currently in discussion with consumer affair about this issue.      

> I have just had my roof restored. Problem was they cleaned the roof across the road first by mistake.
> I live in redlands qld and it was a local roof restoration and repairs company. they then sealed and painted the roof, two coats. This was fine. Painted the guttering and facia as well. There was over spray every where.
> On the roof on the soffits, all over the garden ect, you can get the idea. The pump they used for the green roof was not cleaned properly and then was used to spray the gutters in marino, this gave the gutters a green ting halfway round the house. A week later all the paint on the gutters began blistering. On close investigation the blisters were full of water. I had them back and they cleaned up most of the mess, scrapped of the gutters and repainted.The colour was correct this time also. Next day all the gutters had paint splitting. I contacted a painter who tells me the weather was to cold and moist to be painting over colourbond, and it had not been sanded at all before painting. I did not want these idiot that did the job back at all so I have had the gutters repainted by a local professional. It looks better, and i hope the roof painting is going to perform for the next 15 years or so. The moral of this story is, Get 3-4 quotes, address of previous jobs for referance, and inspect these properties and talk to the owners. Don't get burnt like me.
> Good luck.

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## manchild

Brennan what is the cause of the leak?Leaks can be caused by many factors ,has anyone been up on the roof since ?Any electrical work, aircon got installed?Speaking of experience ,i got a phone call 1 sunny morning last year that im being sued for damages caused by leaking roof . Imagine my shock as after so many years in business i never had a dispute .I said it may be leaking for several reasons ,can i come around in the afternoon to have a look and rectify problem?Short answer was no because the bsa guy comes today.Turns out after i left they had ducted airconditioning installed and the "professionals"broke and siliconed up 27 tiles.Having said that it could be his fault ,not putting weepholes in ,busting watercourses etc etc.Just courious.
George

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## nww1969

From my experience go to the paint manufacturer and ask questions.
If you can't spray yourself ask if they can recommend someone.
I will detail my experience soon.
Hope to spray myself this weekend or the following.

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## brennan

Yes, they did come back grudgingly to have a look and said it was the tie down cables for the antenna. They where going to change us an addition X amount to get it fixed. However those cables have been there for years. There was no leak on the roof until after the restoration. Currently getting someone else to have a look to confirm this. Can't give anymore details until I get the outcome from consumer affairs. Even consumer affair rules against them, thus forcing them to fix it, I doubt they will fix it properly.     

> Brennan what is the cause of the leak?Leaks can be caused by many factors ,has anyone been up on the roof since ?Any electrical work, aircon got installed?Speaking of experience ,i got a phone call 1 sunny morning last year that im being sued for damages caused by leaking roof . Imagine my shock as after so many years in business i never had a dispute .I said it may be leaking for several reasons ,can i come around in the afternoon to have a look and rectify problem?Short answer was no because the bsa guy comes today.Turns out after i left they had ducted airconditioning installed and the "professionals"broke and siliconed up 27 tiles.Having said that it could be his fault ,not putting weepholes in ,busting watercourses etc etc.Just courious.
> George

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## manchild

Thats not good enough.I have a policy of a 24 hours rectification if possible.Some guys just likes to create monsters i guess.
George

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## crackerwoody

they have most likely blown the existing silicone out from the cable stays with the pressure cleaner

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## thomop

Hi NWW, 
Good luck with the DIY roof painting.
I was hoping to here how you went. 
My name is Phil Thomson and i own a roof restoration company ( Guardian Roofing) that has been going for about ten years now. 
Roof restoration is not as simple as just jumping on the roof with a spray machine and applying the coatings.
For those of you who are attempting do diy, dont be too daunted by the idea of doing it yourself, but just understand that there is set order in which the process should be followed. Correct preparation is the main determining facter that will be the difference whether your restoration lasts 15 years or 3 years.
There are many roof paints on the market and most companies use pretty much the same ingredients.
The two roof paints we use and recommend are Nutech and Premire. 
More information is availible on our website www.GuardianRoofing.com.au 
I would be happy to answer anyones questions or provide them with some tips if thinking of braving it themselfs. 
Cheers, 
Phil.

