Roof Tiling
Whether it’s re-tiling a section, matching decades-old tiles or laying a full new tile roof, tiling is a craft the whole finish depends on. We source and match concrete and terracotta profiles across Perth’s huge stock of tiled homes, replace cracked and slipped tiles, and lay new roofs true — so the roof is watertight and looks right from the street.
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Re-tiling rarely means buying new tiles. On most Perth roofs the tiles outlast the battens, the fixings and the complete absence of sarking underneath them. Powerdrive lifts, replaces what has failed, adds a sarking membrane and relays your existing tiles. Free inspection, 10-year workmanship warranty.
Roof Tiling & Re-Tiling across Perth
Concrete and terracotta tiles routinely outlast what holds them up. So the honest version of re-tiling is usually new battens, new sarking and upgraded fixings, with your existing tiles going back down.
What the work involves
- Establish whether it is warranted at all. Battens and fixings are inspected from inside the roof space first. Tired-looking tiles on a sound structure need cleaning, re-pointing and coating, not relaying and we will say so.
- Lift, sort and keep what is good. Tiles come off, are stacked and sorted and the sound ones go back down. Only the broken ones are replaced, matched from current or salvage stock.
- Re-batten, sark and upgrade fixings. Failed battens replaced, a sarking membrane installed where there was none and fixings specified for the environment the roof actually sits in.
Signs you need this work
- Fixings pulling out or tiles slipping across the whole roof
- Battens that feel soft or springy from inside the roof space
- A roof line that has visibly wandered out of true
- No sarking membrane visible beneath the tiles
Match the symptom to the fix
| What you are seeing | What it usually means | What it needs |
|---|---|---|
| Tiles slipping right across the roof | Battens failing generally, not locally | Re-batten and relay |
| Springy or soft battens underfoot | Timber degraded or delignified | Structural assessment, then relay |
| Daylight at every tile lap | No sarking membrane installed | Relay with sarking |
| Roof line visibly wandering | Long-term settlement or movement | Relay to a corrected line |
| Two or three profiles on one roof | Historic patching and extensions | Relay to a consistent profile |
| Tired-looking tiles, sound structure | Surface wear, not structural failure | Clean, re-point and coat instead |
Guide only. Every roof is different, which is why we look before quoting.
How roof tiling & re-tiling differs across Perth
What cracks, lifts or ages a tile — and how hard it is to match when re-tiling — changes with where the home sits. Here is how tiling and re-tiling plays out across Perth, and how we match and lay it so a repair reads as part of the roof.
On the coast
On the coast salt and wind attack the exposed edges of a tiled roof first, lifting and cracking tiles along the verges, hips and ridge line while the sheltered field stays sound for years longer. Matching weathered coastal tiles to blend a re-tiled section into the surrounding roof is the real skill here. Along the coastal strip through Scarborough, Hillarys and Sorrento that edge-first failure is what usually triggers a re-tile.
When we re-tile a coastal roof we don’t just drop new tiles into the gaps — we source profiles that match the aged originals, lay them true to the existing courses, and re-bed the ridge and hip caps so the whole edge is sound rather than patched. Where the salt has reached the fixings and battens beneath, we address those too, because a new tile on a failed batten solves nothing. Matching the weathered colour is what stops a coastal re-tile looking like an obvious repair from the street.
Leaving damaged edge tiles on the coast is a false economy — wind-driven rain gets straight in and the corrosion and timber damage follow fast. On homes around Cottesloe we sort the full edge in one pass, and it’s worth understanding how concrete and terracotta each weather before you re-tile near the water.
In the river suburbs
In the shaded river suburbs tiles fail from beneath, not above. Moss and lichen build up on the damp, south-facing planes, hold moisture against the tile and lift and crack it slowly, so a re-tile here usually follows years of quiet growth rather than a single event. Through Melville, Applecross and Bicton that’s the pattern on the older tiled roofs.
Re-tiling the affected planes means matching the existing tile, laying the new courses true, and clearing the growth that caused the problem in the first place — re-tile over persistent moss and it simply lifts the new ones too. Where the pointing has gone at the same time, which on these shaded roofs it usually has, we re-bed and re-point the ridge as part of the same job so the whole plane is renewed together rather than in stages.
