Updated October 2026· Independently researched·15 min read
Most roofing jobs in Cairns cost $270–$43,200
from minor repairs to a full re-roof
Minor leak repairs in Cairns cost $270–$865. A full Colorbond re-roof runs $16,200–$43,200. Tile re-roofing costs $110–$240 per square metre. Roof restoration (clean, repair, recoat) is $4,325–$11,900.
+5.2%Roofing costs in Cairns are up around 5.2% over the past year, re-verified against 90+ sources in October 2026.Year on year
Average Roofing Cost in Cairns
$23,750
total for a full Colorbond re-roof (average 3-bed home)
Hiring roofers in Cairns starts with one thing: roof area, pitch, material and access set the price. Cairns is in Wind Region C, where homes are designed for cyclone gusts of 250 km/h at roof level (QRA), and that rating follows exposed work onto the quote. Repairs, restorations and full re-roofs are separate rows for a reason. The table below prices 20 roofing jobs for Cairns, with low, typical and high figures, followed by local notes on timing, rules and suburbs.
Comparing cities, or after the Australia-wide picture? See the national guide: Roofing cost in Australia.
Quick answerRoofing in Cairns costs $270–$1,075 for most repairs and $15,100–$43,200 for a full replacement, with re-roofing charged at $86–$195 per square metre. GST included — verified October 2026. Get free Cairns quotes →
Prices verified October 2026 · Cross-referenced against 90+ Australian trade pricing sources · See methodology
Prices include GST. Based on Cairns metro area, October 2026. Outer suburbs may vary.
Roof Replacement Cost in Cairns: Roofing Prices by Storey and Material
Replacing the whole roof on a single-storey Cairns house is $15,100–$32,400 in our table, typically $23,750; on a two-storey house it is $16,200–$43,200, typically $27,000. A Cairns reroof is never just new sheets: the house sits in Wind Region C, where homes are classed C1 to C4 for cyclonic gusts of up to 250 km/h (QRA cyclone resilience guideline), so the price assumes battens, screws and tie-downs fixed to the cyclone class of the site.
Per square metre, Colorbond reroofing is $86–$195, typically $130, and tiles are $110–$240, typically $160, including strip-off. Most Cairns reroofs replace tiles or old corrugated iron with sheet metal, which is lighter on the frame and easier to tie down. Height adds more than material does: a two-storey or high-set Queenslander needs scaffold or edge protection on every side.
The wet season sets the calendar. Cairns Aero averages 404.8 mm in January, 436.1 mm in February and 424.3 mm in March, against 26.9 mm in August (BOM, Cairns Aero), and a roof that is open in a storm is the most expensive way to find that out. Ask each roofer to measure the roof on site, to state the cyclone class and fixing pattern on the quote, and to list scaffold and disposal separately.
Full roof replacement (single-storey): $15,100–$32,400 total, typically $23,750
Full roof replacement (two-storey): $16,200–$43,200 total, typically $27,000
Re-roofing Colorbond (per sqm): $86–$195 per sqm, typically $130
Re-roofing tiles, incl. strip-off of old roof (per sqm): $110–$240 per sqm, typically $160
Roof Restoration Cost in Cairns: Roofing Prices for Tile and Metal Restoration
Restoring a tiled Cairns roof is $4,325–$11,900 in our table, typically $8,100, and a metal roof $3,250–$8,100, typically $5,400. In the tropics the work leans towards cleaning off mould and lichen, treating rust on sheets, screws and flashings, and recoating. Ridge-capping repairs alone are $430–$1,300 and replacing a few broken tiles $325–$1,075.
Humidity is what shortens the life of a Cairns roof coating: an average February brings 16.0 rain days at Cairns Aero (BOM, Cairns Aero), and the city sits in NCC climate zone 1, hot and humid (ABCB climate zone map). Ask what coating system is used, how many coats, and how long the surface is left to dry between them; a coat rolled onto a damp roof in the wet season is the usual reason a restoration fails early.
Restoration makes sense when the frame and most sheets or tiles are sound. If sheets are rusted through, fixings are corroded or the roof no longer meets the cyclone class of the house, replacement at $15,100–$32,400 for a single storey or $16,200–$43,200 for two storeys is the better spend. Ask for a fixings check, the coating warranty in writing and a line-by-line quote for cleaning, repairs and coating.
Roof restoration (tile: clean, rebed/repoint, recoat): $4,325–$11,900 total, typically $8,100
Ridge capping repair (partial: a few caps or one section): $430–$1,300 per job, typically $650
Roof repair (tile replacement): $325–$1,075 per job, typically $650
How Roofing Costs Vary Across Cairns
Across Cairns, price differences for roofing come less from the postcode and more from the house: its age, how it sits on the block and how close it is to the sea. Three parts of the city show the range.
Northern beaches — Trinity Beach, Kewarra Beach, Palm Cove, Clifton Beach
Coastal strip
Homes close to salt spray and open to the north-east, where coastal-rated products and more frequent upkeep make sense.
Inner suburbs — Cairns North, Edge Hill, Manunda, Westcourt
Established
Older homes near the city, including high-set houses where access under the floor or into the roof shapes the labour.
Southern corridor — Mount Sheridan, Bentley Park, Edmonton, White Rock
Growth estates
Newer slab-on-ground estates south of the city, where access is usually easy and like-for-like work is common.