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## parlyboy

> We desperately need to have our roof restored. It is 28 years old and the ridge capping was replaced 12 years ago - basically it needs some serious restoration. We know nothing about roof restoration and are becoming increasingly depressed by what looks like a very dodgy industry. We have had four quotes - one from a big high pressure bunch (who offered the stupid sign option), one medium-sized company where the owner actually came out to see us and two smaller businesses. The quotes have ranged from $5300 to $13,000 for a 20 square L-shaped house. We have heard about acrylic-based paint and concrete-based paint and all of the companies have bagged each other out. What is the real story for the uninitiated? Is concrete paint better than the acrylic systems? How much should we be paying? Why can't these guys figure out that slamming their competitors is NOT a good sales tactic?

  Hey were in Canberra too(Northside) and have same issue. Seems quite a few people are biting the bullet and going *colorbond*. 
Does anyone know what the pro's and con's with going this way?

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## nww1969

> Hi NWW, 
> Good luck with the DIY roof painting.
> I was hoping to here how you went. 
> My name is Phil Thomson and i own a roof restoration company ( Guardian Roofing) that has been going for about ten years now. 
> Roof restoration is not as simple as just jumping on the roof with a spray machine and applying the coatings.
> For those of you who are attempting do diy, dont be too daunted by the idea of doing it yourself, but just understand that there is set order in which the process should be followed. Correct preparation is the main determining facter that will be the difference whether your restoration lasts 15 years or 3 years.
> There are many roof paints on the market and most companies use pretty much the same ingredients.
> The two roof paints we use and recommend are Nutech and Premire. 
> More information is availible on our website www.GuardianRoofing.com.au 
> ...

  Phil. 
Just about finished.
Give me a few days and I'll do a quick writeup.
Much easier than I thought..

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## Smergen

Hi gang, 
Was up on the roof cleaning the gutters and pruning some of the neighbours trees away from the shed and noticed the despicable state of our roof. The pointing, the valleys, the tiles all pretty average. Was wondering if anyone would like to recommend a roof restorer in the Bacchus Marsh area? We had a quote from an oppurtunistic salesman from Armour Glaze earlier in the year. He quoted for a full restoration and gave us a discount because they were 'in the area'. Money was tight then, it isn't so much now so am keen to get a few quotes in. 
Anyone have any suggestions? It is a mid 70s cement tile roof and we might also get the guttering thrown in as well.

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## brennan

> Hi gang, 
> Was up on the roof cleaning the gutters and pruning some of the neighbours trees away from the shed and noticed the despicable state of our roof. The pointing, the valleys, the tiles all pretty average. Was wondering if anyone would like to recommend a roof restorer in the Bacchus Marsh area? We had a quote from an oppurtunistic salesman from Armour Glaze earlier in the year. He quoted for a full restoration and gave us a discount because they were 'in the area'. Money was tight then, it isn't so much now so am keen to get a few quotes in. 
> Anyone have any suggestions? It is a mid 70s cement tile roof and we might also get the guttering thrown in as well.

  I can recommend you who not to use. PM me if you want the details.

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## Neri

I was wondering why the roof-restorer didn't get back to me about giving a quote for some minor roof-work (re-pointing). Seems he didn't want the work? 
Anyway. 
The tiles on the corners of my roof have slipped into the gutters. The problem seems to have occurred before. 
Can someone give me an idea of the repair cost, please? 
I'm not having the roof re-sealed because according to the CSIRO (I think) it's a waste of money. 
Reading the comments it seems I should retain the little guy rather than the big firm. Also it seems a tiler can do this type of work. My plumber recommended the roof-restorer. So presumably plumbers don't fix roofs. 
It's all very irritating when you can't get skilled, prompt, reasonable-cost tradespeople. 
Conclusion:  
I think I'm going to contact the local tiler.What range sould he (she) charge for this work? 
Thanks

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## manchild

What sort of tiles you have?Pitch?Single or double storey?By the sound of it you need some bedding done before the pointing .Pics would be good.
cheers
George

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## Neri

Pitch, if that means a low A shaped roof? It's just that the last few tiles surrounded by mortar, in each corner, have slipped, say, 10 cms. So gimme a quote!  
PS I'm going digital (camera) any day now. 
Thanks

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## manchild

If the roof is normal pitch then it should be around the $12-15 +gst mark per linear meter with flexi for your pointing .Fixing up your corners /bedding is really up to what sort of tiles you have.
George

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## Neri

How do you enter a URL of an image? I know what the URL is but how does it connect to the image stored in a file? I'm thinking that perhaps I could scan a hard-copy photo of the roof-problem and post it in e-form?

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## finger

> How do you enter a URL of an image? I know what the URL is but how does it connect to the image stored in a file? I'm thinking that perhaps I could scan a hard-copy photo of the roof-problem and post it in e-form?

