The leading roofing options for modern homes

The classic tiled roof is somewhat fading from the modern housing landscape for a few reasons. The major one is cost, as it is far more expensive both in the purchase of materials and labour costs. Generally, you’re looking at around $80-$110 per square metre for tiled roofing, which is significantly more than steel roofing.

However, there are also some benefits to tiled roofing if you’re willing to pay a little more. Firstly, if you’re in a high-risk bushfire area, tiles are non-combustible. Terracotta is also considered to be extremely eco-friendly, which is an important consideration in the modern world. But in terms of functionality, tiles do offer superior insulation, which may make it a popular choice in either very cold or very warm climates.

Another benefit is that a tiled roof can last for at least 50 years. The downside to this, though, is that if a tile breaks or cracks due to weather or even just poor installation, you’ll likely need to hire a contractor for roofing repairs, potentially multiple times over as your tiles start to age and crack.

For the sake of simplicity, we’ll talk about Colorbond® steel roofing here because frankly, it’s the best and most popular on the market. In general, metal roofing costs between $50-$70 per square metre, fully installed. So, it’s definitely a cheaper option than tiles. It’s also easier to lay, which is part of the reason the labour costs are less than they are when installing tiles.

Colorbond® steel is tried and tested in harsh Australian conditions, meaning it stands up well to heat, wind, heavy rain and everything else Mother Nature throws at it. It won’t crack, chip or fade either, which is a huge benefit for those who appreciate their home looking nicer for longer. Most Colorbond® roofing comes with a 25-year warranty, however, you can expect it to last much longer than that.

The only real drawback to metal roofing is that there are several different components required beyond just the sheet of metal. If you work with quality roofing contractors, you shouldn’t have a problem, but in the wrong hands, there are a few things that can go wrong during installation.

While concrete tiles aren’t the most popular choice in Australia, there are a few reasons that people prefer them over some of the more common options. Typically, concrete tiles are excellent for commercial buildings, especially if there is a large, flat surface area to cover. With a price range between $40-$60 per square metre, it’s one of the more economical choices, hence its popularity for commercial buildings.

However, concrete tiles can also be used on residential homes. Again, the price is attractive, but they’re also quite durable. In fact, concrete tiles actually harden and get stronger with age, so if it’s a long-term solution you’re after, you can do a lot worse than concrete tile roofing.

Definitely the newest product on the market, but always increasing in popularity is solar roofing. In simple terms, your roof is actually made out of solar panels that are joined together to form a normal roof. While this is a terrific option for reducing energy bills and giving your home an ultra-modern look, the cost is likely to turn many people away.

Also, when you purchase solar roofing, not all of the tiles actively produce solar energy. Some are non-active, basically to keep the cost down. While impressive, the jury is still out on the effectiveness of solar roofing, and certainly, the durability, longevity and maintenance requirements are somewhat of an unknown.