Reservoir was largely built in the decades after the war, and a huge number of those roofs are still on their first set of cement or terracotta tiles. We patch what can be patched, restore what has had its day, and explain the choice honestly.
No Fees. No Obligation. Open 7 Days a Week.
Drive along High Street, Plenty Road or the side streets near Edwardes Lake Park and the pattern is obvious. Street after street of weatherboard and brick-veneer homes from the 1940s, 50s and 60s, many with low-pitched cement tile roofs that have never been touched.
Most of those roofs are approaching the point where something has to give, and our job is to work out what. Sometimes it is a handful of cracked tiles and a ridge line that needs rebuilding. Sometimes the tiles themselves are so porous and mossy that repairing them one at a time is a poor use of your money. We inspect your Reservoir roof, take photos, and explain both options in plain English so you can choose with confidence. We are happy to make the trip across from Cairnlea for every inspection.
No obligation · Same-day response · Open 7 days
Postwar builders worked fast and with the materials available, and on the whole they did a good job. But a cement tile roof laid in 1955 has now been through roughly seventy Melbourne summers and winters. The original surface coating has long since worn off, the tiles absorb water, and the sand and cement mortar under the ridge caps has dried out and cracked.
Reservoir’s mature street trees and backyards add leaves to the mix, which clog valleys and gutters. The northern suburbs also cop their fair share of storms rolling in from the north and west, and those gusts are hard on loose ridges and slipped tiles. Many homes have had extensions or patch repairs over the years, sometimes with mismatched tiles or a lot of silicone, and those joins are a regular source of leaks too.
We fix the cause, not just the stain on the ceiling. Common repair jobs include:
Leak tracing: following water back to the cracked tile, failed ridge or lifted flashing responsible. Tile replacement: swapping broken cement or terracotta tiles for matching ones, including salvaged tiles for older profiles. Ridges: lifting caps that have come loose, laying fresh mortar and sealing them over with flexible pointing. Valley and flashing repairs: replacing rusted valleys and sealing flashings around chimneys, walls and extensions. Storm damage: making the roof safe straight away, then repairing it properly. Gutters: scooping out the leaf sludge that builds up under big street trees.
You will get photos of what was wrong and what we did about it.
Low-pitched postwar roofs are easy to walk carefully, so we cover all of it: tiles, ridges, hips, valleys, flashings, the joins where extensions meet the old roof, and the gutters. Anything wrong is photographed.
Once we are down, you hear what we found in simple terms and see the photos. We point out the jobs that cannot wait and the ones that can, then send prices for repairs and, if relevant, a restoration, so you can compare. You pay nothing for the visit and owe us nothing afterwards.
For many postwar Reservoir homes, a full restoration is the sweet spot between ongoing repairs and the expense of a new roof. If the tiles are porous across the board and most ridges are failing, it simply makes sense to fix everything at once.
The process runs from the top down: a thorough wash with the pressure cleaner, fresh tiles where old ones have cracked, ridges rebuilt with new bedding and flexible pointing, metal valleys and flashings sorted, and finally the three-part coating system. Many owners use the opportunity to update a tired red or brown roof to a modern grey or charcoal. You keep the original structure and pay well under what a replacement roof would cost.
Read more about our roof restoration in Reservoir.
When you ring Ultra Finish, the person who answers is the person who will climb your roof and run the job. Two and a half decades in the trade have taught us that this is the simplest way to keep standards high.
Inspections happen on the roof and come with photos. Quotes arrive in writing and do not pad the job with extras. We hold the right licence and insurance, we quality-check our work, and we look after your garden beds, paths and driveway while the crew is on site.
Live anywhere from Edwardes Lake across to the Darebin Creek? Ring 0421 990 207 and we will get you on the inspection list for Reservoir.
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.