Richmond is 3 kilometres east of the CBD, in the City of Yarra, postcode 3121. Most of its houses are single-fronted and stand on long, thin blocks in narrow streets, which shapes every roofing job here. Metro Wide Roofing services Richmond for metal roofing, gutter replacement, roof restoration, gutter cleaning, repointing, roof washing and paved surfaces. Phone 0466 477 008. You get a call back the same business day, and an inspection in person is booked within the week.
- Postcode 3121
- City of Yarra
- About 3 km east of the CBD
Single-fronted houses on long, thin blocks
The majority of houses in Richmond are single-fronted, Victorian in style, and were built between the 1850s and the 1930s. The plan rarely varies: two bedrooms at the front, living rooms at the back, and a block much longer than it is wide. The roof follows that shape. You tend to see a short pitched section facing the street and a long run of lower roof behind it, very often in corrugated iron. Earlier houses may carry slate, and those from the 1900s onward often have terracotta tiles.
Narrow frontages leave rain few places to go. Gutters between attached houses are frequently box gutters, and a long rear roof sends a lot of water to one or two outlets. The suburb has gentrified since the early 1990s, and many old houses now have a newer extension at the back roofed in modern steel. Converted warehouses add another roof type again: wide, low-pitched metal. One street can call for three different approaches.
Services we provide in Richmond
Colorbond and metal roofing
Old corrugated iron over the rear rooms is the usual candidate for a re-roof. We fit new Colorbond or Zincalume, with sarking, insulation and ventilation as options, and we roof rear extensions as well.
Gutter replacement
Box gutters between single-fronted houses fail quietly, out of sight. We replace them, and the quad or OGEE runs facing the street, in Colorbond or Zincalume with new downpipes. One to two days is typical.
Roof restoration
Tiled and metal roofs can both be restored. On a Richmond cottage that usually means a clean, new valleys where the old ones have rusted, ridge work if the roof is tiled, then primer and two coats of Dulux Acratex.
Gutter cleaning
With one or two outlets serving a long rear roof, a single blockage matters. We vacuum and hand clear each run, flush the downpipes and send a photo report of gutters you cannot see from the ground.
Roof repointing
Houses from the early 1900s here often have terracotta tiles with ridges bedded in mortar. We re-bed the ridge and hip capping and finish with flexible pointing. Iron roofs have no mortar to renew.
Roof washing
Roofs beside Bridge Road, Swan Street and Victoria Street collect traffic grime. Tiled roofs are washed under controlled pressure. Painted iron and Colorbond get a lower-pressure treatment so the coating stays intact.
Driveway pressure washing, restoration and sealing
Few terraces in Richmond have a driveway. The same wash, crack filling and sealing suits a rear courtyard, a side path or the concrete apron where a garage meets the lane.
Frequently asked questions
Is the iron on my Richmond cottage worth restoring, or should it be replaced?
That depends on the sheets and how they are fastened. Houses here date from the 1850s to the 1930s, so the iron on them can be very old. Sound sheets can be cleaned, primed and coated. Sheets that have rusted through are better replaced with Colorbond or Zincalume. We check in person before quoting.
How do you reach a roof when the house has no side access?
Access is worked out at the inspection, which is always in person. Some single-fronted houses in Richmond back onto a lane, and others can only be reached from the street. We look at where ladders and equipment can go before the quote is written, so the quote reflects the house as it is.
What does the written quote include?
Each item is listed on its own line, so you can see what the gutters, the roof surface and any ridge work involve separately. The price is set, and the quote arrives within two business days of the inspection. Photos of the completed roof and a written 12-month workmanship warranty follow the job.
