What shapes a Frankston roof
Salt off the bay
Frankston sits on the eastern shore of Port Phillip, with one beach running from Olivers Hill to Seaford. BlueScope's salt marine bulletin lists Port Phillip Bay from Altona to Portsea as exposed water, not calm, so the same distances apply as for breaking surf. Its roofing guide recommends standard Colorbond more than 200 m from exposed marine, Colorbond Ultra more than 100 m, and Superdura Stainless at any distance.
Westerly gale days
When a gale blows from the west, swells of around two metres make Frankston one of the few spots on the bay you can surf. Those are the days a loose ridge cap or lifted flashing gives way.
A quick, cheap postwar boom
After World War II, cheap land and weak building inspection led to a burst of cheap housing, built while materials were short. The Housing Commission's pine plantation estate (now Frankston North) came from the 1950s, then the Karingal estate in the 1960s, when the shire's population jumped 35% in five years.
Olivers Hill and steep blocks
Olivers Hill rises to 55 metres, and landslips there closed lanes of the Nepean Highway in 2007, 2012 and 2015. Steep blocks and two-storey bay-view homes need scaffolding or edge protection, priced as its own line.
More than 70 heritage places
Frankston City has more than 70 heritage listed properties, including Roy Ground's 1953 round house on Olivers Hill. Under a Heritage Overlay, even repairs that change how a place looks may need a planning permit.
The roofing jobs that come up most in Frankston
Rust checks on fixings, flashings and gutters. Near salt, the small metal parts usually go first. BlueScope's maintenance bulletin says unwashed areas should be cleaned every three months in coastal areas with salt spray, against six-monthly elsewhere. See roof repairs in Melbourne and rusty roofs.
Restoring postwar and 1960s roofs. Where the roof itself is sound, roof restoration is usually better value than a new one.
Re-roofing in the right steel. Close to the water, the steel grade matters more than the colour. Re-roofing in Melbourne covers the choices.
Asbestos first, on older homes. Asbestos Victoria says a home built or renovated before 1990 likely contains asbestos, including in eaves, gutters and roof sheets. Get that answered before anyone cuts, drills or cleans.
What to ask a Frankston roofer
- Which steel suits my distance from the bay?
- Will new screws and flashings suit the roof? BlueScope says stainless steel, lead and copper mustn't be used with Colorbond or Zincalume gutters.
- Is my home under a Heritage Overlay, and does this work need a permit?
What we'd do in Frankston
If you live within a few streets of the beach, we'd have a roofer check fixings, flashings and gutters every couple of years, not just when something drips. Between visits, hose down the parts of the gutters and fascia the rain doesn't reach, from the ground. Before any re-roof, get the steel grade on the quote in writing.
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.
