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 much heavier than the structure was designed for. An overlay can also cause problems with manufacturer warranties and insurance claims.

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, the new install, battens / structural work and any asbestos provision are itemised separately on the quote. 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 considerations (in bushfire-prone areas, the BAL assessment sets roof requirements — a metal roof can help meet them). Solar panel installation prep (Colorbond mounting is cheaper and lighter). Aesthetic preference (modern look). 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. Plenty of tile roofs are right for staying tile through restoration; many others suit conversion at end-of-life — the site visit tells you which.

Get a free quote

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