• By Liam Ridings
• In Blog, Metal Roofing, Renovation

Roof Restoration or Replacement: Your Guide

When considering how to manage a damaged or ageing roof, Australian homeowners often find themselves choosing between a roof restoration or a replacement. Within this article, Vertec Roofing are going to outline the differences of roof restoration vs replacement, pros and cons of each, and costs involved, to ensure you’ve got everything you need to make the right decision.

Roof restoration or replacement – what’s the difference?

Roof restoration and roof replacements often get mixed up with each other and are incorrectly used interchangeably. Let’s have a closer look at these two options, as well as their pros and cons:

What is a roof restoration?

Roof restoration describes the process of repairing and restoring an older roof. A roof restoration aims to restore the materials and extend the lifespan of the already existing roofing and its structure. Furthermore, a roof restoration can improve the roof appearance, performance, and energy efficiency. A restoration may include replacing some missing shingles, fixing minor leaks, or replacing and restoring more extensive damaged areas of a roof.

When it comes to taking care of your roof and ensuring longevity, it’s important to be proactive. The earlier you can identify and repair any minor roofing issues through a roof restoration, the better, as it means you can prevent the issues from causing more extensive damage.

A roof restoration aims to restore all elements that may have aged, deteriorated, or become damaged. Visual signs that your roof may need to be restored included curling, cracking, or missing shingles, bent roofing materials, and rusted areas of your roof. Other signs that you may need to consider restoring your roof include high moisture levels, minor leaks, poor drainage, and increased energy bills (which mean that the thermal regulation and insulation properties of your roof are not holding up).

If your home is experiencing one or more of these signs, or it is more than 20 years old, a roof restoration is the ideal solution. However, a roof inspection will first be required to ensure that your roof is eligible for restoration and it makes sense to restore rather than replace.

Roof restoration: Pros and cons

Roof restoration comes with a lot of pros and cons in comparison to roof replacement:

Pros:

• Roof restoration is a cost-efficient way to increase the lifespan of your roofing.
• Roof restoration offers a way to improve the roof’s appearance.
• Roof restoration improves thermal regulation and insulation, saving you money on energy bills in the long run.

Cons:

• Roof restoration means repairing and restoring areas that are damaged or vulnerable, not the entire roof.
• Roof restoration is only applicable if the roof is only minimally damaged or deteriorated.
• The lifespan of a restored roof is shorter than a replaced roof.

What is a roof replacement?

Roof replacement describes removing a severely damaged roof and installing a new one to replace it. The answer of when to replace a roof is that a roof should be replaced when:

• it reaches the end of its lifespan
• it has become severely damaged and will not be able to be restored

Generally, a roof will have an average lifespan of at least 20 – 25 years, depending on the roofing material that it was constructed with. Once a roof has made it over the 20-25 year mark, it’s important to ensure your roof is professional inspected to see whether it requires a replacement or can be restored and improved to increase longevity.

A roof replacement is also required when it has become damaged beyond repair, whether it be from a fire, or severe storm damage.

Roof restoration: Pros and cons

Pros:

• Roof replacement offers a brand-new roof and peace of mind for another 20 years.
• Roof replacement allows one to completely change a roof’s appearance and structure.
• Roof replacement includes replacing the insulation, improving thermal regulation, and enhancing overall energy efficiency of the house.

Cons: 

• Roof replacement is a significant financial investment.
• Roof replacement can take much longer than a restoration or repair.

Roof replacement or roof restoration – what are the costs involved?

A roof replacement will typically cost more money than a roof restoration project. This is due to the fact that a new roof will often require more work, more materials, and more labour than restoring and repairing a minimally damaged roof. Not to mention, a roof replacement will involve removing what’s remaining of the original roof.

When it comes to how much it will cost to repair vs restore, the exact costs will come down to:

• The size of the roof
• The type of material used
• The location of the property
• The architectural design of the roof

Generally, roof replacement costs average around $5,000 – $20,000. Roof restoration, on the other hand, will generally be less expensive. A restoration will range from $1,500 – $4,000, depending on the repairs and restoration required

Speak to a roofing expert for a final decision

When determining whether you require a roof restoration or replacement, it’s important to seek advice from a professional roofing expert. The experts at Vertec Roofing will inspect your roof, the roofing materials, the overall integrity and performance, and any potential issues to determine what is the best pathway for your specific concerns. In both cases, a professional roof inspection is the first step to making an informed and valid decision.

With more than 15 years of experience and hundreds of happy customers, Vertec Roofing are Sydney and Canberra’s most trusted roof repair, restoration, and roofing replacement experts.