  Like this  :2thumbsup:

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## Neri

I knows that bit, finger, but what comes after the http:// for an image? Like, this is the URL for the Daily Tele The Daily Telegraph | Breaking news, videos and pictures from Sydney, NSW, Australia and the world | DailyTelegraph but on my PC my scanned pics don't come up with a URL. Perhaps they would if I had true digital camera images? Dunno.

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## finger

> I knows that bit, finger, but what comes after the http:// for an image? Like, this is the URL for the Daily Tele The Daily Telegraph | Breaking news, videos and pictures from Sydney, NSW, Australia and the world | DailyTelegraph but on my PC my scanned pics don't come up with a URL. Perhaps they would if I had true digital camera images? Dunno.

  Ah so you want to upload a pic from your computer 
click reply then scroll down to manage attachments

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## Neri

I see. Tried to upload a photo (not of my roof) and apparently it exceeded the size limit - which is ironic since it was a pic of a fish! 
While I'll do is take a photo of a corner of my roof and email it to you and manchild and anyone else I can find on this thread who could give me an idea of how much my roof-repairs should cost. 
Thanks

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## paullmichelle

Hi Joe,  
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. Have been away on Holidays. 
Terracotta's do NOT lose their glaze... They are either fully glazed, or Unglazed when they are made.  
Some appear to have more glaze than others. In my opinion they do no need recoating. They can't actually reglaze them unless they put your whole roof into a baking kiln. 
It's only a coat or 2 of clear acrylic sealer, which does make them look nice and shiny, but that's it. 
In fact, in my 25 years as a roof tiler, I've seen a lot of roofs that end up worse, as moisture gets between the sealer and tiles and then leave's a white milky colour on the tiles. Looks shocking. I will not spray Terracottas even if I'm asked to.. (Concrete tiles are a different kettle of fish.....) 
Some old Terracotta tiles can get very porous with age, but if a tiler can walk around on your roof without them crumbling under their feet, your roof should be quite repairable. With some rebed and pointing of the ridges, valley irons and flashings checked and or replaced if necessary, you will get many more years of protection from your roof. 
If they are porous and crumbly, the only option if  is to replace the roof.. 
Without sounding too modest, but if anyone tells you different, they don't now what their talking about..
I have over 25 years experience in the production, installation and restoration of roof tiles and I think I do know what I'm talking about. There are a lot of so called experts out there that really have no experience or idea... 
Lastly, be certain to get a couple of estimates for any repair work you require, as there can be large differences in prices.
I can't really give you an approx. cost, unless you wanted to send me some pics or an address, and I could have a look on Google Earth.. 
Hope this helps.. 
Cheers,
Paull.
McIvor Roof Restorers

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## paullmichelle

Hi, if anyone has any further questions or requires an estimate for there Roof Restoration could you please use my new Email address: roofrestorer@gmail.com. 
Cheers,
Paull

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## ruufer

Try sunbury roof tilers 0417 557 828

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## KathleenN

Hello
Can anyone recommend roof restorers in Perth please. I have very old concrete tiles. Permacoat have given me a quote but would like more advice/quotes.
Kathleen

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## Barrakooda

Kathleen, here are some others but i do not have any experience with them 
Roof and wall doctor  Home 
DTS  DTS Roof Masters - Perth Roof Restoration, Roof Repairs and Asbestos Removal 
WA roof coat  WA Roof Coat - Services

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## upforabitofwork

Can anyone recommend roof restoration business in Melbourne?    
We have a 2 storey house with faded concrete tiles. 
We have been told (and is probably correct) that the roof needs restoration not just recoating/painting. 
Is it dearer to change to a colorbond roof?

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## Bloss

> Can anyone recommend roof restoration business in Melbourne?    
> We have a 2 storey house with faded concrete tiles. 
> We have been told (and is probably correct) that the roof needs restoration not just recoating/painting. 
> Is it dearer to change to a colorbond roof?

