The True Cost of Cheap Roofing in Australia

When three roofing quotes come back at $12,000, $14,500, and $8,200, the cheapest option is tempting. But roofing is one area where the lowest price almost always comes with a catch. Across Australia, the cost of fixing bad roofing work exceeds the cost of doing it right the first time — often by a significant margin.

What cheap quotes usually leave out

The biggest difference between an $8,000 and a $14,000 roofing quote usually isn't profit margin — it's scope. Cheap quotes commonly exclude sarking (the reflective membrane under the roof sheets that's required by the Building Code of Australia in most climate zones), proper flashing at penetrations and valleys, replacement of damaged battens or rafters found during the strip, and adequate scaffolding or edge protection.

Every one of these exclusions becomes either a variation (extra cost mid-job) or a problem down the track. A re-roofing job that skips sarking isn't just non-compliant — it means worse thermal performance, condensation issues, and potential moisture damage to your ceiling.

Material grades make a massive difference

Not all Colorbond is created equal. COLORBOND® Steel comes in several grades, and the cheapest option performs very differently to the premium grades over 20–30 years. Cheap imported metal roofing sheets — often marketed as "equivalent to Colorbond" — can rust, fade, and fail within 5–10 years in Australian conditions, especially in coastal or tropical areas.

The price difference between budget and quality materials on a standard 200m² roof is typically $2,000–$5,000. Spread over the 30+ year lifespan of a good roof, that's a negligible annual cost for dramatically better performance and warranty coverage.

The leak that costs more than the roof

A single undetected roof leak can cause extraordinary damage. Water entering through a poorly flashed penetration can travel along battens and rafters before it shows up as a stain on your ceiling — by which time the damage path can be metres long. Ceiling replacement costs $60–$100 per square metre. If the leak reaches insulation, it becomes useless. If it reaches timber framing, you're looking at structural repair.

A single roof leak that goes unnoticed for six months can easily cause $5,000–$15,000 in internal damage. Compare that to the $3,000–$5,000 you might have saved by choosing the cheapest roofer.

How to choose a roofer without overpaying

The goal isn't to pick the most expensive quote — it's to pick the most complete one. Ask every roofer to itemise their quote: materials (brand, gauge, colour), labour, scaffolding, sarking, flashing details, gutter work, and what happens if they find damaged timber. A detailed quote makes it easy to compare apples with apples.

Check that they hold the correct licence for your state, carry current public liability insurance, and can provide recent references. If a quote is significantly lower than others, ask them specifically what they're excluding — not to catch them out, but to understand what you're actually comparing.