Where Sydney roof damage comes from
Ten minutes from calm to a gale
Southerly busters are expected from October to the end of March, and they can turn a north-easterly into a southerly gale within ten minutes. A sudden wind change like that pulls at the edges of a roof from a new direction, which is how a loose ridge cap or a sheet with tired screws ends up in the yard.
Supercells cut narrow, nasty paths
On 16 December 2015, a tornadic supercell sent a 213 km/h gust across Kurnell in Sydney's south and damaged the roof at Westfield Bondi Junction. Storms like that can strip a street and leave the next one alone, so don't assume your roof is fine because the neighbours' is.
Hail picks its suburbs
In January 1991, hail up to 7 cm fell from Warrawee and Turramurra to Duffys Forest and damaged more than 7,000 houses. In October 2021, stones up to 6 cm hit the west from the Blue Mountains to Blacktown, Mount Druitt and Penrith. Cracked tiles often can't be seen from the ground until the next heavy rain.
Heritage tiles have to match
In Haberfield, Inner West Council expects terracotta Marseilles tiles to match the originals in size, shape, profile, colour and glaze. A roofer working there needs the right tiles on hand or a source of second-hand ones, and that can shape both the timing and the price of a simple repair.
What a Sydney repair visit usually covers
On tiles, the common jobs are replacing cracked or slipped tiles, rebedding a few ridge caps (relaying the mortar that holds them down) and repointing over the top with a flexible compound. On metal, it's lifted sheets, loose or rusted screws and flashings around vents and chimneys.
After hail, ask the roofer to look over the whole roof, not just the spot that's leaking. If storm damage is spread right across an old roof, a patch may only buy a season, and a restoration or re-roof is worth pricing alongside the repair.
Questions for a Sydney roofer before the ladder goes up
- Which licence categories do you hold: roof tiling, roof slating or roof plumbing, and which one does this job fall under?
- Can you match my tiles, and if not, where would the replacements come from?
- Will you photograph the damage before and after, so I have something to send my insurer?
- If the work grows past $5,000, will you give me a written contract before carrying on?
- What else up there is close to failing, and what can safely wait?
What you can check, and what to leave to a roofer
You can
- Walk around the house after a southerly and look along the ridge line from the ground, with binoculars if you have them
- Check ceilings and the tops of walls for fresh stains after the next downpour
- Photograph anything broken or out of line, with the date, before it's touched
Leave to a roofer
- Anything that involves standing on the roof
- Replacing tiles, ridge caps, screws or sheets
- Assessing hail damage for an insurance claim
Where we'd start
We'd fix a lifted ridge cap or a slipped tile before the next southerly, because a small gap turns into a leak quickly once the rain comes in sideways. If hail has gone through your suburb, ring your insurer before you book anything, then have a roofer document what they find. For the bigger picture, see our national roof repairs page and the Sydney roofing hub.
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.