  The roof probably needs re-pointing which is not a big or expensive job. Otherwise it would only need re-coating or painting (same thing) if you want a new bright colour and have to re-do it every 6-10 years. The re-pointing is for tile security and waterproofing integrity - re-coating is for appearance only. Concrete (and terracotta) tiles are waterproof so long as they are not cracked and have been laid at the correct angle (and if your roof is not now leaking then they probably are OK). 
New tiles vs colorbond are competitive, but new roof vs re-pointing (or even re-pointing then painting is much dearer in most places. So unless you really hate the fading (my suggestion is don't look at the roof - you'll get used to it and no-one else cares!) just get some quotes for re-pointing. That means the ridge capping tiles are lifted and re-bedded and then finished with flexible pointing compound and the same is done at the gable ends etc where the cement mortar original pointing is failing (if it actually is). That's all that is needed unless you want to spend good money to make your roof look pretty - which you are entitled to do of course, just don't do it because someone tell you the roof needs it for technical reasons (that's the re-pointing not colouring/ painting).

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## Bloss

empty

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## upforabitofwork

Thanks for the info, not an old post though, just did it yesterday  :Biggrin:

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## rsser

It's still of interest to me. 
We had a plumber look at ours - the sealing is long gone on a lot of the tiles - and he said it's not worth trying to reseal.  Just lift each tile in turn and brush the sand out of the gutters on the 'underlapping' tile edge on the bottom 3 rows.  Cos we suspect the roof of leaking.

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## Bloss

> It's still of interest to me. 
> We had a plumber look at ours - the sealing is long gone on a lot of the tiles - and he said it's not worth trying to reseal.  Just lift each tile in turn and brush the sand out of the gutters on the 'underlapping' tile edge on the bottom 3 rows.  Cos we suspect the roof of leaking.

  Sealing? What is that? If you mean the coating on top of concrete tiles then that is aesthetic only and does not have a role in waterproofing the tiles. See my earlier post. 
Suspect roof is leaking? Leaks are not hard to find so there should be no doubt. It either is or it isn't - if it is then you will have damage to the internal ceiling linings - soft plaster and brown stains etc if plaster. Or if it is a new leak then maybe just some wet insulation. 
If what you can see is the undersides of the tiles are damp after rain that is normal - they are concrete tiles and will get wet and all the way through in wet weather or humid climates, but the angle of the roof and the design of the overlap & the ridges and groves to prevent capillary action ensures that water runs down to gutters and does not drip. If there are drips then something (and it can be dirt or sometimes a tile clip wrongly placed) is interfering with the designed flow. Leaks are usually from cracked tiles - the water can form drips and drop onto ceilings. 
So if re-pointing is needed get re-pointing done - 're-sealing' or 're-coating' or 're-painting' are all the same and are for appearances sake.

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## brennan

How old is the roof? 
btw, pm you about roof restorater.    

> Can anyone recommend roof restoration business in Melbourne?   
> We have a 2 storey house with faded concrete tiles. 
> We have been told (and is probably correct) that the roof needs restoration not just recoating/painting. 
> Is it dearer to change to a colorbond roof?

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## upforabitofwork

Thanks Brennan. 
The ground storey roof is 35 years old, the second storey is about 25 years. It seems both were coated in the 80s.   
We've had 2 quotes so far, each one seeming quite different.  Wish it was a bit easier to make a choice!

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## m6sports

ive been up on the roof of our 40 year old house and the concrete tiles are not looking that great.
the main thing im concerned about it the pointing, in some places it just not there any more 
so its the next job i have on the list 
the house is about 90sqm Single story  
Ive included a pic  
Any recommendations on restores on the Central Coast 
and the price i would be looking at paying

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## toomanycycads

Hi 
I am new to this forum and am needing advice re. a seventies highset with concrete tiles that needs some serious work urgently. While having a tree removed, the tree lopper noticed missing roof tiles in the corner of the roof. I've had two quotes now and am told the roof is in serious need of "capping tiles and barge tiles requiring bedding and pointing urgently" The tiles are waterlogged and heavy I am told. 
Can anyone recommend a company in Brisbane to do this. I have had a pushy salesman here yesterday who made me mistrustful due to his pushy sales tactics - of course they were better than everyone else which I really don't want to hear and does nothing to convince me. Another more profession sounding company also gave me a quote - but how do I know they are going to do adequate and appropriate prep work etc? Does anyone have any recommendations please? Feel free to email me privately also. 
cheers
Dianne

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## PhilT2

"waterlogged and heavy"... no expert in roofing but I'll take a chance and say someone is telling you bulls**t. Sorry I don't know of anyone but I will ask around if no other forum members can help. Which side of the river are you on?

