Why storm repairs keep Brisbane roofers busy
One afternoon in November 2014
When the supercell struck on 27 November 2014, Archerfield Airport took the worst of it, with seven small planes flipped over. Across the city, at least 22,000 homes and more than 50,000 cars were damaged. If your roof was patched in a hurry after that storm rather than properly repaired, it's worth a fresh look.
Big hail days keep coming back
Hail isn't a rare event in Brisbane.
Tiles crack, metal dents
On a tiled roof, hail and flying branches crack individual tiles, and Monier says only the damaged tiles need replacing. On Colorbond, BlueScope says hail dents don't usually shorten the roof's life, but large dents on a low-pitched roof can hold water, and bent overlaps can let rain in. A good roofer tells you which damage matters and which is cosmetic.
What a Brisbane repair visit usually involves
On tiles, it's swapping cracked tiles, re-fixing a few ridge caps and clearing or resealing a valley. On metal, it's replacing popped or rusted screws, re-fixing lifted sheets and resealing the flashings around vents and skylights. Older terracotta and discontinued concrete profiles can be hard to match, so ask about that early.
If damage puts people or the building's structure at risk, Queensland's Planning Act 2016 lets emergency building work start without the usual approvals, as long as council is told in writing soon after. For a simple tarp, your insurer may be able to arrange it, so ring them first.
Questions to ask a Brisbane roofer about a repair
- Which QBCC licence class do you hold, roof tiling or roof and wall cladding, and what's the number?
- Will you photograph the damage and write it up so I can send it to my insurer?
- Is this storm damage, wear and tear, or a bit of both?
- If the job comes to more than $3,300, will you give me a written contract with home warranty cover?
- Can you match my existing tiles or sheets, and what happens if you can't?
What we'd do after a Brisbane storm
We'd ring the insurer first, take photos from the ground, and get a roofer to look at it in dry weather. If hail has been through, we'd want the whole roof checked, not just the spot that's dripping, because cracked tiles and bent laps are easy to miss. Our national roof repairs page covers the different repair types, and the Brisbane hub explains what else is different about roofs here.
Want a roofer to take a look?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match it with a Find My Roofer certified roofer who specialises in that kind of work, and they call you to quote. Your number goes to them alone.