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Hobart, Tasmania

Roofing help in HobartTwo shores, a mountain and a lot of old roofs.

Hobart roofs face a mix you don't get in most capitals: more rain on the western shore than the eastern, snow on the higher slopes of kunanyi, bushfire country close to town, and streets of Georgian, Victorian and post-war houses. Tell us what's going on with yours and we'll match you with a licence-checked Hobart roofer who specialises in that kind of roof work, if we have one who covers your area.

Find a specialist roofer in Hobart

  1. Your postcode and three quick questions
  2. We match you with a Find My Roofer certified roofer who specialises in your job
  3. They call you to arrange a quote. No obligation to go ahead.

What's different about roofs in Hobart

The western shore gets more rain

The Bureau's Battery Point station averages 565.9 mm a year over 91 rainy days, while Hobart Airport at Cambridge, on the eastern shore, averages 463.5 mm. August is the wettest month at Battery Point. If you're on the western side of the Derwent, your gutters and valleys simply move more water each year.

Snow, sleet and frost

Through the 20th century the city itself saw snow at sea level only about once every 5 years on average, but suburbs higher up kunanyi/Mount Wellington get it more often. Sleet can fall from June to September and light frost turns up most years. A frosty roof is as slippery as a wet one, and roof coatings need dry, mild days to go on properly.

The night of 10 May 2018

A low dropped 128 mm on Hobart in the 24 hours to 9am on 11 May 2018, about a third of it in a single hour. Flash flooding ran through the CBD, South Hobart, Sandy Bay, New Town, Kingston and Blackmans Bay, and a few Sandy Bay homes lost their roofs to the wind.

The Derwent counts as exposed water

The Derwent stays seawater until just south of New Norfolk. BlueScope's coastal table classes the river south of the Tasman Bridge as exposed, so Bellerive, Sandy Bay and Kingston sit on exposed water even though there's no surf. Clifton Beach on the South Arm Peninsula is listed as surf. For roofing steel the two get the same rule: Colorbond Classic and Matt only more than 200 m from the high water mark.

Bushfire comes close

On Black Tuesday, 7 February 1967, fires came within two kilometres of the CBD and destroyed 1,293 homes across southern Tasmania. Under the state planning code C13.0, land is bushfire-prone if it's on the council's overlay map, or, where there's no map, within 100 m of 1 ha or more of bushfire-prone vegetation. Embers are one of the threats the code targets, and they find their way into gutters.

Cottages, terraces and narrow lanes

Battery Point is known for weatherboard cottages and multi-storey terraces, and the inner tramway-era suburbs have narrow lanes of timber and brick cottages. Post-war houses are common right across the city. Tight lanes and steep blocks make access and scaffolding part of the quote.

The jobs that come up in Hobart, and why

Leaks and storm repairs are the obvious one. Winter rain and the odd huge burst find every cracked tile and tired flashing; see roof repairs in Hobart.

Gutters come next. They need to be clear before the wet months and again before fire season, and on bush blocks an ember-rated guard is worth a look. See gutter cleaning, gutter guards and gutter replacement.

Post-war roofs are reaching the age where a fresh coat or a new roof is the real question. Tired rather than broken? Start with roof painting. Failing? Roof replacement in Hobart covers steel choice near the water, and roof plumbing covers downpipes, flashings and box gutters.

Frost, sleet and storm safety

Don't go up on your roof in a Hobart winter, and never on a wet or frosty one. Look from the ground or a window. For storm damage emergencies, call the SES on 132 500. Stay out of rooms where the ceiling sags, and turn the power off at the switchboard if water is near lights.

Where we'd start in Hobart

We'd get the gutters and roof looked at in autumn, before August's rain and the sleet months, and fix the small things while the days are still dry. If you're on bush-fringe land, check the council's bushfire overlay before spending on gutters or a new roof, so the work suits your block. And if you're in Battery Point or another heritage street, pick a roofer who's comfortable on old roofs, and ask the council about any limits before you change materials or colours.

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.

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How we fit in

We don't do roofing work ourselves. You tell us the job and your suburb, and we pass it to one licence-checked local roofer who does that kind of work. If nobody suitable covers your part of Hobart yet, we'll say so straight away rather than send your details to the wrong person.

Whoever you use, look them up on the CBOS "Find a licensed tradesperson" search, which covers builders and plumbers. Our licence guide walks through it.

Services

Roofing jobs in Hobart

Roof repairs in HobartWinter leaks, rain bursts and storm damage on Hobart roofs, and what a repair usually involves.Roof replacement in HobartChoosing steel near the Derwent or Storm Bay, bushfire-prone blocks, and when a Hobart re-roof beats repairs.Roof plumbing in HobartDownpipes, flashings and box gutters on Hobart homes, sized for the rain bursts that test them.Roof painting in HobartRepainting post-war Hobart roofs: moss, frost, asbestos checks and when to book.Gutter replacement in HobartWhen Hobart gutters need replacing, which steel suits your distance from the water, and sizing for storms.Gutter guards in HobartEmber-rated mesh for bushfire-prone Hobart blocks, and plain leaf guards for the rest.Gutter cleaning in HobartHobart's gutter calendar: why autumn and late spring, and what a proper clean includes.
Your suburb

Suburbs and areas around Hobart

Questions

Straight answers.

Does Hobart get enough snow to worry about the roof?
Not often in the city itself. Through the 20th century, sea-level snow came about once every 5 years on average, though higher suburbs on kunanyi's slopes see more. For most Hobart roofs, heavy rain bursts and winter sleet getting into worn spots are the bigger worry.
How do I know if my block is bushfire-prone?
Check your council's bushfire-prone areas overlay map. Greater Hobart is split across the City of Hobart, Glenorchy, Clarence, Kingborough, Brighton and Sorell councils. Where there's no map, the C13.0 code counts land within 100 m of 1 ha or more of bushfire-prone vegetation.
Do I need special roofing steel near the Derwent?
Within 200 m of the water, usually yes. BlueScope treats the Derwent below the Tasman Bridge as exposed, which means Colorbond Classic, Matt and Zincalume are only recommended more than 200 m back. Colorbond Ultra suits homes more than 100 m away, and SUPERDURA Stainless anything closer. Its table is a guide only, so ask your roofer to name the product and the distance it's rated for.

Ready for a roofer to look at it in Hobart?

Your postcode and three quick questions. We match you with a local roofer who specialises in your job, and tell you straight away if we don't have one near you.

Related help

Helpful next

Roof repairs in HobartWinter leaks, rain bursts and storm damage on Hobart roofs, and what a repair usually involves.Gutter cleaning in HobartHobart's gutter calendar: why autumn and late spring, and what a proper clean includes.Roofers in TasmaniaBuilder and plumber licences, the 24 month defect period and contract rules for Tasmanian roofs.Storm damage roof claimsHow a storm damage roof claim works, from the first call and photos to timeframes and complaints.Ember guard for bushfire areasNon-combustible gutter mesh for bushfire areas: what the RFS says, how BAL fits in, and what to do before fire season.How to check a roofer's licenceWho licenses roofers in each state, the dollar thresholds, and the register to search.

Where this information comes from

Every fact and rule on this page comes from the sources above, checked on the dates shown. How we write and check these pages.

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