Do I Need to Remove Tiles Before Installing Colorbond? (Adelaide Re-Roof Guide)

The short answer — yes, strip first

Every reputable Adelaide roofer strips the tiles before installing Colorbond. There is no acceptable ‘overlay Colorbond on top of tile’ technique for residential roofing in Australia. Operators offering an overlay are either misinformed or hoping you don’t know better. Walk away from any quote suggesting overlay.

Why overlay doesn’t work

Tile and Colorbond have completely different load patterns, fastener requirements, and water-shed designs. Overlaying creates trapped moisture between the layers (rust accelerator), unstable mounting (the new fasteners go into compromised structure), and a roof that’s ~50kg/sqm heavier than spec when added together. Insurance will not cover an overlay-installed roof for storm damage.

What the strip actually involves

Tiles are removed in courses (about 1–2 hours per 30sqm of single-storey). Sarking is removed and inspected. Battens are inspected — sound battens stay, damaged battens are replaced. Existing valley iron, ridge cap bedding, and any flashings are removed. The roof is left as bare timber + sarking edges before the new install begins.

Asbestos sarking — the most common surprise

Pre-1985 Adelaide tile roofs frequently used asbestos cement sarking under the tiles. The strip exposes this. If discovered, work pauses, a SafeWork SA-licensed asbestos removalist is engaged for safe removal, and the new roof installation continues afterward. Variation paperwork covers the additional cost. A reputable roofer’s quote includes an explicit asbestos provision.

Battens — the second-most-common cost driver

Old Adelaide roofs sometimes have undersized or rot-affected battens that aren’t tile-load-rated. Going to Colorbond actually helps here (Colorbond is lighter), but battens still need to be sound. Replacement battens add $25–$45 per sqm. A site-visit can usually estimate this from a few sample lifts.

Structural considerations

Removing tile (40–60kg/sqm) and installing Colorbond (5–8kg/sqm) is a substantial weight reduction. The existing structure is over-spec’d; no reinforcement is needed. The reverse direction (Colorbond to tile) is much harder and DOES require reinforcement. Most tile-to-Colorbond conversions can use existing rafters and battens.

Cost implications

Tile-to-Colorbond conversion (Adelaide, 2026): $22,000–$45,000 on a typical 150sqm single-storey home. The strip portion is roughly 20% of the cost; the new install is 60%; battens / structural work and asbestos provision (if any) make up the remainder. Compared to staying-with-tile: similar-cost full tile replacement runs $19,000–$32,000.

Why people convert

Lower long-term maintenance (no rebedding, no broken tiles, no painting). Bushfire risk reduction (metal roofs perform better in BAL-29+ zones). Solar panel installation prep (Colorbond mounting is cheaper and lighter). Aesthetic preference (modern look). Insurance cost reduction in some Hills suburbs. End-of-life-tile timing (when the existing tile is at 50+ years and structurally failing).

Why people stay with tile

Heritage overlay (council requires like-for-like material). Strong aesthetic preference for tile. Thermal mass for west-facing rooflines. Owner has already amortised the structural cost of tile and wants to keep it. About 25% of Adelaide’s tile roofs are right for staying tile through restoration; 75% are right for conversion at end-of-life.

Get a free quote

Request a free conversion quote — the trusted local roofer will quote both ‘strip and replace tile’ and ‘tile-to-Colorbond conversion’ on the same site visit. See Roof Installation for full conversion process detail.