Lighter, stronger, and longer-lasting. Here's everything you need to know about replacing your tile roof with Colorbond steel.
Tile-to-metal conversion is one of the most popular roofing upgrades in NSW. Homeowners choose Colorbond for these reasons:
**Weight reduction:** Concrete tiles weigh 50–60kg per square metre. Colorbond steel weighs just 5–6kg per square metre. This 90% weight reduction reduces structural load on your framing, which is particularly important for older homes where timber may have weakened over decades.
**Longevity:** Colorbond carries a 25-year warranty against corrosion perforation (longer in non-coastal areas). Real-world lifespan is typically 40–60+ years with minimal maintenance.
**Maintenance:** Metal roofing requires almost no maintenance compared to tiles (no repointing, no broken tile replacement, no moss growth). An annual gutter clean and visual inspection is sufficient.
**Thermal performance:** Modern Colorbond Thermatech colours reflect more solar heat than standard tiles, reducing cooling costs.
**Aesthetics:** Clean, modern lines that suit both contemporary and traditional home styles. 22 standard colours available.
**Water collection:** Smooth metal surface is ideal for rainwater harvesting — no tile dust or moss contaminating your tank water.
Converting from tile to Colorbond is a significant project that typically takes 5–10 days:
**Phase 1: Strip (1–2 days)** • All tiles, ridge capping, and battens removed • Old sarking (if present) removed • Roof frame inspected for damage, rot, or termite activity • Any timber repairs completed
**Phase 2: Preparation (1–2 days)** • New timber battens installed (metal roofing uses different batten spacing to tiles) • New sarking/underlay installed (required by BCA for metal roofing) • Fascia and barge boards repaired or replaced if required • New guttering installed (often upgraded during re-roof)
**Phase 3: Roofing (2–4 days)** • Colorbond sheets custom-cut to length (minimises joins and potential leak points) • Sheets fixed with colour-matched screws and neoprene washers • Ridge capping, valleys, and flashings installed • All penetrations (vents, pipes, aerials) properly flashed
**Phase 4: Completion (1 day)** • Downpipes connected • Final inspection and clean-up • All tile debris removed from site • Handover with warranty documentation
Re-roofing costs depend on roof size, complexity (hips, valleys, penetrations), and access:
**Typical costs (Central Coast/Sydney/Newcastle):** • Small home (100–150m² roof area): $18,000–$28,000 • Average home (150–250m² roof area): $25,000–$40,000 • Large or complex home (250–400m²): $38,000–$55,000+
**What's included:** • Complete tile strip and disposal • Timber frame inspection and minor repairs • New sarking/underlay • New Colorbond roofing (0.42mm BMT standard, 0.48mm available) • New ridge capping, valleys, and flashings • New gutters and downpipes (if replacing) • All scaffold and safety equipment • Site clean-up and waste removal • Manufacturer warranty + workmanship warranty
**Additional costs that may apply:** • Significant timber repairs: $1,000–$5,000+ • Asbestos removal (if old fibro eaves or underlay): $3,000–$8,000+ • Skylight installation or replacement: $800–$2,500 each • Insulation upgrade: $1,500–$4,000
We provide detailed fixed-price quotes after a thorough roof inspection. No surprises.
BlueScope offers 22 standard Colorbond colours plus the Matt range for a contemporary flat finish. Popular choices on the Central Coast and Sydney:
**Most popular (2024–2026):** • Monument (dark charcoal) — modern, suits most home styles • Basalt (mid-grey) — versatile, hides dirt well • Surfmist (off-white) — reflects heat, suits coastal homes • Woodland Grey (dark grey-green) — blends with bushland settings • Shale Grey (light warm grey) — popular with rendered homes
**Thermatech technology:** All Colorbond colours include Thermatech solar reflectance technology. Lighter colours reflect more heat — Surfmist reflects up to 72% of solar heat compared to 28% for Night Sky (black). For homes without ceiling insulation, lighter colours can reduce cooling costs by 10–20%.
**Colour considerations:** • Check your council's Development Control Plan (DCP) — some areas restrict roof colours • Consider surrounding homes and streetscape • Darker colours show less dirt but absorb more heat • Lighter colours reflect heat but may show staining from trees
We provide colour samples and can show you completed projects in your area to help you decide.
The Central Coast's proximity to the ocean means salt exposure is a real consideration for roofing materials.
**BlueScope's warranty zones:** • Severe marine (within 100m of breaking surf): Reduced warranty, Colorbond Ultra recommended • Marine (100m–1km from coast): Standard warranty applies with some conditions • Normal (beyond 1km): Full standard warranty
**For coastal properties (Terrigal, Wamberal, Avoca Beach, Copacabana, Ettalong):** • We recommend Colorbond Ultra — a higher-grade product with additional corrosion protection specifically designed for harsh coastal environments • All fixings must be marine-grade stainless steel (standard zinc screws corrode rapidly in salt air) • Annual fresh-water rinse recommended to remove salt deposits • Particular attention to cut edges and penetrations where the protective coating is interrupted
We specify the correct Colorbond grade for your location and ensure all fixings and flashings are appropriate for your exposure level. This attention to detail is what separates a 40-year roof from a 15-year roof in coastal areas.
Typically 5–10 working days depending on roof size and complexity. We aim to have the roof weatherproof within 2–3 days of starting, with finishing work (flashings, gutters, clean-up) completing the project.
In most cases, a like-for-like re-roof (same footprint, similar height) is exempt development and does not require council approval. However, if you're changing roof height, adding skylights, or your property is heritage-listed, approval may be required. We advise on this during the quoting process.
We stage the work to minimise exposure. Typically, one section is stripped and re-roofed before moving to the next. Sarking (waterproof underlay) is installed immediately after stripping, providing weather protection even before the metal goes on. We monitor weather forecasts and will not strip sections if rain is expected.
Modern Colorbond roofing with proper sarking and ceiling insulation is not noticeably noisier than tiles in rain. The sarking layer dampens sound significantly. Some homeowners actually enjoy the sound of rain on a metal roof. If noise is a concern, additional acoustic insulation can be added.
Considering a Colorbond Conversion?
We provide detailed fixed-price quotes, colour consultation, and quality installation with full manufacturer warranty.