Type of Roof

[Hector_L]

Hi All,

Just wanted feedback regarding the Pro's and Con's of Colorbond Roofing compared to Terracotta roof tiles.

I like the look of Colorbond but not sure if Colorbond will reduce / increase the value of my home.

Regards,
Hector.

[silentC]

Hector,

Remember that big hail storm they had in Sydney a few years ago?

Colorbond Pros:
1. Cheaper
2. Easier to install
3. Lighter contruction for roof
4. Doesn't crack
5. No air gaps between sheets
6. Can survive a hail storm

Colorbond Cons:
1. Lower snob value

Tile Pros:
1. Can't think of anything in particular. Maybe some people think they look better?

Tile Cons:
1. Heavy
2. Expensive
3. Costly and time consuming to install
4. Needs heavier roof construction
5. They crack
6. They leak
7. They shatter if hit by large hail stones.

There, that about covers it....

;)

[John99]

One tip is that colorbond roof costs more to do, then a tile roof and the colorbond will fade overtime

cheers

[silentC]

Last time I checked that wasn't the case, although I admit it's a long time since I got a quote on a tile roof. Steel prices have risen a lot lately. Get a quote on both and compare.

I would never put a tile roof on a house after having owned a house with a tile roof.

[Sturdee]

We've got a tiled roof and tiles will also fade over the years, although at a much slower rate.

Can't comment on the cost or ease of installation etc but ours have never cracked in all that time. Maybe Sydney has worse weather. :D :D :D

Another aspect to consider is the noise factor. With a colourbond roof you hear the noise as it rains or hails whereas normally you won't know if it's raining with a tiled roof.


Peter.

[johnc]

My understanding was that old cement tiles were more likely to crack than terracotta, you can dent tin with hail stones although the sheets will hang on and not leak. Strong winds can rip off sheets of tin as well as tiles. Tiles crack if walked on by the inexperienced. I'm not sure if anything is a clear winner as colourbond can fade badly although terracotta holds its colour as well as moss and cement tiles fade always.

My understanding also is that tin is a lot cheaper to install, less timber, and easier to lay. We have had a tile roof for 23 years with one cracked tile, but next time I would consider tin I don't feel particularly like naming one over the other.



John

[Barry_White]

Having worked for Lysaghts for 11 years I can speak with a bit of authority.

Some facts about Colorbond:

Some colours will fade although Bluescope have tended to move away from pigments that have that tendency.

Contrary to popular belief Colorbond will damage in a hail storm. A case in point about eight years ago there was a huge hailstorm in Armidale NSW and Lysaght were carting 20 tonnes of steel roofing a DAY for over 12 months into Armidale to replace all the damaged steel roofs under insurance.

Although hail will damage the Colorbond it will not penetrate the steel, it will only dent it just like your nice new Commodore that is caught in a hail storm.

Contrary to the snob value fact some very prestigious architechs have designed in Colorbond i.e. Glen Merckert.

Apart from that what Silent C said.

Colorbond Pros:
1. Cheaper
2. Easier to install
3. Lighter contruction for roof
4. Doesn't crack
5. No air gaps between sheets
6. Can survive a hail storm

Tile Cons:
1. Heavy
2. Expensive
3. Costly and time consuming to install
4. Needs heavier roof construction
5. They crack
6. They leak
7. They shatter if hit by large hail stones.

One of the problems some of the tile companys call on truss companys and promote tiles and by the time they price the trusses they will come up dearer and the tile companys hate losing a job and become very competitive especially if they know that people are getting a quote on Colorbond.

If I was having a tile roof I wouldn't have concrete tiles, but glazed terracotta, but very pricey.

The other interesting thing is Bluescope in conjunction with Lysaghts have three price rises a year and since BHP divested themselves of their steel divisions they have been making unprecedented profits

[boban]

Colourbond is most definately more expensive than any of the concrete tiles. That I know for a fact. Dont forget to add the building blanket that goes directly under sheets. Thats not cheap either.

As for terracotta, I hate the look of it, but thats just my personal preference.

[ian]

A Colourbond roof can be a whole lot flatter than a tiled roof.

[Clinton1]

I got hit in the face by the gyprock ceiling and all the wet filthy insulation above it when the ceiling came down due to leaking tiles. Of the entire bloody ceiling, it was just the bit over my bed that came down. The missus heard the gyprock cracking and got out, put the light on, saw the crack and sag, and apparently tried to wake me in time. Apparently.

