Geelong homes and how restoration suits them
Herne Hill and the postwar brick suburbs
Herne Hill is mainly postwar, and after World War II Geelong families preferred newer brick houses. If one of those roofs is tiled and the tiles themselves are sound, it's the textbook restoration: the ridge and coating are what's worn out.
Manifold Heights and the 1920s streets
Manifold Heights was developed for housing in the 1920s. A roof that age may already have been patched or recoated, so ask the roofer to tell you what's under the last coat before you pay for another one.
Norlane, Corio and East Geelong
Government housing went up across these suburbs from the 1950s. Before anyone quotes a pressure clean, they should rule out asbestos cement on the roof and eaves, because it must never be water-blasted.
Ocean Grove and other homes near the surf
Salt air changes the job. Rusted fixings and flashings need treating or replacing before any coat goes on, and the coating should be one its maker supports close to breaking surf.
Hot summers and roof colour
A recoat changes how much heat the roof soaks up, and Geelong's record is 47.4 °C. A lighter colour is worth asking about if the house runs hot.
What the job looks like on a Geelong roof
On tiles, the roofer cleans the roof, swaps out cracked tiles, rebeds and repoints the ridge capping (relaying and sealing the mortar that holds the caps on), then primes and recoats. On metal, it's a clean, rust treatment, new screws where they've corroded, and a coating system made for steel.
Coatings need dry weather to cure. Geelong's rain mostly comes as light falls spread through the year, so a restoration can be pushed back a day or two at short notice. Ask how the roofer handles that before you book.
Consumer Affairs Victoria warns that roof re-coating has attracted some unethical operators. It suggests checking for a legitimate business name and address, and keeping the deposit to no more than about 10 per cent. Roofing isn't one of Victoria's exempt single trades either, so a restoration priced over $10,000 must be done by a builder registered with the Building and Plumbing Commission.
Ask these before you sign a Geelong restoration quote
- Which coating are you using, by brand and product name, and how many coats?
- How many tiles do you expect to replace, and will the new ones match?
- Have you checked the roof and eaves for asbestos cement?
- If we're close to the surf, is the coating approved for that exposure?
- Who takes the solar panels off and puts them back?
- What's your workmanship warranty, and will you put it in writing?
If it were our roof
On a sound postwar tiled roof in Geelong, we'd restore. On a 1920s roof, we'd want an honest read on the tiles first, because coating tiles that are crumbling is money gone. And on anything from the Housing Commission years in the northern suburbs, we'd get the asbestos question answered before collecting a single quote. You'll find more on the trade-offs in roof restoration.
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.