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## Bloss

Old concrete tiles on which the coating has long worn off become saturated (as all concrete can exposed to good rain). But so what? Water runs off the surface due to the density of the concrete tile and the slope (pitch) of the roof. Just as water runs off a concrete path or road! So long as the areas that have been pointed are stable and intact then an uncoated concrete tile will be fine and fully waterproof. If there are cracks then you will get leaks of course. Of course if you want the colour back or changed then you can have the roof painted (but check cost of new tiles or colorbond which will last for another 20-30 years - good paint will last 10 at best - often much less especially of the 'dodgy bros' special!

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## wayneh

Can anyone recommend roof restorer's in the mornington-peninsula/frankston area? 
My roof needs re-pointing, and re-painting.

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## jeep

> Can anyone recommend roof restorer's in the mornington-peninsula/frankston area? 
> My roof needs re-pointing, and re-painting.

  Hi. I'm a roof tiler by trade but for the last 12 years have been doing roof restorations.If you like i'd be happy to have a look at your roof .I'm situated in langwarrin ph.0418 315 708  (Mark)

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## wayneh

Small world, i live in langy too.

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## jeep

Hi. have you got your roof done yet.

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## sledgod

Just in reference to some people here mentioning Colorbond roofing... Some people seem to be indicating that it is a simple choice between the two, and I'm not so sure that is the case. 
I tossed around the idea of going for Colorbond roof since our tiled roof is in need of a refresh, but after talking to my friend who is an engineer, he has explained to me that it is not as simple as just putting up the Colorbond sheeting. 
Long story short, this is what he said to me   

> *Its a huge job as tile roofs dont need any tie down from truss to slab, sheet roofs do so you need to remove all of you plaster internally to add tie down rods in every 1200crs, and next to openings.*

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## barney118

It depends on you current construction of roof and your wind area, yes you require tie down bolts if you are in a cyclonic area which I would doubt BNE is. Your trusses should be tied to your top plates anyway most likely by a triple grip, check what is showing on your detail plans. Usually all you need to do is install speedbrace in a X fashion to the top plate. You may need to re batten the roof for the spans for colorbond.

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## Jemma

I've read through this entire roof restoration thread & am now even MORE confused as to what to do.
From what I can gather, you qualified roofies are saying you don't actually NEED to coat, seal, paint etc the tiles as they are already whatever proof?  
I have 'Monier Centurien' tiles & corners are chipped BUT now some haver cracked straight down the middle & WILL leak.  I should get someone to re-point with flexi point & replace damaged tiles  & paint myself if I want too? 
I'm in Adelaide SA & really want to get my roof fixed up properly without getting ripped off for what little money we have for repairs  :Frown:

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## goldie1

> I've read through this entire roof restoration thread & am now even MORE confused as to what to do.
> From what I can gather, you qualified roofies are saying you don't actually NEED to coat, seal, paint etc the tiles as they are already whatever proof? 
> I have 'Monier Centurien' tiles & corners are chipped BUT now some haver cracked straight down the middle & WILL leak. I should get someone to re-point with flexi point & replace damaged tiles & paint myself if I want too? 
> I'm in Adelaide SA & really want to get my roof fixed up properly without getting ripped off for what little money we have for repairs

  Yes painting a tiled roof is  done for cosmetic reasons. Replacing damaged tiles and repointing is done to keep the rain out.

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## Bloss

> Yes painting a tiled roof is  done for cosmetic reasons. Replacing damaged tiles and repointing is done to keep the rain out.

   :What he said:  - the cracked tiles must be replaced, cheaper and better result to get flexi-pointing done by someone who does it professionally IMO. Don't bother painting . . .

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## eaus80

Hi all, new to forum and first post.
i live in north east suburbs of melbourne and have had ongoing issues with a section of my tiled roof.
After a down pour there was a persistent leak over a couple of areas that damaged some plaster.
I had a company come over and put in some weep holes that seemed to alleviate the problem of water entering the roof.  They indicated that the tiles themselves were in good condition.  They indicated that it was due in part to the pitch of the roof?
However the problem has persisted although not as bad.  The area where the leak occurs doesnt have any sarking installed and it has now damaged the plaster again.
So, get someone in to completely restore the area in question and/or retro fit sarking which i understand is a pain to put in?

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## paullmichelle

> Hi all, new to forum and first post.
> i live in north east suburbs of melbourne and have had ongoing issues with a section of my tiled roof.
> After a down pour there was a persistent leak over a couple of areas that damaged some plaster.
> I had a company come over and put in some weep holes that seemed to alleviate the problem of water entering the roof.  They indicated that the tiles themselves were in good condition.  They indicated that it was due in part to the pitch of the roof?
> However the problem has persisted although not as bad.  The area where the leak occurs doesnt have any sarking installed and it has now damaged the plaster again.
> So, get someone in to completely restore the area in question and/or retro fit sarking which i understand is a pain to put in?

