Footscray's Victorian cottages and Edwardian villas have survived more than a century of weather, but their roofs need help eventually. We fix slipped tiles, worn pointing and leaks, and we are only minutes away in Cairnlea.
No Fees. No Obligation. Open 7 Days a Week.
Some of Melbourne’s oldest working-class housing is in Footscray. Between the river and the rail lines, streets are lined with single-fronted Victorian cottages, double-fronted villas and Edwardian homes, many with terracotta roofs, decorative ridge capping and chimneys that have been there since the day the house was built.
Those roofs have done remarkably well, but they are now well past the point where the original ridge mortar and flashings can be relied on. When something gives, the usual signs are a slipped tile, a crack of daylight at the ridge, or a damp patch in a front room. Our Cairnlea base is just down the road from Footscray, so we can get to you quickly, climb up and find out exactly what is wrong. Then you hear plainly whether careful repairs will see the roof through or whether restoring it makes better sense.
No obligation · Same-day response · Open 7 days
On period homes, a few weak points account for most of the leaks we fix:
Footscray’s postwar homes have their own issues, mainly cement tiles that have lost their surface coating and grown porous. Being in the inner west also means hot northerlies in summer and westerly fronts in winter, and that steady cycle of expansion and contraction keeps working at every weak joint.
We treat period roofs with care: careful footwork, matching materials and no shortcuts.
Re-setting slipped tiles and replacing cracked ones with matching terracotta, including second-hand tiles for older profiles. Rebedding and repointing ridges, reusing original decorative caps and finials wherever possible, finished in flexible pointing. Replacing chimney and wall flashings that have failed. Renewing rusted valleys and clearing gutters. Tracing leaks methodically back to their source. Making storm damage safe and then repairing it properly.
Photos before and after show you exactly what changed up top. Where an original part, such as a terracotta finial or a decorative ridge cap, can be saved, we save it; heritage details like that are hard to replace and give these homes their charm.
On older roofs we take our time. We check each run of tiles for cracks and slippage, look closely at ridge caps and pointing, inspect chimney flashings, valleys and gutters, and note any earlier patch jobs that might be hiding a problem.
Afterwards you get the photos, our explanation in everyday words, a clear sense of what is urgent, and a written quote. Being close by in Cairnlea, we can usually fit in a Footscray inspection without a long wait. The visit is on us, and you are free to say no.
If the inspection shows tiles cracking all over, pointing gone on every ridge and several areas letting in water, fixing it bit by bit becomes a losing game, and restoring the lot is cheaper over time.
On a postwar cement tile roof, we wash the surface back with high-pressure water, change the broken tiles, new bedding and flexible pointing on the ridges, valley and flashing repairs, and then sealer, primer and a colour coat. For period terracotta, we will tell you honestly whether coating is right for the tile, or whether a clean, repair and repoint is the better way to keep its character. Either way, the cost is far below that of a new roof.
Read about our dedicated roof restoration in Footscray for more.
Whether your house is near Footscray Park, off Barkly Street or a few blocks from the station, 0421 990 207 will reach us directly. We are close, so it rarely takes long to get to you. Tell us what you have noticed, whether it is a stain on the ceiling or a tile on the lawn, and we will bring the right materials for the job.
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.