What a tile to metal roof conversion involves
The roofer strips the tiles, ridge capping and timber battens, checks the rafters or trusses and the tie-down that holds the roof frame to the walls, then fixes metal battens, sarking or an insulation blanket, and the new Colorbond sheets with new flashings, valleys and ridge capping.
Why people swap tiles for Colorbond
The usual reasons are a tile roof that keeps leaking at the ridges and valleys, ridge capping that needs rebedding again, porous or crumbling concrete tiles that are past a restoration, or wanting a lighter roof with fewer joins. A metal roof also has no bedding and pointing to maintain.
Structure, battens and tie-down
A tile roof is held down mostly by its own weight; a light steel roof relies on its fixings and the frame’s tie-down instead. That’s why the batten spacing, batten fixings and tie-down are checked and upgraded where needed, and why some conversions need an engineer’s or certifier’s sign-off. Ask the roofer what they’ll check and what’s included if upgrades are needed.
Gutters, fascia and solar panels
A conversion is the cheapest time to replace rusted gutters and fascia, and solar panels have to be lifted off and refitted. Ask for each as a separate line. See gutters and downpipes.
Tile to Colorbond roof cost in Brisbane
These are published Brisbane figures, each with its source. Roof area, pitch, storeys and the number of hips and valleys decide where your roof lands.
Tile to Colorbond prices in Brisbane
| Work | Published price | Who publishes it |
|---|---|---|
| Tile to metal, base rate per m²: tiles and battens removed, new metal battens and roofing | $100 – $115 per m² | Fortified Roofing Group |
| Tile to metal for a 180 m² house, “all-in” (insulation, engineering certification, scaffolding, skip and compliance paperwork) | $23,000 – $28,000 | Fortified Roofing Group |
| Tile to Colorbond, per m² (Brisbane row) | $100 – $160 per m² | Yakka Labour |
Checked 22 October 2026. Fortified Roofing Group is a northside Brisbane contractor (Geebung); its tile-to-metal post was updated 18 November 2025, says the base rate is “not including insulation, engineering approvals, or scaffolding”, and doesn’t say whether GST is included. Yakka Labour is a labour-hire company’s national cost guide with a Brisbane row, published 1 October 2026; its figures “include GST”. By our arithmetic, Yakka’s Brisbane rate on a 180 m² roof is $18,000 to $28,800 (180 × $100; 180 × $160).
Engineering and certification on a tiled re-roof
| Extra | Published price | Who publishes it |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering fees | $1,000 – $3,000+ | Fortified Roofing Group |
| Certification fees | $800 – $2,500 | Fortified Roofing Group |
From Fortified’s tiled roof replacement post (Brisbane and South East Queensland), updated 12 January 2026, checked 22 October 2026. GST not stated. Whether your job needs either depends on the roof and the certifier.
The roof replacement cost guide compares tile-to-metal with metal-to-metal and lists what scaffold, gutters and battens add.
Changing tiles to metal on a character house
Many inner-north tile roofs are on post-war brick houses, but some houses built before 1947 have tiles too. Brisbane City Council says that in the Traditional building character overlay, “some extensions and renovations to a house built during or before 1946 require planning approval”, and a change of roof material is the kind of change to ask about first. The guide to re-roofing a Queenslander covers the overlay, and the roof replacement approval guide covers building approval and certifiers.
Who can convert a tile roof to Colorbond
The QBCC says you need a contractor licence for building work “valued over $3,300”, and a conversion is well over that. The new metal roof is roof and wall cladding work: “Select and install roof cladding other than terracotta and concrete roof tiles”. Check the roofer’s licence and class on the QBCC licensee register.
Asbestos under an old tile roof
The Queensland Government says “if your home was built before 1990, it is likely to contain some asbestos materials”. On a tile roof, ask the roofer whether any flashings, eaves or valley linings could be asbestos cement and how they’ll be handled if they are.
What to have ready
- Concrete or terracotta tiles, and roughly when the house was built
- Lowset, highset or two storeys, and room for a skip in the drive or street
- The roof area from plans, or the house’s floor area
- Whether solar panels, an antenna, skylights or an air-conditioning unit sit on the roof
- Your preferred Colorbond colour, if you have one
Common questions
Is a metal roof hotter than tiles in a Brisbane summer?
The colour and what goes under the sheets both make a difference. Ask for an insulation blanket or sarking in the quote, and see the metal roofing page for colour and finish choices.
Is a metal roof noisier in the rain?
Rain is more audible on steel than on tiles. An insulation blanket under the sheets and the ceiling insulation below both reduce it; ask the roofer what they’d use on your roof.
Can I keep my gutters?
If they’re sound and line up with the new roof edge, often yes. Ask the roofer to check them for rust and fall while the roof is off, and to price new gutters as a separate line.
What happens to the old tiles?
They go to a skip and on to landfill or recycling, or sometimes to someone who needs matching tiles. Ask whether removal and disposal are included in the price.
Can I convert only part of the roof, such as an extension?
Yes, it’s done where a section leaks or an extension is added, though the join between tile and metal needs careful flashing. Ask the roofer to show how the two roofs will meet.
Where this information comes from
The prices, rules and advice on this page come from these published pages, checked on 22 October 2026.
- Fortified Roofing Group: tile to metal roof replacement costs in Brisbane · Brisbane northside roofing contractor (Geebung), published 19 June 2025, updated 18 November 2025
- Yakka Labour: roof replacement cost guide · Labour-hire company’s national cost guide with Brisbane rows, published 1 October 2026
- Fortified Roofing Group: tiled roof replacement cost Brisbane · Brisbane northside roofing contractor (Geebung), published 2 January 2026, updated 12 January 2026
- Brisbane City Council: extensions, raising or renovations · Brisbane City Council, approvals for residential projects (no page date shown)
- QBCC: when you need a licence · Queensland Building and Construction Commission, last reviewed 11 August 2021
- QBCC: roof and wall cladding licence class · Queensland Building and Construction Commission, 31 August 2021
- QBCC licensee register · Queensland Building and Construction Commission’s public register
- Queensland Government: asbestos questions for homeowners and the general public · Queensland Government asbestos website (no page date shown)
Related guides
- Roof replacement cost in BrisbanePublished Brisbane re-roof prices per house and per m², tile to Colorbond, Queenslanders and extras.
