Why Wellington roofs need repairs
Gusts that work fixings loose
Baring Head on the south coast averages 255 days a year with gusts over 63 km/h, and recorded a 217 km/h gust in March 2010. Constant flexing pops nails and loosens screws. One fastener backing out is an easy fix; a whole run of them means the sheet needs re-fixing. See popping nails and failing screws.
Southerlies that lift whole sections
The August 2004 southerly brought gales, lifted roofs and smashed windows across Wellington. Once wind gets under the edge of a sheet or barge flashing, the next blow can peel back much more, so get a flapping corner secured quickly.
Hail on the southern side of town
Kelburn averages 9 hail days a year, and NIWA says hail is more frequent on the southern coast as unstable southerly air rises off the sea. After a hailstorm, have skylights, clear roofing and any old brittle sheeting checked.
Chimneys and tiles after a shake
The Natural Hazards Commission says homes built before 1970 most likely have unreinforced brick or masonry chimneys. A cracked chimney can drop bricks through the roof below. After any decent quake, look from the ground for cracks, leaning or tiles out of line.
Salt eats the sheltered spots
Within 500 m of the coast or harbour, homes sit in exposure zone D. The metal roofing Code of Practice says spots rain rarely washes, like overhangs and unlined soffits, collect salt and corrode faster, so rust often starts there first.
What to do after a Wellington storm or quake
Make the inside safe
Stay out of rooms where the ceiling sags, and turn power off at the switchboard if water is near lights. Never go onto the roof yourself.
Catch the water, take photos
Buckets and towels under drips, then photos of the damage inside and, from the ground, outside. Your insurer will want them.
Tell the right insurer
Storm damage to the house is for your private insurer. Earthquake or landslide damage is Natural Hazards Commission cover, but you still lodge it with your insurer. You have up to two years, though the Commission encourages claiming within three months.
Repair on a calm day
A roofer may make it watertight first and come back to finish once the wind drops. That's normal, and safer.
Does a repair need a consent or an LBP?
Usually not for small jobs. Schedule 1 of the Building Act lets you repair or replace parts of a roof without a building consent if a comparable product is used, but not where the part failed the Building Code's durability rules, for example by leaking well before it should have. If unsure, ask your roofer or Wellington City Council.
Apart from new granny flats, only work that needs a building consent can be restricted building work, so most repairs don't legally need a Licensed Building Practitioner. Many good repairers are LBPs anyway.
What makes a Wellington repair bigger or smaller
Re-fixing a few loose screws or resealing one flashing is a small job. Re-fixing whole sheets, replacing a run of ridge capping or sorting out water damage underneath is a much bigger one.
Locally, the job grows with access on steep hill sections, scaffolding for anything beyond a quick fix, stainless fixings near the coast, and days lost to wind. A good written quote names the cause, lists what's being replaced and with what, and says whether scaffolding and clean-up are included. Clear photos help a roofer quote accurately.
What to ask a Wellington roofer before a repair
- What caused this: wind, age, rust or something else?
- Are you re-fixing just the damaged spot, or the whole sheet or run?
- Which fixings will you use, and do they suit my exposure zone?
- Does this repair need a building consent, or is it exempt?
- Can you send photos of the problem and the finished repair?
How we'd handle a Wellington repair
We'd want the cause sorted, not just the drip. If one corner of a sheet lifted in a gale, we'd ask the roofer to check the fixings along the whole run, because the rest has been through the same weather. For an insurance job, we'd get a short written report with photos before work starts.
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.