Because the damage clusters on the shaded side, we assess the whole plane rather than the obvious few tiles on homes around Bassendean. If your roof carries heavy growth, why slipped tiles shouldn’t wait explains why the cracked ones hiding under the moss are the ones that leak.
Up in the hills
Up in the hills wind and falling limbs crack and dislodge tiles more than anywhere in the metro, and split-level rooflines mean more edges, hips and valleys for it to happen along. Re-tiling damaged sections and keeping the profile matched is regular work on these older, more complex roofs. Around Kalamunda, Lesmurdie and Roleystone that’s the recurring cause.
We match and re-tile the affected areas, lay the new tiles true to the existing courses, and re-secure the ridge and hip lines that the wind has worked loose. Because a limb strike usually cracks more than the one visible tile, we check the surrounding field and the valleys while we’re on the roof, and re-tile whatever the impact has quietly compromised rather than leaving hidden cracks to leak through the next wet winter.
On the older hills homes we’ll tell you honestly when a section is reaching the end of its life and repeated re-tiling is no longer the economical answer. On roofs around Mundaring that straight read matters — how long a roof should last helps set the expectation.
On low, damp ground
On low, damp ground older tiles go porous and brittle after decades in a persistently damp environment, and a brittle tile cracks underfoot or splits in a storm where a sound one wouldn’t. Re-tiling the failed areas keeps a sound roof going without a full replacement. In the lower-lying pockets around Bayswater, Bassendean and Ascot that brittleness drives most of the re-tiling.
We re-tile the affected sections with matching stock and lay them true, and where a whole run has gone brittle we’ll be straight about whether ongoing re-tiling will keep pace or whether the field is past the point of sensible repair. Matching the aged profile is the key to a re-tile that reads as part of the roof rather than a patch, and we re-point any ridge that’s failed alongside the porous tiles so the plane is renewed as a whole.
Porous tiles and failed pointing tend to arrive together on these roofs, so we assess both on homes around Maylands. If you’re unsure what your roof is carrying, concrete versus terracotta tiles explains how each ages on damp ground.
On reactive clay
On reactive clay the ground moves the whole structure seasonally, cracking tiles and pointing along the ridges and hips where the roof flexes most. Re-tiling here has to account for that ongoing movement rather than fighting it. Through the clay belt around Gosnells, Forrestfield and Thornlie it shows as cracking that keeps returning after each patch.
We match and re-tile the cracked sections and re-point the ridge — but with a flexible pointing compound rather than rigid cement, so the next season’s movement flexes the joint instead of fracturing it. Laying the new tiles true and bedding the caps to move with the house is what turns a re-tile that keeps failing into one that actually holds through the seasonal swell and shrink of the clay beneath.
If your tiles and pointing keep cracking in the same spots, the ground is the cause and rigid work just resets the clock. On homes around Maddington we build the movement in. Understanding why pointing fails on reactive ground explains why flexible is the lasting approach.
On the sand plain
Across the free-draining sand plain the ground is stable, so re-tiling here is driven by age rather than movement. The newer estates are reaching the point where first-generation tiles and factory pointing begin to crack and slip, right on schedule twenty-odd years in. Through Wanneroo, Baldivis and Butler that first wave is arriving now.
We re-tile the failed sections with matching stock, lay them true and re-point where the original pointing has cracked, renewing the affected planes without disturbing the sound bulk of the roof. Caught early it’s efficient, planned work rather than a scramble, and it buys a sound roof many more years for a fraction of a replacement — which on structurally fine newer homes is exactly the right call.
Timing is the whole value on this stock: a cracked tile re-laid now is cheap; the same tile left to leak into the roof over a winter is not. On estates around Ellenbrook we catch it early, and concrete versus terracotta tiles is a useful primer on how each behaves as it ages.
On character and heritage homes
On character and heritage homes matching the original terracotta profile is the entire job — a mismatched tile stands out badly and can breach a heritage overlay, so a re-tile is only as good as the stock behind it. Old terracotta profiles take real sourcing. Through Fremantle, Guildford and Mount Lawley that matching challenge defines the work.
