Residential service
Roof Painting in Melbourne
A properly restored and coated roof transforms a home from the street and adds years to the life of the roof itself. Full clean, repointing and repairs, primer and premium membrane coatings.
Why roofs get painted
Roof coating serves two purposes. It seals a porous, ageing surface against water absorption, and it restores the appearance of the largest single visible element of your house. An old, moss-covered, faded concrete tile roof drags down the look of an otherwise well-maintained home more than any other single factor.
On concrete tiles, the factory colour layer is a thin surface coat that erodes over 15 to 25 years, leaving a porous grey substrate that holds water and grows moss and lichen. A membrane system re-seals it. On Colorbond and older galvanised metal roofs, a coating system restores colour and arrests surface corrosion before it becomes perforation.
What a roof painting project includes
Roof work is more than paint. The preparation and repair stage is where the value sits, and it is where cheap operators cut.
- Full roof inspection with photographic report of condition and defects
- High-pressure clean to remove moss, lichen, dirt and loose surface material
- Replacement of broken, cracked or slipped tiles
- Re-bedding and flexible re-pointing of ridge capping where required
- Valley iron inspection and replacement if rusted through
- Anti-fungal treatment to inhibit regrowth
- Sealer or primer coat to bind the porous surface
- Two coats of premium roof membrane, sprayed for even coverage
- Gutter and downpipe clean-out on completion
Roof painting versus roof restoration
These terms get used interchangeably by a lot of operators, which is not helpful when you are comparing quotes. Roof painting strictly means clean and coat. Roof restoration means the repair work as well — tile replacement, re-bedding, re-pointing and valley work — followed by the coating.
Almost every tile roof over 20 years old genuinely needs restoration rather than painting alone, because the mortar bedding under the ridge capping will have failed. Coating over failed pointing looks fine for a season and then cracks. When you compare a $2,800 quote against a $7,500 quote, the difference is usually that one of them includes the repointing and one does not. Ask.
Tile roofs and metal roofs
Concrete and terracotta tiles take a different system. Concrete tiles are porous and accept a sealer plus acrylic membrane readily. Glazed terracotta is non-porous and generally should not be painted at all — it should be cleaned and repointed, and we will tell you that rather than sell you a coating that will not adhere.
Colorbond and metal roofs need a different approach again: degreasing, rust treatment and conversion where corrosion is present, an etch or metal primer, then a compatible topcoat. Using a tile membrane on a metal roof is a common shortcut and it fails.
Safety and access
Roof work is the highest-risk work we do. Every roof project is completed with appropriate height-safety measures, anchor points or edge protection, and full public liability and workers cover in place. Ask any roof painter for their insurance certificate before they set foot on your property — an uninsured fall on your roof is your problem.
Our process, start to finish
- 01
On-site inspection
We walk the job with you, measure up, check surface condition and note anything that needs repair before a brush is lifted.
- 02
Written scope and quote
You receive an itemised quote listing surfaces, coats, products and inclusions — so you know exactly what you are paying for.
- 03
Protection and preparation
Floors, fixtures and landscaping are covered. Preparation is the stage that decides how long the finish lasts, so it is never rushed.
- 04
Application
Primers and topcoats applied to manufacturer specification, in the right conditions, with the correct number of coats.
- 05
Quality inspection
We inspect cut-ins, edges and coverage in natural light and correct anything that falls short before we call it finished.
- 06
Final walkthrough
We walk the completed job with you, hand over touch-up paint and colour records, and only invoice once you are happy.
Roof Painting — indicative pricing
These are indicative price ranges only. Every project is individually quoted after an on-site inspection — scope, condition and access change the number significantly.
| Project | Indicative range |
|---|---|
| Small roof — clean and coat | $2,500 – $5,000+ |
| Standard family home roofRestoration and coating | $4,500 – $10,000+ |
| Large or complex roof | $10,000 – $15,000+ |
| Metal / Colorbond roof | $3,000 – $12,000+ |
| Re-bedding and re-pointing only | $1,800 – $6,000+ |
Frequently asked questions
How long does roof paint last?
A properly prepared and coated tile roof using a quality membrane system typically holds up for 10 to 15 years. Metal roofs are similar. Longevity depends almost entirely on the quality of the clean and the primer coat, not the brand on the tin.
Can you paint a terracotta roof?
Glazed terracotta generally should not be painted — the glaze prevents proper adhesion and the coating will flake. Unglazed terracotta can be coated. We will assess yours honestly and recommend cleaning and repointing instead if that is the right call.
Does roof painting fix leaks?
Not on its own. Leaks usually come from cracked tiles, failed pointing, rusted valleys or flashing problems. Those are repaired as part of a restoration before any coating goes on. Coating over a leak does not fix it.
How long does a roof project take?
Most residential roofs take three to five working days across cleaning, repairs, drying and coating. Weather adds time, since we cannot spray a wet roof.
Will a lighter roof colour reduce heat?
Yes, measurably. A lighter or heat-reflective roof coating reduces surface temperature and can lower roof-space heat load in summer, which matters most on homes with limited ceiling insulation.
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