Roofing is one of the most important part of your household, right next to the support columns. It is one of the most expensive and hardest elements to put on your house as well. This is why it is such a big deal when it comes to choosing what material you should use for the roof in your house. It is also an important decision when choosing which material is best if you are planning to replace your roof. Whatever the reason for requiring a new roof, in Australia, your options for a great and reliable roofing material will most likely boil down to two options; Concrete tiles or colorbond roofing.
Concrete tiles have been our darling roofing material for more than 75 years and for the most part, are what most people picture when they think about roofing. Metal roofing on the other and has recently been making inroads and winning hearts left, right, and centre. For those who do not understand what metal roofing is, the simplest definition is that it is a technique for creating roofing material by bonding paint to a galvanised base. The main materials used are steel, aluminium, or copper. The idea started in the USA, but just like everything else, Aussies have owned it and made significant improvements to make it a roofing material that is impervious to fire but also to corrosion, cracking, and chipping. Colorbond does all this while remaining versatile and beautiful to look at especially when professionally installed.
While both materials have their merits, most of the time which material to go for between metal and concrete boils down to preference and budget. It is important however that you have all the information necessary before you make a decision that you will be stuck with for the next 50-100 years. Here are some of the things you should look at:
Cost
The cost of putting up a roof is largely affected by the material being used. Just like any other construction cost, you should look at how much of a dent putting up your roof is going to make in your wallet. Typically, using metal sheets for your roofing will be a lot more pocket friendly incomparison to concrete tiles, especially if the tiling is being done using terracotta. On average, the cost of putting up a tile roof should be between $80 and $100 per square metre while the costs for a colorbond roof is between $50 and $60 per square metre. This means that the cost for a concrete roof, without counting the time it takes to install, is almost twice as much on average as compared to metal roofing.
Risk
The element of risk is going to come in when looking at how much it costs, both in man hours and in terms of money, to keep you roof looking great for a long time. Maintenance on colorbond roof is definitely cheaper and takes less time as compared to concrete. This is because, short of physical damage such as a falling branch or hailstones, metal roofs will largely remain intact. Concrete on the other hand is prone to cracking and leaking thanks to changes in the weather. Temperature changes are especially brutal to concrete, a problem that is not normally experienced with colorbond, especially if it was installed professionally.
The repair work is also more expensive and takes more time when dealing with concrete. With metal roofs, most of the time, cleaning and a little paintwork will have your roof looking brand new. You will also only need to replace a panel to deal with damage to an entire section. The materials required and the man hours needed are also a lot less in comparison to concrete roofing.
Another reason why metal roofing is gaining in popularity is the fact that it can handle almost anything that the Australian weather can throw at it. This type of resilience extends to its resistance to fire and its thermal insulation. A point of note is that this resilience could be a pain in the backside when it comes to making modifications to your roof after installation. This means that adding a flue or skylight becomes harder in comparison to concrete roofs.
Difficulty Installing
Colorbond roofing is easier to install as compared to concrete tiling. The main reason for this is that it is lighter, meaning that lighter framing material can be used and you can space the rafters wider. It is also easier to install metal roofing since all you need to do is put up one panel at a time, in comparison to working on each tile as you go. This makes colorbond ideal for additions to your house such as verandas, granny flats, and garden sheds. It is important to note that when installing concrete roofs, you might need to make adjustments to your house to make sure it can support the weight. Concrete roofs are also better at handling corrosion, making them ideal for people that live near the sea.
