Colorbond, concrete tile or terracotta

How do the three compare, new and restored?

The restoration rates are published for tile and for metal, not for each brand of tile, so terracotta sits in the tile row. Singh Roofing gives no whole-home figure for terracotta, so that cell says so.

Is the cheapest roof to install the cheapest to own?

Not on these numbers. Concrete tile wins on installation, then loses ground at restoration time: Singh Roofing quotes $45 to $70 per m² for tile against $40 to $60 per m² for metal, and puts the difference down to an aged tile roof needing more preparation before it is coated. Across a whole house that gap reads as $5,500 to $11,000 for concrete tile against $4,000 to $8,000 for Colorbond.

Neither figure says how many years a roof goes before it needs that work, so treat lifespan claims in a quote as the roofer's opinion and ask what they are based on.

Which steel suits a coastal house?

Distance from the surf decides it. BlueScope's own rule of thumb is standard Colorbond for a roof more than 200 m from breaking surf, and Colorbond Ultra for a roof 100 to 200 m from breaking surf, measured from the high water mark. Closer than that, or on a calm bay rather than open surf, its selection guide takes over. Roofing Calculator HQ prices Ultra at $140 to $200 per m² against $120 to $170 per m² for classic Colorbond.

Two quotes can both say "Colorbond" and be for different products, so ask for the product name in writing and measure your own distance to the surf before you compare them.

Which roof suits a bushfire area?

Houses in bushfire prone areas are built to a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) under AS 3959, and the most severe is the Flame Zone. BlueScope says Colorbond roofing, gutters and downpipes can be part of a compliant system right up to BAL-FZ. That is a manufacturer's statement about a system, not a rating for your house: the BAL for your block comes from a bushfire assessment, and the whole roof assembly has to meet it, whichever covering you choose. If your block has a BAL, ask each roofer to name the tested system they are quoting.

Does roof colour change how hot the house gets?

It can. BlueScope says the core Colorbond colours use Thermatech solar reflectance, which reflects more of the sun's heat on hot days, and lighter colours reflect more than darker ones. Tiles have their own colour ranges, so the fairer comparison is a light roof against a dark one rather than steel against tile. Insulation and sarking under the roof matter as much as the covering, and both are worth a line in the quote.

How much looking after does each one need?

Restoration prices above show the long-run cost: tile needs more preparation than metal when it is recoated. Day to day, BlueScope says a Colorbond roof washed by rain usually needs nothing, while unwashed steel under eaves should be hosed at least every six months, more often near the coast. Tile roofs bring their own jobs, like repointing ridge capping, which a restoration quote will list.

Does wind change the choice?

In cyclonic areas the fixings matter as much as the covering. NCC 2025 treats wind regions B2, C and D as cyclonic areas, and the QBCC guide for repairing sheet metal roofs there works to C2 (61 m/s). If the house sits in one of those regions, ask which wind class the quote is fixed for before you compare materials. Our wind classification guide explains the classes.

What if the roof you are replacing is old fibro?

Many houses built or renovated before 1990 still contain asbestos. If the old roof is asbestos cement, that changes who may take it off and what it costs, well before the choice of new covering matters. See the asbestos removal rules.