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Restore the roof or replace it

Per square metre, restoration is the cheaper job by a wide margin. Whether it is the right job depends on what is under the coating.

Every figure verified on or after

Costs 2 min read Published

Restoration costs far less per square metre. Singh Roofing prices Melbourne tile restoration at $45 to $70 per m² and metal at $40 to $60 per m², against $70 to $120 per m² for a new concrete tile roof on Roofing Calculator HQ's figures. Restoration keeps the covering you have, so it only works while that covering is sound.

A roof restoration compared with a roof replacement Two sections through the same roof. On the restoration side the existing tiles, battens and frame stay in place and a new coating goes over the top. On the replacement side the old covering is stripped off and a new sheet covering is fixed to the battens and frame. Restore Replace taken away new coating over the top existing tiles stay battens stay frame untouched old covering stripped off new covering fixed down battens frame
A restoration works on the covering you already have. A replacement strips that covering off and fixes a new one, which is why removal shows up as its own line in a replacement quote.

How far apart are the two jobs per m²?

Restore or replace, per m² $ per m²
Restore or replace, per m² Restoration rates against new-roof rates, per square metre. Restore, Wollongong restorer: $22 to $45; Restore metal, Melbourne: $40 to $60; Restore tile, Melbourne: $45 to $70; New concrete tile roof: $70 to $120; New terracotta roof: $110 to $180; New Colorbond roof: $120 to $170 ($ per m²). Restore, Wollongong restorer $22 to $45 Restore metal, Melbourne $40 to $60 Restore tile, Melbourne $45 to $70 New concrete tile roof $70 to $120 New terracotta roof $110 to $180 New Colorbond roof $120 to $170 $0 $50 $100 $150 $200
Show the numbers
ItemLowHighSource
Restore, Wollongong restorer $22 $45 Pure Power Roof Restoration, a Wollongong restorer, 2026 pricing guide (25 March 2026)
Restore metal, Melbourne $40 $60 Singh Roofing, roof restoration cost in Melbourne (16 December 2025)
Restore tile, Melbourne $45 $70 Singh Roofing, roof restoration cost in Melbourne (16 December 2025)
New concrete tile roof $70 $120 Roofing Calculator HQ, roof replacement cost (updated 28 April 2026)
New terracotta roof $110 $180 Roofing Calculator HQ, roof replacement cost (updated 28 April 2026)
New Colorbond roof $120 $170 Roofing Calculator HQ, roof replacement cost (updated 28 April 2026)

Industry figures. Source: Pure Power Roof Restoration, a Wollongong restorer, 2026 pricing guide (25 March 2026); Singh Roofing, roof restoration cost in Melbourne (16 December 2025); Roofing Calculator HQ, roof replacement cost (updated 28 April 2026).

The Wollongong restorer's figure, $22 to $45 per m², sits well under the Melbourne ranges. That is two businesses in two markets, not proof that restoration is cheaper in New South Wales. Use any one business's range as the opening question in your own market.

What does each job cost for a whole house?

Whole-home totals $ for the job
Whole-home totals Whole-job totals for restoring and replacing a house roof. Restore Colorbond, Melbourne home: $4,000 to $8,000; Restore a standard Melbourne home: $5,500 to $8,500; Restore concrete tile, Melbourne: $5,500 to $11,000; Replace, average Sydney home: $20,000 to $30,000 ($ for the job). Restore Colorbond, Melbourne home $4,000 to $8,000 Restore a standard Melbourne home $5,500 to $8,500 Restore concrete tile, Melbourne $5,500 to $11,000 Replace, average Sydney home $20,000 to $30,000 $0 $10,000 $20,000 $30,000
Show the numbers
ItemLowHighSource
Restore Colorbond, Melbourne home $4,000 $8,000 Singh Roofing, roof restoration cost in Melbourne (16 December 2025)
Restore a standard Melbourne home $5,500 $8,500 Singh Roofing, roof restoration cost in Melbourne (16 December 2025)
Restore concrete tile, Melbourne $5,500 $11,000 Singh Roofing, roof restoration cost in Melbourne (16 December 2025)
Replace, average Sydney home $20,000 $30,000 Yellow Pages, How much does roof replacement cost? [2026]

Industry figures. Source: Singh Roofing, roof restoration cost in Melbourne (16 December 2025); Yellow Pages, How much does roof replacement cost? [2026].

Singh Roofing's benchmark house is a 3 to 4 bedroom Melbourne home with a roof of 120 to 170 m², restored for $5,500 to $8,500. Concrete tile on the same sort of house runs $5,500 to $11,000 and Colorbond $4,000 to $8,000. Singh Roofing puts the metal discount down to prep work: an aged tile roof needs more of it than a metal one.

What does that look like on one roof?

Pure Power Roof Restoration's Wollongong example is a tile roof of 180 m². Run that one roof through three published rates and the spread is obvious.

Restore the same roof, three published rates

Roof area: 180 m²

LinePublished rateFor this roof
Restore at the Wollongong restorer’s rate $22 to $45 per m² $3,960 to $8,100
Restore at Melbourne tile rates $45 to $70 per m² $8,100 to $12,600
Replace with concrete tile $70 to $120 per m² $12,600 to $21,600

Each row is a separate way to do the job, so the rows are not added up. Area multiplied by each published rate; not a quote.

Pure Power's own published price for that roof starts from $6,500, which sits inside the range its per m² rate produces.

When is restoration the wrong job?

  • The covering itself has failed. A restoration cleans, repairs and recoats what is there. Ask exactly which tiles or sheets get replaced first, and get that list in the quote.
  • You want a different material. Moving from tile to Colorbond is a replacement by definition, and it brings the removal line with it.
  • The roof may contain asbestos. Many houses built or renovated before 1990 still contain asbestos somewhere, and cutting, drilling or removing it brings in state asbestos rules.
  • The frame needs work. Restoration treats the surface, not what holds it up.

How do you compare a restoration quote with a replacement quote?

Convert both to a rate per square metre, then check they used the same roof area. If one roofer measured a larger roof than the other, the gap between the quotes is partly measurement, not price. The calculator shows both jobs on the same area, and the quote checklist covers the rest.