What makes Fremantle roofs different
A heritage city
The City's Heritage List holds approximately 2,500 places, and its Local Heritage Survey covers more than 5,000. The West End is on the State Register, alongside Arthur Head and over 280 other individual sites.
Gold rush and convict-era buildings
The Round House dates from 1831 and Fremantle Prison from the 1850s. The harbour was deepened in 1897, during the gold rush, and the West End's streets are late Victorian and Edwardian, many built in local limestone.
Mixed housing
In 2021, 39.9% of occupied homes were separate houses, 32.1% townhouses, terraces or similar, and 27.4% flats or apartments.
Ocean, river and the Doctor
Fremantle sits at the mouth of the Swan River with the Indian Ocean on its western side. The Fremantle Doctor sea breeze usually arrives between noon and 3pm.
When does a Fremantle roof job need planning approval?
The City's Local Planning Policy 1.7 lists works that don't need planning approval. Replacing or altering roofing is on it, but only if the roof form and pitch stay the same, and the place isn't on the State Register, the Heritage List or under a Heritage Order.
Inside a heritage area, the exemption also needs one of these to be true: the house isn't a contributory place, the work doesn't touch the original building exterior, it's like-for-like material, or it's swapping asbestos for corrugated zincalume or galvanised steel.
So a like-for-like repair on an unlisted house in a heritage area is usually straightforward. Re-roofing a listed cottage in a different material, or changing the roof shape, needs approval first. If you're unsure, ask the City's heritage team before you sign a quote.
Jobs that come up on old Fremantle roofs
On old corrugated roofs, the questions are usually rust, fixings and flashings rather than paint. Where a roof is asbestos cement, the policy specifically allows swapping it for corrugated zincalume or galvanised steel in a heritage area, subject to the other conditions. Roof replacement in Perth covers that job.
Limestone walls and chimneys bring their own leaks where roof meets masonry, and flashing repairs are the usual fix. For slate, terracotta and other original materials, see heritage roof restoration.
Asbestos on an old roof
Don't let anyone cut, drill, water-blast or walk on a roof that might be asbestos cement. Perth homes from the inter-war and post-war years often used asbestos-cement shingles. Get it tested, and use a licensed removalist if it has to come off.
Where we'd begin in Fremantle
We'd look the address up on the City's heritage list before getting quotes. If the house is listed, we'd ask the roofer to match the existing material and profile and lodge for approval, rather than gamble on an exemption. If it isn't listed and the job is like-for-like, we'd get it booked before winter.
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.