Lalor's postwar and 1960s homes were built to be practical, and their roofs have earned a bit of attention by now. We tackle cracked tiles, crumbling ridges and leaky valleys, and when the whole roof is tired we recoat it, with every price set out in writing.
No Fees. No Obligation. Open 7 Days a Week.
Lalor has an unusual back story. After the war, the Peter Lalor Home Building Co-operative bought farmland east of the railway line and its members built their own homes, often on weekends, from 1947 onwards. Many of those houses are still standing in the streets near the station, and the suburb filled out through the 1950s and 1960s with brick veneers and cream-brick family homes. Later units and townhouses joined them, but the bulk of Lalor’s roofs are now well past fifty.
A roof that age can still have plenty of life in it, as long as somebody sorts out the bits that have worn. That is where we start. We come up to Lalor, inspect the roof tile by tile, photograph every weak point and tell you, without spin, whether a few repairs will see it through or whether the time has come to restore the whole thing.
No obligation · Same-day response · Open 7 days
The co-operative builders and the developers who followed them used the materials of their day: concrete or terracotta tiles bedded on sand-and-cement or lime mortar, with galvanised valleys and flashings. All perfectly sound at the time. But mortar shrinks and powders with age, galvanising wears away, and concrete tiles slowly lose their surface layer.
By now, many Lalor roofs show all three at once. Caps can be lifted by hand. Valleys have pinholes along the fold where water sat for years. Tiles absorb moisture, grow lichen on the shaded side and crack more easily when someone steps on them.
The suburb’s spot between Darebin Creek and Merri Creek means some streets have big eucalypts and plenty of leaf drop, while others are fairly open to northerly winds coming across from the edge of the city. Both add wear. Chimneys from old wood heaters, many no longer used, are another common source of leaks as their flashings perish.
A lot of Lalor roofs only need a handful of jobs done well. We regularly handle:
We show you photos of each problem and each fix, so you are never paying for something you have not seen.
We put a ladder up and spend proper time on your roof. The tiles, ridge caps, hips, valleys, chimney and gutters all get a hands-on check, and we photograph anything we are not happy with. Then we sit down at the kitchen table and walk you through the pictures, explaining which items matter now and which can wait a year or two. You will have our written quote within a day or so. We charge nothing for coming out, and we will not chase you.
Sometimes we come down the ladder with less welcome news. Ridges failing nearly everywhere, tiles furry with lichen and soft with age, two or three separate damp patches inside: on a roof like that, patching is a false economy, and restoring the whole thing makes far more sense for a Lalor home.
The job runs in stages. Day one is usually a thorough pressure clean, which strips away years of lichen and grime. Day two onwards, split tiles get swapped (we keep a stock of second-hand profiles for older Lalor roofs), every cap is lifted and re-laid, and rusted valleys are cut out and renewed. Last come the coatings: sealer, primer and the colour you picked, from classic terracotta red to a modern grey. Owners are often startled by how different the house looks from the footpath, and the bill is only a fraction of re-roofing.
Read more about roof restoration in Lalor.
Our business is small and owner-led, and that is deliberate. Our owner, a roofer for over a quarter-century, inspects every Lalor job and is on the roof while the work gets done. No subcontractors you have never met.
What you get: an inspection on the roof at no cost, pictures of everything, a typed quote containing real work only, a licensed and insured team, and quality-assured work. Your veggie patch and lawn are protected under drop sheets, and every broken tile and scrap of mortar leaves with us.
From our base in Cairnlea we cover the northern suburbs, Lalor included. To set up a time, call 0421 990 207.
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.