We source matching terracotta so a re-tiled section disappears into the roof rather than announcing itself, lay it true to the original courses, and re-bed the original ridge caps where we can rather than replacing them. Heritage terracotta behaves quite differently to modern concrete tile — it’s more brittle and the profiles are long out of production — so re-tiling it well is specialist work, not a like-for-like swap from the local yard.
Getting that right keeps the character and the overlay intact, which is the whole point on a home of that vintage around Subiaco. If you own a character home, what’s different about restoring a terracotta roof is worth reading before anyone re-tiles it.
On post-war housing
On post-war housing the tiles are decades old but mostly sound, so re-tiling the failed sections and re-pointing is far cheaper than re-roofing a structurally fine home. The issue on this stock is usually crumbled original pointing and a scatter of age-cracked tiles. Across the post-war suburbs of Morley, Dianella and Bentley that’s the standard picture.
We carry matching stock for most of these older profiles, re-tile the failed areas, lay them true and re-bed and re-point the ridge in the same visit so the roof is renewed as a whole rather than in disconnected patches. Matching the aged profile is what keeps a post-war re-tile looking like part of the roof, and it’s the sort of work that buys years of watertight service at a fraction of replacement cost.
The judgement call is knowing when the scatter of re-tiling tips into a case for full restoration — and we’ll tell you straight. On homes around Nollamara that honesty is the point, and how long a roof should last helps frame the decision.
On newer estates
On newer estates cracked or slipped tiles are usually storm damage or a laying fault rather than age, and either way re-tiling them true is what matters — a tile that was never bedded properly leaks the same as an old one. Through Joondalup, Aveley and Harrisdale that’s the common cause.
We match and re-tile the affected areas and, crucially, lay them true to the courses so the roof drains cleanly rather than dropping tiles back into a poorly laid field. Where it’s recent and looks like a laying fault, we’ll point you at the builder’s warranty first rather than have you pay for it — re-tiling done properly should be the builder’s cost, not yours, when the original work was the problem.
Knowing whether it’s warranty or your cost is half the value on newer stock, and on estates around Byford we sort that out up front. If a storm’s been through, why slipped tiles shouldn’t wait explains why even one lifted tile is worth acting on.
On strata and multi-residential
On strata and multi-residential the tiled roofs run long across multiple units, and re-tiling over common property affects the tenancy beneath it. A documented re-tile that keeps the whole asset watertight is what the owners corporation needs. Around Victoria Park, Rivervale and Burswood that’s the typical brief.
We match tiles across the long roof lines, re-tile the failed sections, lay them true and re-bed the ridge caps as needed, then hand back a documented, photographed record of exactly what was done and where. Consistency across a big roof is the difference on strata — the same profile, the same standard, the same paperwork — so the committee can minute the spend and the whole asset is renewed to one level rather than in mismatched patches.
That documentation is what a strata manager actually needs to act, and on buildings around East Perth we run it that way. If a report has flagged tile damage on your building, why slipped tiles shouldn’t wait helps the committee weigh the urgency.
Near heavy industry
Near heavy industry atmospheric fallout ages tiles and pointing faster, dulling the surface and leaving the pointing brittle sooner than elsewhere. Matching stock to the weathered originals keeps a re-tile looking right rather than patched. Around Kwinana, Welshpool and Bibra Lake that accelerated ageing drives the work.
We re-tile the affected areas with matching profiles, lay them true and re-point where the exposure has cracked the ridge, and because deterioration here rarely stays in one spot, we assess the wider roof rather than just the reported section. Where the whole field is degrading we’ll say so plainly, because endless re-tiling of a roof that’s genuinely at the end of its life is money poured into a losing position.
That honest read is the point in these areas — on roofs around Naval Base we give you the real picture rather than an open-ended patch program. Our guide to metal roofing versus tile is worth a look if a re-roof is on the table.