  
 Hi eaus80,
I have a roof to repair in Templestowe in the coming weeks.
If you would like me to have a look at yours, you can email me at roofrestorer@gmail.com.
Cheers

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## Bloss

> Hi all, new to forum and first post.
> i live in north east suburbs of melbourne and have had ongoing issues with a section of my tiled roof.
> After a down pour there was a persistent leak over a couple of areas that damaged some plaster.
> I had a company come over and put in some weep holes that seemed to alleviate the problem of water entering the roof.  They indicated that the tiles themselves were in good condition.  They indicated that it was due in part to the pitch of the roof?
> However the problem has persisted although not as bad.  The area where the leak occurs doesnt have any sarking installed and it has now damaged the plaster again.
> So, get someone in to completely restore the area in question and/or retro fit sarking which i understand is a pain to put in?

  *Best to start a new thread (Admin?)* - your problem is little to do with 'roof restorations' but is about a leaking roof. A leaking roof or part roof as this seems is due to bad design broken tiles or both. Put in some weep holes? Not sure what they did, but it does not sound what was needed. If the roof pitch is too low for the tile design then there could be a few options - and  what are usually called a 'roof restoration company' are not who I would get. Someone who does tiling and/or tiling repairs is who you need. Without pics and more info about location etc you won't get much useful advice here either. 
What you won't need is any roof-coating service. Your insurance should cover both the ceiling damage and the proper repair to have the problem fixed - and they will send the right trade in to look at it too. Not insured perhaps ? mmm. . . then you would get my lecture about not affording insurance means you cam't afford the house . . . :Redface:

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## paullmichelle

> Best to start a new thread - your problem is little to do with 'roof restorations' but is about a leaking roof. A leaking roof or part roof as this seems is due to bad design broken tiles or both. Put in some weep holes? Not sure what they did, but it does not sound what was needed. If the roof pitch is too low for the tile design then there could be a few options - and  what are usually called a 'roof restoration company' are not who I would get. Someone who does tiling and/or tiling repairs is who you need. Without pics and more info about location etc you won't get much useful advice here either. 
> What you won't need is any roof-coating service. Your insurance should cover both the ceiling damage and the proper repair to have the problem fixed - and they will send the right trade in to look at it too. Not insured perhaps ? mmm. . . then you would get my lecture about not affording insurance means you cam't afford the house . . .

    Why say this has nothing to do with (roof restoration),when you have roof restorers like myself that have the skills to do a job likethis. 
I'm a qualified roof tiler by trade that also do's roof repairs, cleaning andpainting... 
And Bloss;894797, sounds like the tiles and battens would possibly need to be removed and some sisalation installed...

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## Bloss

> Why say this has nothing to do with (roof restoration),when you have roof restorers like myself that have the skills to do a job likethis. 
> I'm a qualified roof tiler by trade that also do's roof repairs, cleaning andpainting... 
> And Bloss;894797, sounds like the tiles and battens would possibly need to be removed and some sisalation installed...

  This wasn't about you mate, but advice to the original poster "Jemma". I made the comments because it is a common view, correctly held IMO, that 'roof restoration' and 'roof restorers' are an industry with a poor reputation - a visit to any fair trading site will show that's so. 
That's not to say _all_ are - I was simply trying to steer a novice to look at tilers and roof repairers as those names are not tainted amongst the trades or in the public minds (but there are dodgy players in all work types of course). 
If you aren't aware that is a problem then I'm sorry, but if I were in that industry I would not use 'roof restorer' in my branding and marketing. The wider public view of roof restorers are people who come and paint your roof - look at google and the Yellow Pages and that's also the mobs who do the major advertising. 
And yes it is a good chance the tiles will need lifting and work done underneath including sarking and maybe structural work, perhaps just battens, but maybe more. 
If you can do that then go for it - and I encourage Jemma to contact you. 
I was also making the point that "Jemma" should talk to her insurer first as it is always a battle to get things done and then try to get money from an insurer (if you are covered). Insurers will do an assessment and often will simply ask for two quotes and then authorise work - making it easier for the homeowner. I don't know the cost of this job, but my guess it would be well above any insurance excess - in any case that's the path I'd take first.

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## shauck

And starting a new thread for specific info is a good move, more likely to get read.

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