Roof Replacement & Re-Roofing
Full re-roofing in tile or marine-grade Colorbond for Illawarra homes — from the storm-exposed escarpment face to the salt-air southern suburbs.
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More services
Explore our other services
Roof Repairs
Leak repairs, broken and slipped tiles, flashing, and ridge caps across Wollongong's diverse mid-century housing stock.
Learn more →Metal & Colorbond Roofing
Marine-grade Colorbond installations for coastal and industrial-south properties — Port Kembla, Warrawong, Thirroul, Austinmer, and Coledale where salt-air corrosion demands a purpose-rated finish.
Learn more →Gutter Guard & Leaf Guard
Purpose-fitted leaf guard for escarpment-foot suburbs — Mount Keira, Keiraville, Figtree, Mangerton — and the escarpment-village strip (Coledale, Austinmer, Bulli) where eucalypt and rainforest litter blocks gutters year-round.
Learn more →Roof Leak Detection & Repair
Systematic leak tracing and repair across all roof types; fast response for Wollongong homes following Illawarra storm events.
Learn more →Skylight Installation
Skylight supply and installation on tile and metal roofs throughout the Illawarra, with weatherproofing suited to the escarpment-coast climate.
Learn more →Bring a tired Illawarra tile roof back to life
Ridge mortar that grits into the gutters every time it rains. A southern slope thick with moss. Tiles faded and porous after decades of Illawarra weather. These aren't cosmetic problems — they're the early stages of a leaking roof. Restoration is the smart middle ground between living with it and paying for a full re-roof.
Illawarra Roofing Co restores terracotta and concrete tile roofs right across Wollongong — Corrimal, Fairy Meadow, Towradgi, Bellambi and the wider mid-century suburbs. A proper restoration can add ten years or more of service life at a fraction of replacement cost. Call (02) 4210 5297 to book your free inspection and find out where yours stands.
Why coastal-and-escarpment tile roofs need it
The Illawarra's climate is hard on tile in two ways at once. The damp, the sea mist and the shade from the escarpment behind the city grow moss and lichen fast — faster than on a drier inland roof — and that growth holds moisture against the tiles. At the same time, salt-laden air works on the mortar and any metal valleys and flashings. Left long enough, the pointing crumbles, water finds the gaps, and a sound roof starts leaking.
A restoration resets all of that: clean tiles, fresh flexible pointing, sealed surfaces and a roof that sheds water the way it was built to.
The restoration process, step by step
- Inspection and quote — we assess tiles, mortar, valleys and flashing and give you a clear written price.
- High-pressure clean — years of moss, lichen and salt grime stripped back to sound tile.
- Repairs — broken, cracked and slipped tiles replaced; valleys and flashing checked.
- Rebed and repoint — ridge caps rebedded where needed and repointed with flexible pointing that copes with movement and weathering.
- Seal or coat — primer and sealer, or a full membrane and colour coat, to waterproof and refresh the tiles.
- Clean-up — gutters cleared, site left tidy.
When restoration is the wrong answer
Restoration is the right call on a sound roof that has weathered, not a roof that has failed. We will tell you to skip it and look at replacement instead when:
- The structure is going — soft battens or failed sarking under the tiles cannot be fixed with a surface coat.
- Tiles are breaking faster than they can be matched — widespread delamination on old concrete tile is past coating.
- Corrosion has taken the valleys and flashings throughout — common on long-neglected coastal roofs, where metal does the leaking, not the tiles.
A coat over a dying roof just hides the problem and wastes your money — so we are upfront when that is what we find.
Honest advice on cost
Restoration price depends on roof size, pitch, tile type, access and how much repair is needed before the coating goes on. A modest single-storey concrete tile roof in Unanderra sits at one end; a steep, extensively cracked terracotta roof on a tight escarpment block in Mangerton sits at the other. Repointing and rebedding are typically priced by the metre and access charges apply on two-storey or steep roofs, so the inspection figure reflects your actual roof. We do not quote blind — we inspect, then give you a real number. Call (02) 4210 5297 for your free inspection.
Local and accountable
We are an Illawarra team and every restoration is licensed and insured with a workmanship warranty. If the inspection shows your roof is too far gone to coat, we will say so and talk you through roof replacement instead. We also handle roof repairs and cover the whole service area, including Corrimal, Fairy Meadow, Towradgi and Mangerton.
Ready to refresh your roof? Call (02) 4210 5297 to book a free inspection.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
How long does a roof restoration take?
Most Illawarra tile roof restorations run three to five working days, weather permitting — and on the coast that means planning around the rain bands an East Coast Low brings. Larger homes, steep pitches and extensive tile or mortar repairs add time. You get a realistic timeframe with your quote.
What's included in a full restoration?
A high-pressure clean to strip moss, lichen and salt grime; replacement of broken and slipped tiles; rebedding and repointing of the ridge caps with flexible pointing; and a sealer or membrane coat to waterproof and re-colour the tiles. We finish by clearing the gutters and cleaning up.
Will restoration sort out my leaks?
Usually, yes. Most leaks on ageing Illawarra tile roofs come from failed ridge mortar, cracked tiles or worn valleys — all of which a restoration addresses. If a leak traces to a deeper structural issue, we find it during the free inspection and tell you straight rather than coating over it.
How much does a roof restoration cost in Wollongong?
It depends on roof size, pitch, tile type and how much repair is needed before any coating goes on. The work is priced from its parts — repointing and rebedding are commonly charged by the metre, individual tile replacements add up, valley work runs into the low four figures, and two-storey or steep escarpment access carries a setup charge. A modest single-storey concrete tile roof sits well below a steep, extensively cracked terracotta roof. We inspect and itemise rather than quote a flat rate.
Terracotta or concrete tile — does the restoration differ?
Yes. Concrete tiles are porous and benefit most from a sealer and colour coat that waterproofs and refreshes them. Glazed terracotta usually does not take a colour coat the same way, so restoration there focuses on cleaning, replacing broken tiles and renewing the bedding and pointing rather than painting. We tell you which approach genuinely suits your tiles instead of coating everything.
Is high-pressure cleaning safe for old Illawarra tiles?
On sound tiles, a controlled high-pressure clean is the right way to strip decades of moss, lichen and salt grime. On very old or brittle terracotta we ease off and adjust technique so we are not driving water under tiles or cracking them. The point is a clean, sound surface to point and seal onto — not blasting a fragile roof.
Free, no-obligation