Why Remuera roofs need their own approach
Built big, mostly before 1940
Grand homes went up here in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and the population jumped from 2,186 in 1901 to 10,433 by 1926. The Unitary Plan's Isthmus B overlay covers parts of Remuera for houses built from the late 19th century to 1940.
Clay tile on the cottage-style houses
The council's Isthmus B statement says English Cottage style houses had steep, asymmetrical roofs commonly clad in clay tiles. Across the area, roofs are corrugated iron as well as clay and concrete tile, with prominent brick chimneys.
Trees everywhere
Houses typically sit four to 12 metres back from the street, some more than 15 metres, with an abundance of trees on private and public land. That's lovely to live with and hard on spouting (gutters) and valleys.
Slopes down to the harbour
The suburb runs down to Hobson Bay and the Ōrākei Basin on the Waitematā Harbour. One of the deaths in the 27 January 2023 floods was caused by a slip in Remuera.
The jobs that come up on Remuera's period homes
Clay tile repairs. BRANZ's Level guide gives clay tiles an expected durability of 50+ years with correct installation, but says they're easily damaged during roof maintenance work. Cracked tiles usually come from someone walking on them, so a careful roofer and good access matter more than speed. See concrete and clay tile roofs.
Leaf-filled spouting and valleys. Under big trees, moss and leaf litter build up where water needs to run. Monier suggests checking and cleaning a tile roof at least once a year, twice if it's tree-lined. Our moss and lichen guide explains what to treat and what to leave.
Iron on the villas. The villas here are usually corrugated iron, and rust at the laps or around chimneys is the usual story. Re-roofing in Auckland covers consent and material choice.
Units and flats. The 1980s brought a lot of infill units to Remuera. If you own one, check your unit title and body corporate records before booking anyone, because the roof may be shared.
What you can do, and what to leave to a roofer
You can
- Look over the roof from the ground or an upstairs window after a big wind, for slipped or broken tiles
- Keep an eye on downpipes that overflow in heavy rain, a sign of blocked spouting
- Note any new ceiling stains with the date, so a roofer can match them to the weather
Leave to a roofer
- Anything that means walking on clay tile, which cracks easily underfoot
- Clearing spouting on a two-storey house or a steep section
- Re-bedding ridges, valley repairs and chimney flashings
Where we'd start in Remuera
On a clay tile roof, we'd ask for a roofer who'll replace broken tiles with matching ones and keep any sound tiles that come off, rather than one who heads straight for a re-roof. We'd book a spouting clean at least once a year under big trees, and after any slip on or above the section we'd get the land and the house looked at before worrying about the roof.
Want a roofer to take a look?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match it with a Find My Roofer certified roofer who specialises in that kind of work, and they call you to quote. Your number goes to them alone.