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Lismore, New South Wales

Roofers in LismoreBuilt high for the river. The roof still has to handle the rain.

The NSW SES calls Lismore one of the most flood prone urban centres in Australia, with about 155 flood events in the CBD since 1850. The river gets the headlines, but it's the rain behind each flood that finds the weak spots in a roof: 324.8 mm fell in 18 hours in March 2017. Many homes here are high-set timber houses with wraparound verandahs, which means a lot of roof to look after. Tell us what's happening and we'll look for a local roofer who specialises in that exact job, where we have one around Lismore.

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What's different about Lismore roofs?

The houses. Many Lismore homes are high-set weatherboard houses with living space upstairs and the ground level open underneath, and most have wraparound verandahs. Plenty of those understoreys have since been closed in for garages or extra rooms.

A wraparound verandah adds a second roof line with its own gutter and its own join to the main roof. That join, and the flashing along it, is where water often finds its way in.

The rain. Lismore averages 1,343.1 mm a year, with March the wettest month at 188.4 mm over 15.6 rain days. Mean afternoon humidity is 54%, rising to 61% in February.

Lismore's floods and storms, in numbers

February 2022

The Wilsons River peaked at 14.37 m at the Lismore Rowing Club gauge, the highest flood on record, against 12.27 m in 1954 and 12.15 m in 1974. On 28 February, 2,823 properties were affected, and four people died in Lismore in the 2022 floods.

The levees

The CBD levee, built in 2005 for minor and moderate floods, has been overtopped three times. In 2022 the water rose more than three metres above the South Lismore levee, which dates from 1975, and North Lismore has no levee at all.

Ex-Tropical Cyclone Debbie, 2017

On 31 March 2017 the river peaked at 11.59 m and breached the CBD levee for the first time. The 324.8 mm that fell in the 18 hours to 3am made it Lismore's wettest March day in more than 100 years.

Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, 2025

The Wilsons reached 9.31 m in March 2025, and Nimbin Post Office in the hinterland recorded rainfall with a 500-year probability.

After a flood, before anyone cleans the roof

Floods and storms can damage asbestos cement, and a house built before 1990 probably has some. It's illegal in every state to water-blast it, or to go at it with brooms or power tools in an uncontrolled way. Have suspect sheeting tested by an accredited lab before any cleaning or repair starts, and keep people away from broken pieces.

Jobs that come up most in Lismore

Leak repairs after big rain, especially where verandah roofs meet the house. See roof leak repair and flashing and valley repairs.

Gutters and downpipes that can't keep up. When a March downpour arrives, undersized or blocked downpipes overflow into eaves and walls. Downpipes explains the fix.

Old corrugated roofs on outbuildings and extensions, some of which may be asbestos cement rather than steel. Is my roof asbestos? is the place to start.

What we'd do with a Lismore roof

We'd have the verandah junctions, flashings and downpipes checked before summer, because that's where the March rain gets in. If any part of the house predates 1990, we'd get suspect sheeting tested before anyone cleans or cuts it. And we'd plan roof work around what you can fund now, since the Resilient Homes Program grants closed on 14 August 2026.

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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.

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Questions

Straight answers.

Can I still get a Resilient Homes grant for my Lismore house?
No. The program offered Home Raising grants of up to $100,000 and Home Retrofit grants of up to $50,000, both including GST, but applications closed on 14 August 2026.
Someone knocked on my door offering to fix storm damage. Should I agree?
Be careful. The Insurance Council warns that 'disaster chasers' knock on doors claiming to have found damage, and they're often unlicensed. If you do agree at the door to work over $100, you can usually cancel within 10 business days, and they can't start or take payment in that time. That protection can fall away for urgent work after a declared state of emergency, so speak to your insurer first.
Do I need a licensed roofer in Lismore?
Roof plumbing, roof tiling and roof slating are separate licence categories, so check on Verify NSW that the licence covers your job.

Ready for a roofer to look at it in Lismore?

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Related help

Helpful next

Roof leak repairWhy roofs leak, how a roofer tracks down the source, and what to ask before the fix.Flashing and valley repairsLeaks around chimneys, skylights, walls and valleys: how flashing and valley irons get fixed or replaced.Downpipes and rainwater headsBlocked, rusted or overflowing downpipes, what rainwater heads are for, and how each problem is fixed.Is my roof asbestos?Build date, Super Six, cement slates and eaves: how to tell if your roof could be asbestos.Storm damage roof claimsHow a storm damage roof claim works, from the first call and photos to timeframes and complaints.Roofers in New South WalesThe $5,000 and $20,000 lines, HBCF cover, deposits and roof licence categories in NSW.

Where this information comes from

Every fact and rule on this page comes from the sources above, checked on the dates shown. How we write and check these pages.

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