How to Choose a Roofer in Australia
The honest 8-step checklist. Roofing is the highest-risk trade in Australia and the easiest to get ripped off on — get this one wrong and you're looking at insurance battles, water damage, and a re-do inside two years. Get it right and the roof outlives the rest of the house.
Why we wrote this:we run AI receptionists for roofers across Australia, so we hear hundreds of customer calls a week. We see exactly which roofers run their business properly and which ones don't. This is the cheat sheet we'd give our own family.
The 8-step checklist
1. Licence check — and it varies more than you think
Roofing licensing rules differ by state and by the type of work. In Queensland the QBCC requires a licence for any roofing work over $3,300, with separate classes for roofing (metal), roof tiling, and roofing (waterproofing). In Victoria the VBA registers roofing contractors as a sub-class of domestic builder. In NSW any residential roofing work over $5,000 requires a Fair Trading contractor licence — and roof plumbing (anything involving box gutters, downpipes, flashings or stormwater) requires a separate plumbing licence on top. Commercial roofing is stricter again, with engineered fall arrest requirements and often a Class A or restricted Class B builder's licence. Type the roofer's name and licence number into the state register before they quote. An unlicensed roofer voids your home insurance the moment a leak appears.
2. Insurance — $20M public liability MINIMUM
This is the line you hold firm on. Roofing is the highest-risk trade in Australia by injury rate. A roofer falling through a skylight, dropping a tile through a windscreen, or causing water ingress that destroys a downstairs unit's electricals can generate claims into the hundreds of thousands quickly. $20 million public liability is the baseline for residential roofing — most professional outfits carry $30M. Workers compensation insurance is legally required if they have any employees, including a labourer or apprentice. Always ask for a Certificate of Currency (a one-page PDF from their insurer) and check the expiry date. Without that paper, you are literally one bad step away from losing your house.
3. Get a written quote with full scope — tile vs Colorbond, flashings, gutters
The roof has more interconnected systems than any other part of your home, and that's where dodgy quotes live. A proper written quote breaks out: roof material (concrete tile, terracotta tile, Colorbond or Zincalume sheet, slate), pitch and area in square metres, sarking (anti-condensation membrane) replacement, batten replacement, all flashings (chimney, valley, ridge, hip, apron), pointing or repointing on tiled roofs, gutter and downpipe replacement, fascia and barge boards, ridge capping, and disposal of old material. A one-line quote saying 'replace roof - $24,000' is hiding 70% of the scope. The bits left out are the bits you'll be charged for as 'unforeseens' on day three.
4. Storm damage? Insurance claims — and the cash-only scam
After every major storm in Australia, a wave of out-of-state operators turn up door-knocking offering to fix your roof for cash. They're often unlicensed, uninsured, and gone before the next bill cycle. Legitimate roofers handling insurance work will deal directly with your insurer, provide a full scope of works document with photos, and never demand cash. They'll also know the difference between an insurance-driven repair (where the insurer pays scope-of-loss only) and a betterment claim (where you contribute to upgrades). Ask: 'Have you done insurance work before, and will you liaise with my insurer directly?' If they want cash up front and refuse to deal with the insurance company, that is the scam — every time.
5. Ask about fixings — Tek screws, not re-used nails
A new Colorbond roof must be fixed with new Class 4 or stainless Tek screws (with neoprene washers) into the rafters or battens at every overlap and every second pan. Re-using old roofing nails is unacceptable and a sure sign of a budget cowboy — it voids the BlueScope Colorbond warranty and leads to lifting sheets within a few wind seasons. For tiles, ridge capping should be bedded in mortar and pointed with a flexible polymer compound (not just sand-and-cement which cracks within 5 years). Sarking should be a new run, not patched. Ask straight up: 'New Tek screws or re-used nails?' and 'Flexible pointing or cement?' The answer is the whole job.
6. Warranty — workmanship vs material (two different things)
BlueScope Colorbond carries up to a 30-year material warranty depending on environmental classification (corrosion zones near the coast get less). Concrete tiles typically carry a 50-year material warranty. None of those warranties cover the install itself. The roofer's workmanship warranty is separate and should cover labour, leaks, lifting sheets, blown ridge caps, and any failure caused by their work. Twelve months minimum, ten years for a full re-roof from a quality contractor. Get both warranties in writing on the quote — material warranty number and workmanship warranty period — before you sign anything.
7. Red flag — the door-knocker after a storm
If a roofer turns up unannounced saying they 'noticed some loose tiles while in the area' or that they 'spotted storm damage from the road', send them on their way. Reputable roofers don't door-knock. They are booked weeks out and don't have time to drive around residential streets prospecting. The 'I was just in the area' approach is a near-universal flag for an unlicensed operator looking for an insurance-job mark. The same goes for any roofer offering 'free roof inspection' — they'll go up, declare your roof a disaster, charge cash for an unnecessary patch, and disappear. If you suspect storm damage, ring three roofers from Google reviews yourself.
