Metal roof pros and cons
An honest look at metal roofing for Perth — what’s great about it, and the trade-offs the brochures skip.
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Metal roofing’s main pros are that it’s lightweight, long-lasting, low-maintenance, fast to shed water and available in 22 Colorbond colours. The cons: some ranges fade within 10–15 years in Perth’s climate, it can cost close to double some tiles at the same thickness, and a poor install can be noisy or leak. On balance it’s an excellent roof — with eyes open to the trade-offs.
Pro: lightweight and long-lasting
Metal is far lighter than tile, which puts less load on the roof frame — one reason many Perth homeowners re-roof from tile to Colorbond. It’s also genuinely durable: COLORBOND® steel has been proven in Australia’s harshest climates for over 50 years, and a well-maintained metal roof lasts decades.
Pro: low-maintenance and sheds water fast
With smooth, continuous sheets and few joints, a metal roof gives moss and lichen little to cling to and sheds Perth’s downpours quickly. There’s no mortar capping to crack and re-point as there is on tile. It’s the lowest-maintenance mainstream roof — though, as we’re always honest about, low-maintenance is not no-maintenance.
Pro: colour and looks
Colorbond comes in 22 designer colours across contemporary and classic palettes, so it suits everything from a sharp modern build to a renovated character home. Being the largest fixture on the house, that choice matters — and it’s a genuine strength of metal over the more limited palette of tile.
Con: it fades, and it isn’t always cheapest
Now the trade-offs. Some Colorbond ranges fade or chalk within 10 to 15 years in Perth’s sun and salt, needing a wash and eventually a re-coat. And “metal is cheaper” is a myth — compared at the base metal thickness that matters for strength, Colorbond can cost close to double some tiled options. It’s a premium product, often worth it, but not automatically the budget choice.
Con: install quality makes or breaks it
A metal roof is only as good as its installation. The old “noisy tin roof” reputation comes from poor jobs — done properly over quality sarking and insulation, a modern metal roof is no louder than tile. Likewise, leaks almost always trace to poor flashing or fixings, not the sheets themselves. Get it installed right, and the cons shrink; cut corners, and they multiply. That’s why the installer matters as much as the material.
The verdict for Perth homes
Weighed up, metal is an excellent roof for Perth — light, durable, low-maintenance and available in colours that suit any home. The cons are all manageable: the fade is fixed by a re-coat, the cost premium buys a genuinely better finish, and the noise and leak risks vanish with a proper install. The honest position is simply that metal isn’t the maintenance-free, always-cheapest miracle it’s sometimes sold as. Choose it with eyes open, install it well, and give it the occasional clean and eventual re-coat, and a metal roof will serve a Perth home for decades.
Frequently asked questions
What are the pros and cons of a metal roof?
Pros: lightweight, long-lasting, low-maintenance, sheds water fast, 22 colours. Cons: fades in 10–15 years, can cost more than some tiles, and a poor install can be noisy or leak.
Are metal roofs noisy?
Not with modern sarking and insulation — a well-installed metal roof is no louder than tile. Noise comes from poor installation.
Is a metal roof cheaper than tile?
Not necessarily — at the same base metal thickness, Colorbond can cost close to double some tiled options. It’s a premium finish.
Do metal roofs need maintenance?
Yes — low-maintenance, not no-maintenance. An occasional wash and an eventual re-coat when the colour fades keep it at its best.
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