Planning ranges for 2026
The table below gives broad planning bands for the roofing jobs Melbourne homeowners ask about most. They apply to a typical single-storey house in metropolitan Melbourne and are shown in Australian dollars including GST. Treat them as a guide for early budgeting only. Every roof is different, and an on-site quote is the only reliable price.
| Job | Typical scope | Planning range (AUD, incl. GST) |
|---|---|---|
| Roof repairs | Leak tracing, replacing tiles, re-sealing flashings, small re-pointing | $400 – $2,500 |
| Tile roof restoration | Repairs, re-bed or re-point ridges, clean, optional coating | $5,000 – $12,000 |
| Metal or Colorbond re-roof | Including tile-to-steel conversions | $20,000 – $45,000 |
| Re-tiling | New concrete or terracotta tiles | $30,000 – $65,000 |
| Slate replacement or asbestos roof removal and replacement | Specialist and regulated work | From $40,000, often considerably more |
A few notes on reading the table:
- The bands overlap with real-world variation. A small, simple roof can come in under a band; a large or awkward one can sit above it.
- Restoration and replacement are different jobs. Compare a restoration quote with other restoration quotes, not with a re-roof.
- The final row is open-ended on purpose. Slate and asbestos jobs vary so widely that a ceiling would be misleading.
What each job usually covers
Roof repairs
Repairs fix a specific problem: a leak around a chimney flashing, a handful of cracked tiles after a hailstorm, a lifted sheet or a short stretch of failed ridge pointing. Finding the source of a leak is often the hardest part, because water travels along battens and sarking before it shows on a ceiling. See roof repairs.
Tile roof restoration
A restoration brings an ageing but structurally sound tile roof back into good order. Broken tiles are replaced, ridge and hip caps are re-bedded or re-pointed, the roof is cleaned and, if the owner chooses, coated. Our article on full roof restoration explains when restoration is worthwhile and when it is not.
Metal or Colorbond re-roof
This covers replacing an old steel roof, or stripping tiles and converting to steel. It typically includes new sheets, a blanket for heat and noise, new flashings and ridge capping, and often new battens on conversions. Gutters and downpipes may or may not be included, so check. More detail is on our Colorbond roofing page.
Re-tiling
Re-tiling replaces the existing roof with new concrete or terracotta tiles. Terracotta generally sits towards the upper part of the band. The job usually includes sarking, battens where needed, bedding and pointing of ridges, and valley irons.
Slate and asbestos
Slate is slow, skilled work, often on inner-suburb terraces with tight access and box gutters. Asbestos removal adds a licensed, regulated stage before the new roof is installed. Under WorkSafe Victoria's rules, removing more than 10 square metres of non-friable asbestos requires a licensed removalist, and EPA Victoria regulates transport and disposal. See asbestos roof removal and replacement.
What moves the price
Two houses on the same street can receive very different quotes. These are the main reasons.
Size, pitch and storeys
More roof area means more material and more labour. Steep pitches are slower to work on and need more safety equipment. A double-storey home needs taller scaffold and more time spent lifting materials up and bringing old roofing down.
Access, scaffold and edge protection
Safe work at height is not optional. Scaffold and edge protection are a real part of the cost, and they cost more when side paths are narrow, neighbours are close or the ground slopes. Inner-suburb terraces and homes on tight blocks in newer estates are common examples.
Roof complexity
Every hip, valley, dormer, skylight, flue and change of level means more cutting, more flashing and more time. A simple gable roof is the cheapest shape to replace; a roof with many intersecting planes is among the dearest.
Battens, sarking and the frame
Once the old covering is off, the contractor can see the battens and rafters. Rotten or undersized timber needs replacing. Converting from tiles to steel usually means new battens. Sarking under tiles and a blanket under steel add materials but improve performance.
Gutters, fascias and downpipes
Including these in the same job adds to the total, but it is often better value than paying for scaffold twice. Our page on gutter replacement covers this.
Asbestos, heritage and disposal
- Asbestos adds licensed removal, air monitoring where required and regulated disposal.
- Heritage requirements may specify particular materials or detailing, and a planning permit may be needed in a Heritage Overlay.
- Disposal of heavy tiles or large volumes of sheeting adds tip and transport costs.
How Melbourne house types tend to sit within the bands
Without pricing any individual home, some patterns are worth knowing:
- Post-war cream-brick and 1960s–80s brick veneer homes with original concrete tiles are the most common candidates for either a restoration or a tile-to-steel conversion. Simple hip roofs on single-storey homes like these often sit in the lower half of the relevant band.
- Californian bungalows in the inner east often carry terracotta, with more complex rooflines and front gables. Re-tiling them in terracotta tends to push towards the upper part of the re-tiling band.
- Victorian and Edwardian terraces in the inner north and around Richmond frequently mean slate, box gutters, party walls and tight access, which is why they fall into the open-ended final row.
- Newer double-storey homes in the south-east growth corridor and the western suburbs usually have steel roofs in reasonable condition; when work is needed, scaffold height becomes a bigger share of the cost.
Location matters at the margins too. Homes near the bay may need coastal-grade steel and fixings, and properties in a Bushfire Management Overlay may need extra ember-resistant detailing set by their Bushfire Attack Level under AS 3959.
How to compare quotes
Line the quotes up against the same checklist:
- Exact material, profile and colour.
- Whether battens, sarking or blanket are included.
- Flashings, ridge capping and valleys.
- Gutters, fascias and downpipes, in or out.
- Scaffold and edge protection.
- Removal and disposal of the old roof.
- Who handles any building or planning permit.
- Payment stages and how variations are priced.
- The roof plumber's registration and a compliance certificate for qualifying plumbing work.
Roof plumbing registration in Victoria passed from the Victorian Building Authority to the Building and Plumbing Commission in 2025, so check the current register directly.
Why a band is not a quote
A planning band is built from typical conditions. Your roof may have hidden timber damage, a box gutter that needs rebuilding, asbestos in the eaves or an access problem nobody could see from the street. Only an inspection reveals those things. Use the bands to decide whether a project is broadly within reach, then get real quotes.
Roof Repair Melbourne VIC arranges free on-site quotes from independent local contractors. We ask them to hold the registrations and insurance their work needs; please sight these yourself before work begins. To find out what your roof will actually cost, request a quote.