Start with the roof, not the roofer
Before you contact anyone, get clear on what you are dealing with. A roofer who is excellent on steel may have little slate experience, and a tiling crew may not be the right fit for a gutter and fascia job.
Note down:
- the roofing material and roughly when it went on,
- the house era, such as a Victorian terrace, a Californian bungalow, a post-war cream-brick home or a recent estate build,
- what prompted the call: leaks, storm damage, rust, broken tiles, sagging, or a planned upgrade,
- whether gutters, fascia, downpipes or solar panels are involved,
- any overlays you know about, such as heritage or bushfire.
That short description makes your shortlist sharper and lets every contractor quote the same job. If you are still unsure whether you need a replacement at all, the roof replacement vs repair guide is a sensible first read.
Step 1: build a shortlist of two or three
Look for contractors whose work matches your roof type and who regularly work in your part of Melbourne. Someone based in the south-east who often works around Berwick and Pakenham will know the estate builds there; a contractor used to the inner east will be more familiar with heritage streets and tight access.
Personal recommendations from neighbours who had similar work done are useful, especially if you can see the finished roof from the street. Online listings are fine as a starting point but are not a substitute for the checks below.
It is also fair to ask a contractor for the street addresses of two or three roofs they have finished recently, ideally on houses similar to yours. You do not need to knock on doors. A slow drive past will show you how neat the ridge lines are, whether flashings sit flush against walls, and whether gutters run straight with a visible fall towards the downpipes. On a tiled roof, look for even rows and tidy pointing along the hips. On steel, look for straight sheet laps and clean cut edges at the gutter line.
Timing plays a part too. Contractors tend to be busiest after major storms and in the drier months, so if your job is not urgent, the best time of year to replace your roof is worth a look before you start booking visits.
Step 2: verify registration
This is the single most important check. In Victoria, roof plumbing (sheet roofing, flashings, gutters, valleys and downpipes) is regulated work, and the person doing it should be registered or licensed in the roofing (stormwater) class.
Registration was administered by the Victorian Building Authority. Since 2025 those functions have sat with the Building and Plumbing Commission, so use the current public register. When you search, confirm:
- the practitioner's name matches the person or business quoting,
- the registration class covers roofing (stormwater),
- the status is current, not suspended or expired,
- any conditions or disciplinary notes listed.
If the business is a company, ask which registered practitioner will be responsible for the plumbing work and search that person's name.
Step 3: run an ABN lookup
The Australian Business Register search is free and takes a minute. Check that the ABN on the quote is active, that the legal entity name matches the business you are dealing with, and whether it is registered for GST if GST appears on the quote. A brand-new ABN is not automatically a problem, but combined with other doubts it is worth noting.
Step 4: sight the insurance certificates
Ask each shortlisted contractor to email a copy of their current certificate of currency for public liability insurance. Check the insured name, the policy period and the type of cover. Ask, too, whether their workers are covered by WorkSafe Victoria workers compensation insurance.
For larger domestic building jobs, Victorian law may require domestic building insurance and a written major domestic building contract. If your job is substantial, ask whether those requirements apply and request the paperwork.
The contractors we refer are expected to carry the registrations and insurance appropriate to the work, but the final check belongs to you. A legitimate business will not mind sending the documents.
Step 5: compare quotes properly
Quotes in Melbourne vary for many reasons: materials, access, roof pitch, height, the amount of timber repair expected, and how much is included. Comparing totals alone rarely tells you which offer is better value.
| What to compare | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Product names and profiles | Two "steel roofs" can differ in coating, thickness and finish |
| Sarking and insulation | Often left off cheaper quotes |
| Flashings, valleys, ridge capping | Reusing old flashings can shorten the life of a new roof |
| Gutters and downpipes | Included, optional or excluded? |
| Timber repairs | Fixed allowance, rate per metre, or not mentioned |
| Access and scaffolding | Two-storey and steep roofs need more safety equipment |
| Waste and disposal | Especially important if asbestos is suspected |
| Payment schedule | Deposits and progress payments tied to stages |
| Warranty terms | Material and workmanship terms, in writing |
The roof replacement cost guide explains what pushes each of these items up or down.
Step 6: watch for red flags
Most roofers are honest tradespeople, but a few patterns should make you pause:
- Storm chasers. After a big hailstorm or a night of strong north-westerlies, unsolicited door-knockers appear in affected suburbs offering quick fixes. Verify before you engage anyone.
- Large cash deposits. Requests for big cash payments before materials are even ordered.
- No written contract. Or a contract that leaves the scope vague.
- Scare tactics. Claims that the roof could collapse any day, without evidence.
- Unregistered plumbing work. Offers to "just do the gutters" without registration.
- Pressure to skip permits. Suggestions that a permit is unnecessary "because nobody checks".
- Clean-and-coat on asbestos. Offers to water blast and paint an old fibre cement roof, which is unsafe and should never happen.
Step 7: ask the right questions on site
Use the site visit to test knowledge and communication. Our list of 10 questions to ask before hiring a roofing company gives you a ready-made script, covering scope, permits, payments, warranties and handover documents.
Communication counts
A roof replacement usually runs for several days, sometimes longer when weather intervenes, and you will be dealing with the contractor throughout. Notice how quickly each business replies to your emails, whether quotes arrive when promised, and whether you get clear answers to follow-up questions. A contractor who is slow and vague before you have signed is unlikely to become prompt and precise afterwards.
It is also worth asking who your day-to-day contact will be once work starts. On larger jobs the person who quoted may not be on site, so you want the name and number of whoever is running the crew, and an understanding of how they will tell you about delays, variations or anything found under the old roof.
Making the final call
Once the checks are done, the decision often comes down to confidence. Which contractor explained your roof most clearly? Who was specific about materials and fixings? Who gave you a written scope you could understand without a follow-up call? Price matters, but on a roof expected to last decades, clarity and competence matter more.
Roof Repair Melbourne VIC is a referral service that arranges free on-site quotes from independent local roofing contractors, so you get comparable written quotes without chasing them yourself. We do not perform the roofing work. Request a visit through contact us, or browse our re-roofing page first.