8. The phone test — roofers who answer are roofers who run a calendar
Roofers are on the roof all day, in the wind and the sun, with hands full and earmuffs on — they physically can't pick up the phone mid-job. The professionals know this and have either a real receptionist, a 24/7 answering service, or an AI receptionist that books quotes and qualifies callers automatically. The amateurs let the phone ring out and lose 50% of inbound work, and that's the same roofer who quotes you and then goes silent for three weeks. Ring during business hours, ring at 5pm, ring on a Saturday morning. A roofer who can't run a phone usually can't run a calendar — that's the roofer who turns up two months late, leaves the job half-tarped while it rains, and ghosts when you ring about leaks.
Red flags — walk away
- Door-knockers after a storm. Real roofers are booked. The "just in the area" pitch is a near-universal flag for an unlicensed operator chasing an insurance mark.
- Cash-only deal. No invoice, no GST, no warranty, no comeback when the leaks start.
- Refuses to deal with your insurer. Legitimate roofers handle insurance jobs daily. A roofer who insists on cash and won't talk to your insurance company IS the scam.
- No certificate of currency. $20M PL minimum. No paper, no job.
- Re-using old roofing nails. New Tek screws are mandatory on a re-roof. Re-using nails voids the BlueScope warranty.
The phone test — why it matters
Ring the roofer's number during business hours. Then ring at 5pm. Then ring on a Saturday. A roofer who picks up — or has a receptionist or an AI receptionistanswering — has their business sorted. That's the same roofer who turns up when they say they will and rings you back when something changes on the job.
A roofer whose phone rings out, or whose voicemail box is full, is showing you exactly how they run jobs. Phone behaviour is a near-perfect predictor of job behaviour.
Frequently asked questions
Q: How much does a new roof cost in Australia?
A: A full Colorbond re-roof on a 3-bedroom home runs $14,000–$28,000 fitted, depending on pitch, access and removal of old material. Concrete tile re-roof is similar. Repointing and ridge cap rebed on a tiled roof is $3,000–$6,500. Always get three written quotes for any job over $5,000.
Q: Do roofers need a licence in Australia?
A: Yes, in most states. QLD QBCC requires a licence over $3,300. NSW Fair Trading over $5,000. VIC requires VBA registration for any structural roof work. Roof plumbing (gutters, downpipes, flashings) needs a separate plumbing licence in every state. Always check the public register before hiring.
Q: How long does a re-roof take?
A: Typical Colorbond replacement on a 3-bedroom home is 3–5 working days, weather dependent. Tiled re-roof is 5–8 days. Anything longer than two weeks on a single-storey home is either bad scheduling or bad workmanship.
Q: What's the difference between Colorbond and Zincalume?
A: Both are BlueScope steel sheets. Zincalume is the bare aluminium-zinc-coated metal (silver finish). Colorbond is Zincalume with an additional baked-on coloured paint coat. Colorbond carries a longer warranty in coastal corrosion zones and is the standard for residential. Zincalume is fine for sheds and rural outbuildings.
Q: Should I repair or replace my roof?
A: If less than 20% of the roof is failing and it's under 25 years old, repair. If you're seeing widespread rust, multiple leak points, or the roof is over 30 years old, replace. A reputable roofer will give you a written assessment with photos so you can decide — they should never push replacement when repair is viable.
Q: How long should a Colorbond roof last?
A: 30–40 years in inland metro areas, 25–35 years in coastal areas (within 1km of breaking surf), 20–30 years in heavy industrial environments. Concrete tiles typically last 50+ years but the pointing and bedding need refreshing every 15–20 years.
Q: What's a fair deposit for a roofer?
A: 10–20% on signing, milestone payments through the job, balance on completion. Anything over 30% deposit is a red flag — reputable roofers fund their own materials and don't need your money up front. Cash-only roofers demanding 50% deposit after a storm are how a $15,000 job becomes a $25,000 unfinished mess.
Q: Can I claim a roof leak on home insurance?
A: Generally yes if the cause is sudden (storm, fallen tree, lightning) and no if the cause is wear and tear (perished sarking, lifted ridge caps, rusted-out sheets). Unlicensed work voids the claim entirely. Take photos of the damage immediately, ring your insurer before any repair, and use the insurer's preferred builder list if you want zero hassle.
Related reading: roofer answering service · roof leak repair Brisbane.
Looking for a roofer who answers?
Ring the live demo — that's an AI receptionist answering, the same one your roofer might use. Hear how fast it qualifies and books a quote, then check whether your shortlist roofers measure up.