Cheltenham in brief
Market gardens to houses
Much of the housing came in the second half of the 1940s, and Victorian Places says the market gardens were filled with houses and factories through the 1950s and 1960s. Cheltenham North was the last part developed.
Two councils
Land east of the railway line, and Charman Road north, is in the City of Kingston. The western side, towards the golf links, parks and bay, is in Bayside.
Mostly houses
At the 2021 Census Cheltenham had 10,468 private dwellings, and 58.5% of occupied ones were separate houses.
Tiles came late in the era
Triple-fronted brick houses of the 1950s and 1960s had medium-pitched hipped roofs, and concrete tiles only appeared towards the end of that style, in the late 1960s.
What a roofer is likely to find
Asbestos is a real possibility. EPA Victoria says homes built before 1990 are likely to contain some, and roofing tiles can be one of the products. Ask for a test before any cutting, drilling or pressure cleaning.
Concrete tiles that look tired. Monier says repainting concrete tiles every five years or so keeps the look but doesn't improve waterproofing. So spend first on cracked tiles and ridges, then decide on paint. See roof restoration in Melbourne.
The odd heritage listing. Kingston has more than 120 places in its Heritage Overlay, so check yours before changing the roof's look.
Our take
First, work out which council you're in, then whether there's any overlay on your block. On a postwar house, we'd have asbestos ruled in or out before anyone quotes. If the concrete tiles are sound, we'd fix the ridges and broken tiles and treat the paint as optional.
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.
