Tough Love

Some home repairs seem more daunting than others. And when you’re not sure where to start, it’s easy to sit on your hands. Sarah Pickette calls in the experts to help you shift those big jobs out of the too-hard basket.

- Sarah Pickette

1 RETILING THE ROOF

Roof issues can strike fear in the hearts of homeowners because they seem so… big. “Most people ignore the minor worries they have with their roof – until they become major problems after heavy rain,” says Ross Baxter, general manager of Bristile Roofing. If you do identify a problem, don’t panic, he says. “It’s amazing how many times homeowners have someone up on their roof in dry conditions to do something with an antenna or solar panels, and it only becomes apparent that the tradies have damaged or not replaced the roof tiles correctly when it rains.”

Often it’s simply a matter of replacing a few tiles and the issue is sorted for a few hundred dollars. “Before you try to find replacement tiles, check around and under the house for spare tiles; it’s our company policy to leave a few spares for owners,” he says. “If you do need to replace the entire roof, invest in the best tiles you can afford.”

Terracotta roof tiles are guaranteed not to change colour, where concrete tiles and Colorbond will, says Baxter. According to trades directory Hipages (hipages.com.au), replacing concrete roof tiles will cost between $40/m² and $60/m², while terracotta might set you back $80-$120/m² (both figures include labour). Meanwhile, replacing the entire tiled roof of a three-bedroom house with Colorbond could cost about $20,000. Covering the same area in slate tiles will nudge $160,000.

2 DRAINAGE & DAMP COURSES

Heavy rain, blocked gutters and misdirected downpipes can all result in a large amount of water pooling in a short period of time. Without good drainage, this water can damage your walls, foundation, landscaping and even roof.