How Stafford was built
Wartime and postwar estates
Brisbane City Council's heritage citation says closer settlement began with a housing commission estate on the eastern side of Webster Road during World War Two, followed by a three-storey brick school building in 1948 and 1949.
A weatherboard suburb
The Stafford Police Station at 322 Stafford Road is heritage listed as an intact postwar weatherboard building, put up because the Housing Commission programs had pushed the population up so quickly. Wikipedia adds that original Queenslanders sit among the commission homes on quarter-acre blocks.
Kedron Brook
Kedron Brook meanders through Stafford on its way to Moreton Bay. In 2022 it recorded 893 mm of rain, against 661 mm in 1974 and 315 mm in 2011.
Hills at both ends
Sparkes Hill in the south-west rises to 96 m, and Stafford Heights to the north is generally hilly. Sloping blocks can mean taller walls at the low side, which affects ladders and scaffolding.
Many renters
At the 2021 Census, 48.6% of homes were rented and 24.2% were flats or apartments.
Before anyone touches an older Stafford roof
As a general rule, Queensland says a home built before 1990 is likely to contain some asbestos, and you can't tell by looking. Outside, it turns up in roof sheeting, ridge capping, gutters and eaves. Don't drill, cut, water-blast or walk on a roof you're unsure of. High pressure water blasting an asbestos cement roof is illegal in Queensland, with fines up to $10,000. A NATA accredited laboratory can test a small sample.
The jobs Stafford roofs tend to need
Replacing old sheeting. If testing confirms asbestos cement, most owners eventually replace it rather than patch it. Our asbestos roof replacement page explains the steps.
See roof replacement in Brisbane for what a quote should cover.
Gutters before the wet. On the lower streets near the brook, clear gutters and working downpipes are cheap insurance. Gutter cleaning in Brisbane has the prices.
If we lived in Stafford
On a 1940s or 50s house, we'd find out what the roof is made of before collecting quotes, because asbestos changes the whole job. Then we'd ask each roofer to price the same scope, removal and disposal included. Tell us what's going on and where: if a licence-checked roofer on our books covers Stafford, they'll be the only roofer with your phone and email, and if we can't help, we'll say so.
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.