In bushfire areas
In bushfire areas a sound tiled roof with no gaps matters, and re-tiling closes the openings a cracked or missing tile leaves. On the older, exposed hills homes that’s part of keeping a roof genuinely sound and sealed. Through Kalamunda, Mundaring and Roleystone that’s the backdrop to the work.
We match and re-tile the damaged sections and re-secure any lifted ridge and hip caps, closing the roof back up properly so there are no gaps for embers or weather. Where a roof is genuinely at the end of its life, we’ll talk you honestly through re-tiling versus a metal re-roof rather than re-tiling indefinitely — up here, the tile-versus-metal decision is worth having properly rather than by default.
That honest conversation matters on an exposed hills block around Bedfordale, where a sound roof is part of a resilient home. If your tiles are near the end, metal roofing versus tile lays out the trade-offs.
Under mature trees
Under mature trees the tiles cop constant debris and the occasional limb. Falling branches crack and dislodge tiles outright, while steady leaf litter and the moss it feeds lift and crack them slowly — and much of it stays hidden until a leak shows. Through the leafy streets of Nedlands, Applecross and Mount Lawley that’s the recurring cause.
We match and re-tile the damaged areas and lay them true, and because limb damage rarely stops at the visible crack, we check the surrounding field and valleys properly rather than just the obvious tile. Clearing the debris that dams the valleys and feeds the moss is part of the same job — re-tile under a canopy without addressing the litter and you’re back before long, because the conditions that broke the first tiles are still there.
The trap is assuming the damage is only what shows from the ground; under heavy canopy it usually isn’t. On homes around Dalkeith we assess it properly. After a blow, why slipped tiles shouldn’t wait is worth reading before you assume the roof got away with it.
On exposed, elevated blocks
On exposed, elevated blocks wind uplift is at its peak and lifts and cracks tiles at the ridges and edges far more than on a sheltered site — the tiles with the least shelter fail first and most often. Around the high, open blocks near Kalamunda, Gooseberry Hill and higher Hillarys that edge-and-ridge failure is the pattern.
We re-tile and re-secure the affected areas and, importantly, re-bed the ridge and hip caps properly, because on an exposed block it’s the bedding and fixing method that decide whether the caps stay put in the next blow, not just the tile itself. Laying the new tiles true and securing the ridge to suit the exposure is what turns a re-tile that keeps lifting into one that holds through a genuine gale.
Getting the ridge properly secured is the real fix on a high block, not just swapping a tile. On elevated homes around Darlington we treat the whole ridge line, and why ridge pointing fails explains why the caps are the part that needs the attention.
On made ground
On made ground uneven settlement moves the structure over years, cracking tiles and pointing along the ridge and hip lines much as reactive clay does, though the cause is the fill beneath rather than the soil around. Re-tiling here has to allow for movement that may not be finished. On the made-ground pockets around Rockingham, Baldivis and Wellard we see it regularly.
We match and re-tile the cracked sections and re-point with a flexible compound that moves with the ongoing settlement rather than a rigid one that simply cracks again. Laying the new tiles true and bedding the caps to flex is what keeps a re-tile on settling ground from failing in the same places next year — the fix has to accommodate more movement to come, not just the movement that’s already happened.
Because the ground may still be settling, a rigid re-tile is a false economy here. On homes around Byford we build the allowance in, and why pointing fails explains why the flexible approach is the one that holds on made ground.
Common questions
Does re-tiling mean buying a whole new roof of tiles?
Usually not. On most Perth roofs the tiles are the soundest component, it is the battens, the fixings and the absence of sarking that have reached the end. We lift, sort, replace only what is broken and relay what you already own, which is a very different number to a new roof.
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Dulux AcraTex accredited applicators
Powerdrive Roofing is an accredited applicator for the Dulux AcraTex roof restoration system, so your coating carries the manufacturer’s product warranty alongside our own 10-year workmanship warranty. How the Dulux AcraTex warranty works →
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Specification and sourcing
On specification we follow the published guidance rather than opinion. BlueScope marine and industrial specification guidance sets out what suits coastal and industrial exposure, COLORBOND Ultra steel covers the heavier coated option, and Lysaght roofing and guttering supplies the profiles. For tile, Monier and Bristile Roofing cover current ranges.
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