This was in a rental house, and we'd reported "think its broke, too much light beaming through the roof"; the tilers came and did the "inspection/no worries/cash up and run" job.
Now when I see all the light that "leaks" from the tiled roofs in my meighbourhood I think of all the air circulation and potential for wind blown water ingress... and cracked tiles letting water in, grouting issues, algae, moss, cooch grass growing in the compost formed by dead moss.....
Needless to say once smacked in the head, twice shy. Steel sheet roof for me.

[Pulpo]

I was told that the cost varies from state to state [from a display home] hmm I'm not sure.

I do know that Colourbond is cheaper than Terracotta tiles but more expensive than Concrete tiles.

You may notice on many older houses, bows in the roof.

This is from concrete tiles absorbing mositure and increasing the weight.

Not sure if this is still a problem with new tiles??

I would never choose concrete tiles but that's just me.

I'm not sure if a colourbond roof is noisier from rain when inside?

I do like the concept where hail can wreck a colourbond roof but nothing more.

I guess its all personal opinion as to the best choice.

Good Luck

Pulpo

[DavidG]

Sorry to cut in, but what about old fashioned corrogated GI roofing.
How does its price compare.

[Wildman]

If I had the cash right now, the first thing I would be doing is ripping off all the tiles from my roof and replacing them with a foilboard insulated colourbond roof. Well maybe not the first thing, but at least in the same priority list as the bathroom renovation, staircase to downstairs, extra bedrooms downstairs and perhaps finishing the current kitchen renovation.

Having had both in the past, I would not even consider tiles in either a new roof or a replacement. There is a noise factor with sheet roofing, but my current love of foilboard and its magical isulation properties would make all the difference.

My two cents worth.

Cheers
Ben

[Barry_White]

Sorry to cut in, but what about old fashioned corrogated GI roofing.
How does its price compare.

Actually Zincalume is slightly cheaper than the old Gal and Zincalume will last 4 times as long than Gal. The only problem is Zincalume stays shiney and some councils will not allow it in built up areas. Because Gal dulls off and weathers after about 6 months they will usually accept it.

[adrian]

I got hit in the face by the gyprock ceiling and all the wet filthy insulation above it when the ceiling came down due to leaking tiles. Of the entire bloody ceiling, it was just the bit over my bed that came down. The missus heard the gyprock cracking and got out, put the light on, saw the crack and sag, and apparently tried to wake me in time. Apparently.


Did she have a hammer and saw under her side of the mattress and are you heavily insured?

[Clinton1]

No hammer and saw to be found.

The "landlord" paid for the drycleaning, including the mattress. No injury, the gyprock sort of swung and hit my legs but the insulation plopped wetly onto my face. At home I AM a heavy sleeper. It actually provoked more giggles than anything else. I guess the potential for liability sort of swung the "customer service" into high gear, so we walked away happy. We moved a week later... no bond or tenant agreement hassles - funny that.

[Bella]

One disadvantage of tiles over colourbond would be that it is easier to break in.
Someone can just lift off rooftiles and get in. A bit harder with colourbond or Zincalume.

Than again that could be an advantage if you are prone to locking yourself out!

[DanP]

In ten years of policing I have only once seen someone go through a roof to gain entry. It's too visible. They'd rather smash the window next to your back door.

I used to lay tile roofs and we could lay a 60 square house in a day and a half, including putting the battens up. Another day to bed and point and you're done. I don't think a sheet roof could go up any quicker. I have a colourbond roof (cream colour) and it is faded and drab looking. It's loud as buggery and doesn't insulate very well. Give me a tile roof any day.

Dan

[soundman]

From my years as an antenna installer crawling on & in peoples rooves. I would have to come out heavily against tiles. Almost without exception I would find broken or cracked tiles on customers tile rooves. Kame to a piont where I wouldn't go onto a tile roof without a black marker so I could prove I'd seen the crackers before steping on them.
Being inside an unsarked tile roof in a rain storm is a revilation, its like a dense damp hase in there.
The insulation properties of a tile roof are over estimeted colour makes more diference.
Tiles provide absolutely no structrual assistance to the structure at all apart from gravity.
Most of the tile rooves I crawled on were in need of repointing even some of the new ones the pointing had cracked.
Tilers generaly (sorry chaps) tend to be e little careless & end up leaving all sorts of rubble in your gutters, a very few clean up properly.

One thing about colourbond, it is not a lifetime finish, after about 10 years or so it starts to chalk off & erode like any paint will & does need to be refinished. But thtas not hard. If there are overhanging trees or birdlife problems colourbond will be atacked by litchens ( is that how you spell it) and acids in bird droppings. Mine needs a repaint as we speak.

In my opinion steel with roofing blanket will outperform tile in every respect.
cheers