Tile to COLORBOND Roof Conversion: What Every Homeowner Needs to Know

Thinking of Swapping Your Tile Roof for COLORBOND? Here’s What You Need to Know At first glance, replacing a tile roof with a COLORBOND metal roof might seem like a straightforward upgrade. After all, it’s just swapping one roof for another—right? Not quite. The reality is, there’s a lot more beneath the surface (and above your ceiling) than meets the eye.

Why It’s Not a Simple Swap

Homes built with tile roofs weren’t designed with metal roofing in mind. Tile is heavy, and the way it’s fixed to your home is very different from how a metal roof needs to be secured. The key issue? Tiedown requirements. Metal roofs demand stronger connections to your home’s frame to withstand wind uplift and meet today’s building codes. Tile roofs just don’t need the same level of reinforcement.

The Challenges We See—Every Time

We’ve worked on all kinds of tile-to-metal conversions, and here’s what we encounter:

• Structural Assessments: Before any quote can be issued, an engineer needs to assess your home. Their job is to find any weak points in the structure that need to be upgraded to suit a metal roof.
• Tiedown Upgrades: Often, these upgrades are more involved than you’d expect. Sometimes, it’s as simple as strapping trusses or rafters to the wall frame from above once the tiles are off. Other times, it means inserting tiedown rods into existing walls—requiring us to cut into plasterboard and other internal linings, then patch, plaster, and paint afterwards.
• Licensed Trades Required: These tiedown works need to be done by a licensed carpenter or builder. It’s not just a roofing job—it’s a structural job.
• Every House is Different: We’ve seen everything from homes that need extensive tiedown upgrades throughout (with plenty of patching and painting), to homes where the engineer confirms the original structure is already up to scratch.

What’s the Process?

If you’re considering making the switch, here’s how it works:

1. Get Your House Plans: Start by obtaining a set of plans from your local council. This usually costs between $50 and $100, depending on your council.
2. Engage an Engineer: An engineer will assess your home and identify what needs to be upgraded. Expect to pay between $1,000 and $2,500, depending on your home’s size and complexity.
3. Receive a Full Quotation: Once the engineer’s assessment is done, we can provide a full, accurate quote for both the roof and any tiedown upgrades needed.
4. Private Certification & Council Submission: If you’re replacing more than 20% of your roof, you’ll need to submit your plans through a private certifier (required by law and for insurance). This typically costs $700–$2,000.
5. Roof Replacement: With approvals in place, we’ll remove the tiles, complete any tiedown upgrades (some from inside, some from above), install new battens, insulation (anticon blanket), your chosen COLORBOND profile, and all the flashings.

Why You Need to Do It Right

Skipping the engineering and certification steps isn’t just risky—it can be expensive. If you don’t lodge your re-roof with council, your insurer can reject claims for future roof issues. That’s a risk no homeowner should take.

The Bottom Line: What Does It Cost?

To get a firm scope and accurate quote, you’re looking at an initial outlay of around $3,000—just for plans, engineering, and certification. The final cost of the roof replacement itself will depend on the size, complexity, and site conditions. We can provide a quote for the roofing component alone, but it will always be subject to the engineer’s assessment and any tiedown upgrades being carried out thoroughly.

Our Approach

At MyCladders, we work closely with engineers, town planners, private certifiers, and a trusted network of builders to ensure every tile-to-metal conversion is done right—no shortcuts, no surprises. We’ll walk you through every step so you know exactly what’s happening and why. Thinking about making the switch? Reach out for a chat—we’re happy to talk you through the process and help you get started on the right foot.

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