What the bay and the past mean for Brighton roofs
Exposed water, not calm
BlueScope's salt marine table lists Port Phillip Bay from Altona to Portsea as exposed marine. In metro Victoria only Williamstown, the Yarra and the Maribyrnong are listed as calm, and BlueScope calls the table a guide only.
Storms on the record
eMelbourne says a 1904 storm battered Green Point, the shore, the baths and the bathing boxes, and the Middle Brighton baths had to be rebuilt in 1936 after storm damage.
The 1918 tornado
On 2 February 1918 a tornado demolished numerous Brighton homes, tore the roof off the Royal Terminus Hotel and killed two people. The damage was later rated F3, and eMelbourne says it cut a swathe far inland.
Big blocks, few flats
Brighton's blocks are large, and eMelbourne says it had the lowest share of flats among middle-ring suburbs. At the 2021 Census, 57.2% of occupied dwellings were separate houses and 19.8% were flats or apartments.
Heritage down to the beach
Bayside had more than 1,500 properties in its Heritage Overlay in 2022. Even the 82 Dendy Street bathing boxes, with their timber frames and corrugated iron roofs, are under an overlay that restricts alterations.
Choosing steel near the water
BlueScope's roofing guide recommends standard COLORBOND (Classic or Matt) more than 200 m from exposed marine water, COLORBOND Ultra more than 100 m, and SUPERDURA Stainless at any distance. Distances are measured from the high water mark. Its gutter guide uses the same 200 m and 100 m lines for COLORBOND and Ultra gutters, downpipes and fascia.
Tiles don't rust. Monier says its concrete and terracotta tiles are salt safe, so on a tiled Brighton roof the things to watch are the metal parts: flashings, valleys, gutters and fixings.
A marine-grade product can cost more, so compare quotes on the same product. See Colorbond roofing in Melbourne and re-roofing in Melbourne.
Ask before you sign
- Which steel product is on the quote, and does it suit my distance from the high water mark?
- Will the manufacturer's warranty apply at my address?
- Are the gutter rivets and fixings compatible? BlueScope says stainless steel, lead and copper mustn't be used with COLORBOND gutters.
- Is my house, or my street, in a Bayside Heritage Overlay?
What we'd do in Brighton
If you're within a few hundred metres of the beach, we'd ask the roofer to measure your distance from the high water mark and name the exact steel product on the quote. Where it's borderline, we'd go one grade up. We'd also check the Heritage Overlay before choosing a new roof material, because in Bayside it's common.
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.
