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Do you like the style, colour and material of your current roof? What do and don’t you like about it? If you want a change, consider that some local authorities require consent for a different style of re-roof, others do not. Check with your architect or your local council.

Keep an eye out for roofs that you like the look of in your neighbourhood or on your way to work. Or use Google StreetView. Think about style, colour and material.

Take a look at our gallery and do a search online for styles that you like and save or print these noting the product name and colour if available. You can also find inspiration on our Instagram and Pinterest pages.

Different roofing materials have different advantages & disadvantages. Check out the pros & cons below.

PROS

• No joins from ridge to gutter
• Lightweight
• Able to be cut
• Can be curved
• Choice of colours
• Different substrates (material & coating that your roof is made from) available to suit different environments
• Easily painted over
• Easy to install
• Concealed clip-fixing systems available
• Can collect rainwater from your roof

CONS

• Min roof pitch 3°
• Need to avoid contact with dissimilar metals (contact with certain types of metal may lead to corrosion)
• Entire old roof needs to be removed before new roof installed

PROS

• Long life
• Do not corrode
• Easy to overcoat
• Low rain noise
• Easy to replace a tile in a run
• Can collect rainwater from your roof

CONS

• Heavy
• Need increased structural supports
• Minimum pitch 17.5°
• Small colour choice
• Need underlay in high wind zones
• Only secured at one point in the top of the tile, so can lead to water getting in
• Can crack over time

PROS

• Lightweight
• Strong under high wind
• 50 year durability
• Installed to a high standard if done by specialist installers
• Small modules mean it’s easy to replace the roof without opening up the whole roof
• Easy to replace a tile in a run
• Colour fast
• Lightweight
• Able to be cut
• Choice of colours
• Easily painted over
• Can collect rainwater from your roof

CONS

• Minimum roof pitch 12°
• Shake and Shingle style minimum roof pitch 15°
• Need to avoid contact with dissimilar metals (contact with certain types of metal may lead to corrosion)
• If replacing concrete tile with pressed steel tile, need to re-fasten rafter to top plate

PROS

• Look great when new
• Bold shape
• Do not corrode

CONS

• Heavy
• Expensive
• Crack easily
• Get dirty very quickly
• Lose water tightness
• Fastened by wire
• Vulnerable to hail damage from hail above 30mm in diameter

PROS

• Natural Look
• North American style

CONS

• Costly
• Rot and leak over time
• Fire risk
• Uses treated timber or cedar
• Steep roof pitch only
• High maintenance

PROS

• Low skill install level
• Distinctive look
• Does not corrode in salt air

CONS

• Must be laid on a ply substrate
• Costly
• Lose glue adhesion over time
• Blow off in high winds
• Unproven long term in the NZ environment
• Vulnerable to hail damage
• High maintenance

• High wind zones impact the number of fixings required and the spacing of purlins.
• Check your wind zone on the council wind maps.
• Consider your property’s proximity to cliffs, gorges, oceans and ranges.

Consider the weight of the roof, heavy roofs can cause injury during an earthquake, a lightweight roof option will perform better in earthquake zones.

• Proximity to open bores impacts substrate and coating for longrun roofs. Open bores also impacts on the lifespan of a roof, due to the harsh nature of the environment.

• If where you live is subjected to heavy hailstorms you need to consider this, clay and concrete tile can break in a hailstorm, whereas steel tile and longrun may only dent.

• Check that the pitch of your roof is designed to handle snow melt.
• Check the elevation of your site, and the impact of snowfall.
• Consider gutter capacity, and if snow straps are necessary to hold the extra weight from snow melt.
• Think about the effects of snow sliding off your roof (e.g. pitch of roof over doorways and windows).

• Very Severe Marine describes a beachfront environment, going from the water’s edge to at least 100m inland, although this environment can extend inland for several hundred metres.
• Severe Marine begins anywhere from 100-400m from the coast but can extend far inland in some areas of NZ.
• Marine environments can vary depending on prevailing wind conditions and location so use the above as a guideline only.
• Check your substrate is appropriate for your environment.
• Check what regular maintenance is required.
• For longrun consider a more corrosion resistant substrate if you are near the coast e.g. aluminium near breaking surf (Very Severe Marine) or a substrate with magnesium alloy if in a Severe Marine environment (refer to our environment chart for advice on longrun substrates).

The substrate of a roofing product refers to the base material and metal alloy coating that then has paint and sometimes additional textural materials (e.g. in the case of some tile products) applied to it. This is the base material that is then formed into shapes, known as profiles (like corrugate) by roofing manufacturers, like Dimond Roofing, who will also cut it to size. Locally Longrun is often known as colour(ed) steel. In New Zealand, both Colorsteel and ColorCote are local manufacturers of substrates for longrun roofs.

Pressed steel tile roofing begins with a steel substrate, coated on both sides with a protective layer of aluminium-zinc. Satin finish tiles, have a topcoat of ultra-tough polymer acrylic applied. Textured tiles are finished with a polymer bonding basecoat, granulated natural stone and a clear acrylic overglaze.

There are three common substrate options for longrun metal roofing. These include a steel base layer onto which either a zinc aluminium coating is added, or a coating of zinc aluminium and magnesium is added, for superior corrosion resistance. The third option is a marine-grade aluminium base layer.

There are two different paint systems which may be added to any of the three substrates above, depending on the environment it is designed for (e.g. roofs in geothermal areas or by airports may require a more protective paint system).

For an easy way to find out the best material and coating for your roof check out the ColorCote® product range or complete the warranty enquiry form to determine the right product for your home.

Did you know that your gutters don't have to be plastic, but are also available in metal to match your roof? When picking your rainwater system, remember to think about the style of gutter you want, your fascia and your downpipes to complete your home in style. You will also need to make sure your gutters are able to deal with the amount of rainfall in the area you live in, your roofer or builder can help you work out which gutter and rainwater system will meet your needs.

When you’re replacing your roof, it’s a good idea to check your insulation. The roof is your top priority when it comes to insulating your home. This is the area you can make the most impact, since warm air rises, much of a home’s heat is lost through the roof.

It pays to check:
If your insulation is at least 12cm thick
If your insulation covers your whole ceiling and there are no uninsulated areas
If your insulation has gaps in it or gaps between pieces
If your insulation has been squashed or tucked underthings
If your insulation is wet or damp
If your insulation has been damaged by rodents or birds

You’ll find it cheaper to replace your insulation when your roof is off than trying to replace it through a ceiling cavity. Check out Pink® Batts® handy guide to measuring your insulation thickness available here.