Fitzroy was planned as Melbourne's first suburb in 1839, and at about 100 hectares it is a small one. You will find it 3 kilometres north-east of the CBD in the City of Yarra, postcode 3065. Metro Wide Roofing covers Fitzroy for metal roofing, roof restoration, gutter replacement and cleaning, roof washing, repointing and paved yards. Ring 0466 477 008 and expect to hear back the same business day. An inspection in person is arranged within the week.
- Postcode 3065
- City of Yarra
- About 3 km north-east of the CBD
Early houses, packed close on flat ground
The suburb holds some of Melbourne's earliest surviving houses and one of its most extensive stands of terraced housing. Royal Terrace on Nicholson Street went up between 1853 and 1858. Alongside the terraces are converted industrial and commercial buildings, walk-up flats, modern apartments and public housing. Much of Fitzroy is a historic preservation precinct, and many buildings and streetscapes are covered by heritage overlays. Expect slate and corrugated iron on the oldest roofs, with terracotta on houses from the early 1900s.
Density is the practical issue. Houses share walls, chimneys and gutters, and there is rarely a side passage. The terrain is flat and the streets follow a grid, so a roof is reached from the street or from the lane behind. Converted factories and warehouses have their own pattern: broad metal roofs draining to long box gutters. On any of these buildings, the parts that fail first tend to be the ones nobody can see.
Services we provide in Fitzroy
Colorbond and metal roofing
We replace worn corrugated iron on terraces, rear additions and converted warehouses with Colorbond or Zincalume. Sarking, insulation and ventilation can be added, which helps under a low-pitched metal roof.
Roof restoration
Sound iron and later tiled roofs can be restored. The process is a thorough clean, replacement of failed tiles and rusted valleys, ridge work on tiles, then primer and two coats of Dulux Acratex in your colour.
Gutter replacement
Long box gutters on converted buildings and short ones between terraces both rust from the inside. We replace them in Colorbond or Zincalume and suit street-facing profiles such as OGEE to the facade.
Gutter cleaning
In a suburb this dense, overflow from one gutter reaches a neighbour quickly. Every run is vacuumed and hand cleared, each downpipe flushed, and the photo report shows gutters hidden behind parapets.
Roof washing
Low pitches hold dirt. Metal and painted surfaces are treated at lower pressure, tiles with a controlled pressure clean, and an optional protective coat can follow if you want one.
Roof repointing
Terracotta came to Fitzroy roofs with Edwardian houses and later re-roofs. Where ridge mortar has cracked, we re-bed the capping and use flexible pointing. This is work for tiled roofs only, since a metal roof has no mortar.
Driveway pressure washing, restoration and sealing
Hardly any Fitzroy terrace has a driveway. What we wash and seal here are courtyards, side paths and lane-side garage aprons in concrete or pavers, with cracks filled first.
Frequently asked questions
My Fitzroy house is on a heritage streetscape. How should I choose a roof colour?
We cannot advise on planning rules, and your council is the place to ask about those. What we can do is show you the products. Corrugated sheet and OGEE or half-round gutters are in keeping with Victorian houses, and Colorbond comes in Classic, Contemporary, Matt and Metallic finishes.
Can the roof of a converted warehouse be restored?
If the sheets are sound, yes. Roof restoration covers metal roofs, so a weathered warehouse roof can be cleaned, primed and coated. If rust has gone through the sheets or the box gutters, replacement in Colorbond or Zincalume is the better path. We decide after seeing it in person.
How many projects has Metro Wide Roofing completed?
More than 250 projects for more than 300 homeowners, over 10 years in business. The crew is a Melbourne one and travels to the customer, so no street address is published. Work is photographed when finished and carries a 12-month workmanship warranty in writing.