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Roof repair cost in Cairns (2026): leaks, broken tiles and ridge capping
A roof repair in Cairns costs $270–$865 for a minor leak (typically $540) and $325–$1,075 to replace broken tiles (typically $650). Ridge capping, the usual culprit after a wet season, is $430–$1,300 to re-bed a few caps or one section (typically $650) and $865–$3,775 for the full roof (typically $2,375). If the whole roof is tired, a restoration is $4,325–$11,900. The figures are the Cairns table on this page, GST inclusive.
Job
Low
Typical
High
Roof repair (minor leak)
$270
$540
$865
Roof repair (tile replacement)
$325
$650
$1,075
Ridge capping repair (partial)
$430
$650
$1,300
Ridge capping re-bed and re-point (full roof)
$865
$2,375
$3,775
Roof restoration (tile)
$4,325
$8,100
$11,900
What moves the quote:
Wet season and cyclones: wind-driven rain finds lifted sheets, cracked caps and loose flashings; a pre-season inspection is cheaper than a mid-storm call-out, and after a cyclone roofers are booked for weeks.
Metal or tile: much of Cairns is screw-down metal, where repairs are re-fixing, replacing rusted sheets or screws and sealing flashings; tile roofs are caps, bedding and individual tiles.
Access and height: a steep or high roof, or a Queenslander on stumps, adds safety setup to every job.
Finding the leak: water travels, so the drip inside is rarely under the entry point; a roofer who traces it charges less in the long run than one who patches where the stain is.
For roof repair quotes in Cairns that compare, describe where the water shows inside and when it started, the roof type and age, and ask whether the price includes tracing the leak, the materials, and a return visit if it leaks again in the next rain.
What Affects Roofing Costs in Cairns
Wind Region C and cyclone season
Coastal Queensland north of Bundaberg, Cairns included, is Wind Region C, and homes there are classed C1 to C4 for gusts of 250 km/h at roof level (QRA cyclone resilience guideline). The season runs from November to April. Anything exposed to the wind should be rated for your site's cyclone class, so ask the roofer to name it on the quote.
Wet season scheduling
Cairns Aero records 2,019.1 mm of rain in an average year, and the bulk of it lands from January to March: 404.8 mm, 436.1 mm and 424.3 mm (BOM, Cairns Aero). By August the monthly average is down to 26.9 mm. Roofing that needs dry ground or dry surfaces is easiest to schedule from June to October; in the wet, ask the roofer how rain days are handled before you sign.
Heat that barely lets up
December and January average a 31.5 °C maximum and even July nights hold at 17.2 °C (BOM, Cairns Aero). That keeps roofing in demand almost all year, so the practical saving is in timing: book well before the hottest stretch, and ask whether the price changes if the job slips into it.
Salt air on the northern beaches
Trinity Beach, Kewarra Beach, Palm Cove, Clifton Beach and Yorkeys Knob sit within reach of salt spray. Ask for marine-grade fixings and coastal-rated finishes there, and expect to repeat maintenance sooner than in Redlynch, Brinsmead or Edmonton further from the water.
What Cairns homes look like
Separate houses make up 71.0% of occupied Cairns dwellings, below the 74.8% across Queensland, while flats and apartments are 17.0%, well above the state's 12.5% (ABS 2021 Census). Apartment jobs bring body-corporate rules, lifts and parking into the price; a house brings yards, roof space and longer runs.
How to Save Money on Roofing Cost in Cairns
Ask for the site's cyclone class (C1 to C4) and for products rated to it, named on the quote.
Book outdoor roofing for June to October, when Cairns Aero averages under 50 mm a month, rather than January to March.
Get roofing sorted before December; Cairns maximums average 31.5 °C from then into January.
On the northern beaches, ask for marine-grade or stainless fixings and a coastal-rated finish.
Get three written quotes with the same scope, so the Cairns prices line up item by item.
Ask what the quote leaves out: call-out, disposal, travel past the northern beaches or south of Edmonton.
Frequently Asked Questions — Roofing Cost in Cairns
How much does a roof repair cost in Cairns?
A minor roof repair in Cairns costs $270–$865 for leak fixes. Tile replacement costs $325–$1,075. Cost depends on the type of repair, roof material, and access.
How much does a full re-roof cost in Cairns?
A full re-roof in Cairns costs $16,200–$43,200 for Colorbond or tiles, for a typical home. Price depends on roof size, material, and whether asbestos removal is needed.
How much does roof restoration cost in Cairns?
Roof restoration in Cairns costs $4,325–$11,900. This includes cleaning, repairing broken tiles or rust spots, repointing ridges, and applying a protective coating to extend the roof's life by 10–15 years.
Should I repair, restore, or re-roof?
If damage is localised, repair ($270–$865 in Cairns). If the roof is ageing but structurally sound, restore ($4,325–$11,900). If it's beyond repair or you want to change material, re-roof ($16,200–$43,200).
How much does a roof inspection cost in Cairns?
A roof inspection in Cairns costs $215–$540. It's recommended before buying a home, after severe storms, or if you notice leaks, sagging, or missing tiles.
How long does a re-roof take?
A full re-roof on a typical Cairns home takes 3–7 days for Colorbond and 5–10 days for tiles, weather permitting.
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