From Federation villas in Kew and Hawthorn to Californian bungalows in Camberwell and post-war homes in Balwyn, Boroondara has some of Melbourne's finest tiled roofs. We match heritage tiles, repoint ridges, stop leaks and restore roofs with care.
No Fees. No Obligation. Open 7 Days a Week.
The City of Boroondara takes in some of Melbourne’s most admired residential streets, across Kew, Hawthorn, Camberwell, Canterbury, Surrey Hills and Balwyn. Many of the homes are Victorian, Federation or interwar, often under heritage overlays, with terracotta roofs, decorative ridge capping and finials. Alongside them sit solid post-war family homes and more recent rebuilds. Looking after roofs like these takes patience and a good eye for matching materials.
Though we are based in Cairnlea, out west, we travel to homes right across Boroondara, and our owner personally looks at every roof, photographs what is wrong and gives you an honest view on whether careful repairs will keep it sound or whether a broader restoration is worthwhile. We respect the character of older roofs, and we will never push work your home does not need.
No obligation · Same-day response · Open 7 days
Age is the obvious factor. A large share of Boroondara’s housing dates from the late 1800s to the 1930s, and terracotta laid a century ago can become brittle, especially on roofs that have been walked on carelessly over the years. The lime mortar beneath the ridges, including ornate ridge caps and finials, eventually dries out and lets go.
Then there are the trees. Boroondara is famously leafy, with big plane trees, elms and gums lining streets in Kew, Canterbury and Camberwell. Leaves and seed pods block valleys and box gutters every autumn, and shaded roofs stay damp enough for moss to take hold.
Post-war homes in Balwyn and Surrey Hills have their own issues: concrete tiles that have lost their surface, and sand-and-cement ridge mortar that has cracked through. And on all these roofs, decades of patch repairs by different hands can leave a patchwork of mismatched tiles and smeared cement that eventually fails.
Our aim on older Boroondara roofs is a repair that blends in and lasts, without disturbing more of the roof than necessary.
Before and after photos are provided for every repair, which is useful if heritage advice is needed.
Older roofs need a gentle approach, so our owner moves carefully, testing tiles before stepping on them. We check terracotta for brittleness, ridges and decorative caps, valleys, box gutters, chimney flashings and gutters, and photograph anything of concern. Afterwards we talk through the findings and send a written quote. No fee is charged for the visit, and we are always happy to suggest staging work over time if that suits your budget. Photos also help if a heritage adviser needs to see what is proposed.
Some roofs reach a tipping point, with more failing than holding. When ridges are giving way across the whole roof, valley irons are rusting through and leaks keep popping up, a single, planned restoration is better value than years of call-outs.
What that looks like depends on the roof. On a Federation or interwar terracotta roof in Kew or Canterbury, we generally recommend a gentle clean, matched replacement tiles, full rebedding and repointing of the ridges, and new valleys and flashings. Coating original terracotta is often unnecessary, and sometimes not appropriate under a heritage overlay, and we will be upfront about that. On a post-war concrete tile roof in Balwyn or Surrey Hills, the full treatment makes sense: pressure clean, repairs, then sealer, primer and colour coats. Either approach costs a fraction of replacing the roof. The stages are described on our roof restoration services page, and we can walk you through it in person.
A century-old roof is not the place for a rushed job or a rotating crew. Our owner’s roofing career now spans more than 25 years, and the owner is personally on site throughout every Boroondara job, from the first tile lifted to the final sweep of the path.
We carry full licensing and insurance and run a quality-assurance check on all our work. Quotes are written in plain English and include only the work your roof needs, with options to stage larger jobs over time. We take care with established gardens, tessellated paths and period details, and leave the property as we found it.
From Hawthorn and Kew through Camberwell to Surrey Hills, Boroondara homeowners can book a free on-roof inspection by ringing 0421 990 207 and describing what they have noticed.
First, we will begin with a professional roof inspection. This will help us assess your needs for roof restoration and / and repair in Albion. And also we will confirm all the conditions of all the processes and the services accordingly.
Based in Cairnlea, we provide our services to all suburbs across Melbourne. Distance is never a problem. We are open 7 days a week.
All Suburbs in Melbourne
We service properties in different suburbs throughout Melbourne.
Ensure your home’s safety by telling us when we can inspect your roof. No obligation. No fees. Here 7 days a week when you need us.
Whether you have a roofing emergency, want a free inspection, or just need honest advice, we are available 7 days a week.
Let us know how we can help you.