A quick self-check before you call anyone
Roofers can tell you a lot in an hour on site, but you will get more out of that visit if you have done a quick check first. You will know what questions to ask, and you will recognise whether the inspection covered the things you noticed.
The signs below are grouped by where you will see them. One sign on its own is usually a repair. Several together, especially from different groups, suggest the roof is reaching the end of its working life.
You don't need much to do this properly:
- a pair of binoculars, or a phone with a decent zoom
- a strong torch for the roof space
- sturdy shoes and long sleeves if you are going through the manhole
- a notepad or your phone to photograph and record what you see
Pick a dry day with good light. If you can, repeat the roof-space check during or just after heavy rain, when active leaks are easiest to spot.
From the street and the backyard
Stand back far enough to see the whole roof. Binoculars or a phone camera zoomed in will help. Don't climb up.
1. Tiles that look tired all over
On concrete tiles, look for a washed-out, patchy colour and a rough texture. Over time the surface erodes and the tiles become porous, holding water and growing moss and lichen. On terracotta, look for flaking faces and hairline cracks. A few bad tiles can be swapped. A whole roof of them can't.
2. Rust that has gone past the surface
Light surface marks on steel are common. Rust that has eaten through sheets, particularly around laps, fixings and gutters, is different. Coastal homes in suburbs like Scarborough or Rockingham see this sooner because of salt-laden sea breezes.
3. A dipping or wavy roof line
The ridge should run straight. A sag in the middle, or roof planes that look wavy, can mean battens or framing have moved. This needs a proper look from someone qualified to assess structure.
4. Ridge capping coming apart
Cracked, missing or crumbling pointing along ridges and hips is common on older Perth tile roofs. Re-pointing fixes it if the rest of the roof is sound. If the ridges are failing alongside general tile wear, it is part of a bigger picture.
5. A patchwork of past repairs
Mismatched tiles, odd sheets of steel, and silicone smeared around flashings tell you the roof has been patched repeatedly. That is a sign of a roof that has been kept going rather than a roof in good health.
In the roof space
Take a torch into the roof space on a dry, sunny day and, if you can, again after rain. Stay on the ceiling joists and watch for downlights and wiring.
6. Daylight through the roof
On a tile roof with no sarking, a little light around the edges can be normal. Pinpricks of daylight across the roof, or light through steel sheets, mean gaps that rain will find.
7. Damp, stained or rotten timber
Dark water stains on battens and rafters, soft timber, or rusted nails and brackets show water has been getting in for a while.
8. Failed sarking
Sarking is the foil or membrane layer under tiles or sheets. Old sarking can be torn, brittle or sagging so badly it holds pools of water. Some older homes never had it at all. Replacing it means lifting the roof covering, which is a major reason owners opt for a full re-roof. Read more in our roof underlayment and insulation guide.
9. Damp or flattened insulation
Batts that are wet, stained or squashed flat have been soaked. They lose much of their insulating value and can hold moisture against the ceiling.
Inside the house
10. Stains that come back each winter
A single old stain may be from a repaired leak. Stains that reappear or spread with each wet season, or show up in new rooms, point to a roof that is failing in several places. Our guide to roof leaks and water damage explains how leaks travel.
11. Rooms that are harder to keep comfortable
A roof without effective sarking, insulation or ventilation lets a lot of summer heat into the house. If upstairs rooms or the whole house bake in summer, the roof may be part of the reason. Our roof ventilation guide explains how airflow through the roof space helps.
Around the edges
12. Asbestos cement sheeting
Corrugated or wide-profile cement sheeting on homes, patios and sheds built from the 1950s to the 1980s may contain asbestos. Weathered sheets become brittle. Never water-blast them, which the WA Department of Health advises against. Replacement should be planned with a licensed asbestos removalist. See asbestos roof replacement.
Signs that are easy to misread
Not everything that looks alarming is a reason to re-roof, and some things that look minor are worth taking seriously.
Often less serious than it looks:
- lichen on an otherwise sound tile roof, which can usually be cleaned off
- faded COLORBOND steel, which is mostly cosmetic
- a single stain from a leak that has already been fixed
- water marks under a steel roof caused by condensation rather than rain, usually solved with better ventilation or a roof blanket
Often more serious than it looks:
- a small dip in the ridge line, which can signal movement in the frame
- tiles that crack under a roofer's feet, which means future repairs will cause more damage
- rust at the bottom of sheets near gutters, which is often worse underneath than on top
- several minor leaks after one storm, which can mean the roof is letting water in all over
If you are not sure which side of the line something falls on, photograph it and show your roofer.
Reading the signs together
| What you found | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| One or two signs, in one area | Targeted repair |
| Tired ridges but sound tiles | Restoration may work |
| Signs from three or more groups | Book an inspection with replacement in mind |
| Sagging roof line | Structural check before anything else |
| Suspected asbestos | Specialist assessment, then replacement |
If you are still unsure, our guide to roof replacement vs repair works through the decision step by step.
What happens next
If the signs point to replacement, the next steps are fairly predictable:
- An on-site inspection with photos and a written scope.
- A choice of material, often between tiles and COLORBOND steel, and a colour that suits the home and the heat.
- A check on permits. Your local government is the permit authority under the Building Act 2011 (WA), so check with its building services before work starts.
- A written contract and a start date, ideally outside the wettest months.
We ask the contractors we work with to hold the registrations and insurance the job needs. Ask to see them before work starts.
We don't list prices, as every roof differs in size, pitch, access and material. The roof replacement cost guide explains what affects the quote.
Book a free inspection
If you ticked off more than a couple of these signs, it is time for a professional opinion. Request a free on-site quote through our roof replacement service page, and a local contractor will inspect the roof and talk you through the options.