What’s better tile or metal for your roof here in Australia…..well that depends and not on what you might think. There are many factors to consider when choosing a roof for your new home. The cost of materials, cost or time for installation, appearance not just when new but over time too and of course performance. Depending on the climate and part of the country your house is located in one might be better than the other.
This last point seems to determine greatly what is put on a roof and not because of what you might think, depending on what you put on the roof will usually be what you see around you. This may not be the best for your area or circumstances. “What’s my neighbor got on the roof? That makes sense and looks good, I’ve never heard him complain about it”
Each state across Australia has a preference for one or the other and some areas within each state have a higher concentration of one type over the other. For instance, Qld has a higher incidence of metal compared to say Victoria, but in Brisbane the number of tile roofs are much higher than outside the metro area. Both roof types have their own features and benefits and there is lots of information out there that say one is better than the other depending on who is supplying the information. Are you the exception in your street, have a look around the next time you take a walk around the neighborhood.
Whatever you decide to use as that is one of the main decisions when deciding on the roof make sure you don’t use lead to flash it. Lead is old school, hard to install and toxic. Lead free is quicker, easier, lighter and safer alternatives such as Wakaflex, Dakaflash and Smartform mean you never have to use lead again on the roof. So make a conscious decision on the flashings used on your house and have a look at the range of lead free flashings at www.roofstuff.com.au. Whether it’s a new build, renovation or just a quick repair job to keep the rain out you will find something for all budgets and situations.