Roofers aim to call you within the hour.
Find my roofer
Licences and rules

Roofers in QueenslandOne QBCC line decides the licence and the warranty.

Roof work valued over $3,300, including labour, materials and GST, needs a QBCC licence of the right class. Above that same figure, most residential work must be covered by the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme, and the QBCC lists roof repairs and gutter work among the jobs it covers. So even a mid-sized roof repair can come with insurance.

Which QBCC licence fits your roof?

Contractors need a class that matches the work, and some jobs need more than one. Roof tiling covers concrete, clay and metal tiles, battens, bedding and pointing, sarking and skylights. Roof and wall cladding covers sheet roofing, rainwater goods and flashing around skylights and vents. Metal fascias and gutters is its own class. Neither roofing class includes painting a roof.

A November 2025 government statement flagged reforms that could change the $3,300 figure, so check the QBCC website before relying on it.

How to check a QBCC licence

Ask to see it before you sign or pay. A card or a digital licence on their phone both count. Search the QBCC licensee register (my.qbcc.qld.gov.au/myQBCC/s/qbcc-licensee-register), which shows full licence history. Not listed? Call 139 333. The QBCC says an ad without a licence number is a sign the operator may be unlicensed. Our licence check guide covers the rest.

Home warranty, and why leaks count as structural

The contractor collects the premium from you, usually in the deposit, and pays it within 10 business days of signing. Cover lasts 6 years and 6 months and stays with the house if you sell.

For roofs, a defect that lets water in is a structural defect. You're covered if you notice it within the cover period and claim within 3 months. Non-structural defects must appear within 6 months of the work being substantially complete. Cost-plus contracts only get defect cover, so the QBCC advises a fixed price.

Contracts and deposits by job size

Up to $3,300$3,301 to $19,999$20,000 or more
ContractNot required, but keep a written recordLevel 1 contractLevel 2 contract, plus the Consumer Building Guide
Maximum deposit20%10%5%
Home warrantyNot availableRequired for most homesRequired for most homes

Before you sign in Queensland

  • Licence class covers the roof material and any gutter work
  • Name on the contract matches the licence exactly
  • Home warranty premium shown in the price
  • Fixed price, not cost-plus
  • No more than 50% paid until half the work is done
  • A written contract even if your insurer picked the roofer

Asbestos: what's illegal in Queensland

Water blasting an asbestos cement roof is illegal, and asbestos.qld.gov.au says homeowners can be fined up to $10,000 plus clean-up costs. A home built before 1990 likely has some asbestos, and only a NATA accredited lab can confirm it. You may remove up to 10 square metres of bonded asbestos yourself, but you can't split a bigger job across days to stay under. Over that needs a Class B or Class A licence holder. Check the removalist's licence number with Workplace Health and Safety Queensland.

If the work is defective

Write to the contractor listing every defect and a deadline, such as 14 days. Then lodge with the QBCC, which can inspect and direct them to fix it. That direction goes on their public licence history. The QBCC can't order refunds; those disputes go to QCAT, which wants the QBCC process tried first.

Watch the clock. To keep a warranty claim alive, lodge within 3 months of noticing a structural defect, or within 7 months of completion for a non-structural one.

What Queensland roofs face

Coastal homes north of Bundaberg sit in cyclone Wind Region C. Where only the roof sheeting needs repair in a cyclone area, the QBCC suggests looking at upgraded tie-downs for the whole roof, battens included. Further south it's storms: the 27 November 2014 Brisbane supercell damaged at least 22,000 homes.

If it were our roof

We'd treat a leak after a roof job as urgent paperwork. Water getting in is a structural defect, and the clock is 3 months from when you notice it. Write to the roofer that week, take photos, and lodge with the QBCC if it isn't fixed. Before signing, our guide to roofing quotes helps you spot what's missing.

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.

Find my roofer
Pick your city

Cities in Queensland

Roofers in BrisbaneWhat's different about Brisbane roofs, the jobs that come up most, and how to find a local roofer.Roofers on the Gold CoastWhat's different about Gold Coast roofs, the jobs that come up most, and how to find a local roofer.Roofers on the Sunshine CoastWhat Sunshine Coast roofs are up against, the jobs that come up most, and how to find a local roofer.Roofers in ToowoombaHail, fog, frost and summer cloudbursts: what matters for a Toowoomba roof and the jobs that come up most.Roofing help in TownsvilleAlthea's legacy, Wind Region C, older batten fixings, salt on the Strand and a wild wet season.Roofing help in CairnsMonsoon rain, cyclones, unrated older homes and salt on the Northern Beaches: what Cairns roofs face.Roofing help in MackayThe 1918 rebuild, Region C winds, old iron roofs on timber houses, storm tide and termites in Mackay.Roofing help in RockhamptonMarcia's lessons, summer storms, heat, bushfire and heritage homes: what Rockhampton roofs face.Roofers in BundabergSudden storms, the 2013 tornadoes, salt air at Bargara and the cyclone boundary: Bundaberg roofs.Roofers in Hervey BaySalt air, wet summers, K'gari's shelter and a mix of old and boom-era homes: roofs in Hervey Bay.Roofing help in GladstoneRegion C winds, older batten fixings, dust from industry and bushfire overlays: Gladstone roofs.Roofers in GympieHeavy summer rain, Mary River floods and gold-rush heritage: what matters for a Gympie roof.
Questions

Straight answers.

Do I need approval to repair a cyclone-damaged roof?
Repairs affecting structural parts need building approval, with exemptions for minor like-for-like work. In a genuine emergency, work can start first, as long as the council is told in writing as soon as practicable.
Can the QBCC make the roofer refund me?
No. It can direct them to fix defective work, but money disputes go to QCAT, which has no monetary limit for domestic building disputes.
Is the cyclone upgrade grant still open?
No. The Household Resilience Program closed to new applications on 2 October 2026.
Related help

Helpful next

How to check a roofer's licenceWho licenses roofers in each state, the dollar thresholds, and the register to search.Roofing quotes explainedWhat a roofing quote should say, how to compare two, and each state's deposit and contract rules.Storm damage roof claimsHow a storm damage roof claim works, from the first call and photos to timeframes and complaints.Roof leak repairWhy roofs leak, how a roofer tracks down the source, and what to ask before the fix.Asbestos roof replacementLicensed removal, testing, disposal and the new roof: how an asbestos re-roof works, step by step.

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.

Find my roofer