PRESS RELEASE: Spring sellers warned they may not discover a $40,000 roof problem until the buyer does
Spring sellers warned they may not discover a $40,000 roof problem until the buyer does
Media release, 2 September 2026
Homeowners preparing to sell this spring are being urged to find out what their roof would cost to repair or replace before a buyer’s building inspector does, as more homes come to market in a softer year for prices.
The most recent PropTrack Home Price Index recorded a fourth consecutive monthly fall in national home prices, the sharpest monthly decline in three years, with Sydney leading the falls. Founder of Aussie Roof Repairs Josh Liptak said that shifts the balance at the negotiating table.
“When buyers have more homes to choose from, a major item in a building report stops being something they overlook and becomes something they price,” Mr Liptak said.
“A seller might spend thousands getting a house ready for market and still have no idea whether the roof represents a repair costing a few thousand dollars or a replacement costing around $40,000. The buyer’s building inspector is going to look at it, so the seller should know the answer first.”
THE INSPECTOR WILL LOOK AT THE ROOF
Pre-purchase building inspections in Australia are carried out to Australian Standard AS 4349.1, which lists the roof exterior and the roof space among the elements an inspector examines and reports on. Cracked or slipped tiles, rusted metal sheets, failed ridge pointing, missing sarking and rotted battens are among the defects commonly recorded, and a report that describes the roof as nearing the end of its life can follow the property through every subsequent buyer.
WHAT A REPLACEMENT ACTUALLY COSTS
Aussie Roof Repairs publishes guide pricing for full roof replacement in Sydney based on the measured surface area of the roof. At its current supply and install rates, a typical 200 square metre roof on a single storey home ranges from roughly $37,500 for Colorbond to around $55,000 for terracotta tile, with concrete tile in between. Two storey access, steep pitch and complex hip and valley roofs add to those figures, and outside Sydney the numbers work as a benchmark rather than a local quote.
Mr Liptak said the most common mistake is estimating from the floor area of the house. A pitched roof has more surface than its footprint, roughly 8 per cent more at a standard 22 degree pitch and about 15 per cent more at 30 degrees, so a 200 square metre home can carry 215 to 230 square metres of roofing.
Sellers can measure their actual roof and see a guide replacement figure for each material by entering their address into the free roof replacement cost calculator at https://aussieroofrepairs.com.au/roof-replacement-cost-calculator/
A TIRED ROOF IS NOT ALWAYS A REPLACEMENT
“The important part is that a tired looking roof does not automatically mean it needs replacing,” Mr Liptak said. “Most of the roofs we inspect can be repaired or restored for a fraction of the replacement cost. If you know that before the property goes to market, the conversation with a buyer changes completely.”
He said sellers should have the roof inspected before styling, painting or landscaping, get any repair and any replacement priced in writing so both numbers are on the table, and keep the report and invoices to hand over with the contract. A buyer who can see a recent inspection and a completed repair has less reason to reopen the question.
Homeowners weighing repair against replacement can read what a full re-roof involves and how the two options compare at https://aussieroofrepairs.com.au/roof-replacement-sydney/
“The worst outcome is finding out about a $40,000 item from the other side of the table,” Mr Liptak said. “Spring is when the most homes are listed. Sellers who know their roof number before the first open home are the ones who keep control of the negotiation.”
ABOUT AUSSIE ROOF REPAIRS
Aussie Roof Repairs is a Sydney roof repair and replacement service operated by Fairdinkum Roofing Pty Ltd, NSW contractor licence 488966C. It offers free roof inspections with photo reports, fixed written quotes that state whether a repair or restoration is viable, and a free online satellite roof measurement and cost calculator. https://aussieroofrepairs.com.au/ Phone 1300 304 162.
Media contact: Josh Liptak, [email protected]
