Apply the answer
Turn what you know into a neutral next step.
Describe the roof system, where the problem is, whether it is recurring and what you can see safely. Ask RoofHub to work through the decision without assuming a full reroof.
The six condition facts that change the decision most
- Roof system: metal, concrete tile, pressed metal tile, membrane or unknown.
- Spread: one local area, several areas, or widespread.
- Recurrence: first occurrence, same area repeatedly, or different areas over time.
- Visible condition from a safe place: surface wear, local damage, holes/missing material, or sagging/movement.
- Leak pattern: none, one area or multiple areas; whether it correlates with rain/wind.
- Safety/material constraints: possible asbestos, brittle roofing, unsafe access or structural movement.
Roof age is useful context but is deliberately not one of RoofHub’s hard decision rules. A newer roof can have a local installation/detail failure; an older roof can still contain serviceable areas. Sources: Roofing Association of New Zealand.
What RoofHub can and cannot do remotely
| Input | Useful for | Not reliable for |
|---|---|---|
| Ground-level or safely obtained photos | Visible profile/material, obvious local damage, roof edges/details, symptom location. | Hidden corrosion, underlay condition, substrate/timber condition or guaranteed leak diagnosis. Sources: Roofing Association of New Zealand. |
| Plans or measured drawings | Roof geometry, areas, slopes, roof lines, penetrations and estimating scope. | Current physical condition unless inspection notes/photos accompany them. |
| Aerial / satellite imagery | Rough geometry, number of roof sections, large penetrations and site/access context. | Reliable corrosion severity, fastener condition, underlay, hidden timber, watertightness or whether a roof needs replacement. |
| Written repair/inspection reports and contractor photos | What a competent person observed on site and what scope they propose. | Independent proof unless evidence can be checked; contractor commercial interest still matters. Sources: Roofing Association of New Zealand. |
RoofHub’s neutral triage is deliberately conservative
The Smart Assistant can organise user-supplied facts into five directions: repair plausible, restoration plausible, replacement plausible, inspection needed or safety first. It does not diagnose a roof. It is designed to avoid both “every leak needs a reroof” and “patch everything forever” by asking about spread, recurrence and visible failure before recommending the next step. Sources: Roofing Association of New Zealand; Roofing Association of New Zealand.
If photo review is added later, ask for evidence - not risky access
- A full-roof/context photo from the ground where possible.
- Close-up photos only if they already exist or can be taken safely without roof access.
- Interior ceiling stain/moisture photos and approximate location.
- Roof-space photos only where the area is normally safe and accessible; do not enter unsafe/confined spaces for RoofHub.
- Any prior roofer inspection photos or repair descriptions.
- Approximate roof age/system only as context, not as the deciding rule.
A future photo-assisted workflow can improve triage, but it should preserve the same limits: image interpretation is an observation aid, not a substitute for destructive/opening-up inspection, moisture testing or professional judgement where those are needed.
Choose the next step based on uncertainty
Related questions
Can Google Earth tell if my roof needs replacing?
No. Aerial imagery can help with roof shape, sections and context, but it usually cannot reliably establish corrosion depth, fastener/underlay/substrate condition, hidden timber or watertightness.
Can RoofHub tell me repair or replace from photos?
Photos can support a directional triage when they show relevant condition safely, but they do not turn a remote review into an inspection. RoofHub should state what is visible, what remains unknown and when a site inspection is needed. Sources: Roofing Association of New Zealand.
What is the most important thing to tell RoofHub?
Describe the roof system, whether the problem is local or widespread, whether it is recurring, and what visible condition you can observe safely. Those facts usually change the repair-vs-replace direction more than age alone. Sources: Roofing Association of New Zealand.
Sources and review notes
Prepared by RoofHub editorial team. Reviewed . A source check confirms what a page states, not an independent inspection or invoice audit. Published project accounts are attributed to their publishers.
- primaryRoofing Association of New Zealand: Maintenance Tips - RANZ homeowner maintenance guidance covering drainage, signs of deterioration and working-at-height safety. Used as practical industry context alongside product-specific manufacturer requirements. Page checked 2026-10-21. Publication date not stated. · industry-technical
- primaryRoofing Association of New Zealand: RANZ Re-Roofing Guide - RANZ describes this as an annually updated NZ consumer guide to reroofing materials, systems, terminology, scope and workmanship. Used for project-planning context rather than contractor ranking. Page checked 2026-10-21. Publication date not stated. · industry-technical
- primaryWorkSafe New Zealand: Working on roofs - good practice guidelines - WorkSafe roof-work guidance covering safe access, fall hazards, brittle roofing, weather and preferred temporary access such as scaffolding or work platforms. Page checked 2026-10-21. Publication date not stated. · government
- primaryRoofing Association of New Zealand: Comparing Quotes - RANZ guidance reviewed 20 October 2026. Explains that roofing quotes may differ because of scope, materials, systems and how work will be carried out, so a price difference alone is not a quality conclusion. Page checked 2026-10-20. Publication date not stated. · industry-technical
- marketPaul Makuch Roofing: Re-roof vs roof restoration - Waikato roofing contractor comparison of restoration and reroofing. Useful for practitioner decision signals such as localised repairability versus widespread rust/failing sheets. Commercial service source; RoofHub does not treat its recommendation as independent technical proof. Commercial interest: sells roofing services. Page checked 2026-10-21. Publication date not stated. · practitioner observation
- marketRoof Repair Specialists: Repair, restore or reroof? - Auckland contractor site showing repair, restoration and reroof pathways plus project examples. The business states it was established in 2014 and has completed 500+ Auckland roofs. Commercial source; individual project accounts are treated as practitioner observations, not general rules. Commercial interest: sells roofing services. Page checked 2026-10-21. Publication date not stated. · practitioner observation
- marketWilly Marsh Roofing: Roof restorations and re-coating - Auckland roofing contractor with stated 25+ years of hands-on experience. Describes restoration as appropriate only where the roof system remains suitable, with tile/ridge/flashing repairs completed before recoating. Commercial source. Commercial interest: sells roofing services. Page checked 2026-10-21. Publication date not stated. · practitioner observation
- primaryRoofing Association of New Zealand: New Zealand Roof Coating Code of Practice - RANZ roof-coating trade guidance. It states that roof coating is not weatherproofing, requires an initial roof-condition assessment, and only extends the life of a suitable existing roof for a limited time. Page checked 2026-10-21. Publication date not stated. · industry-technical
- marketRoof Repair Specialists: Reroofing services and recent reroof projects - Auckland contractor page with recent reroof examples and its stated repair/restoration/replacement distinctions. Commercial source; useful for field patterns and opening-up scope, not for universal lifespan claims. Commercial interest: sells roofing services. Page checked 2026-10-21. Publication date not stated. · practitioner observation
- marketAdvance Roofing: Roof repairs or full roof replacement? (2026-01-05) - Auckland roofing business stating it has operated since 1998. It distinguishes local repairable defects from broader replacement cases, but also specialises in replacement, so RoofHub treats replacement recommendations as commercially interested practitioner evidence rather than neutral proof. Commercial interest: sells roofing services. Page checked 2026-10-21. Publication date shown above. · practitioner observation
Original calculations are labelled as examples. Historical prices stay dated, missing fields stay unknown, and conflicting specifications are flagged. Sources are not endorsements or paid rankings. Read our methodology or report a correction.
Keep exploring
Next step
Estimate it, refine it, or ask RoofHub.
Start with approximate information, use actual measurements when you have them, or ask RoofHub to explain the decision. A roofing contractor still needs to confirm the site, specification and final quotation.