Roof leaks and gutters, North Shore
Roof leaking?
A stain on the ceiling that grows every time it rains, or gutters pouring over the edge. We find where the water actually gets in, show you photos, and give you the price before we start.
- No charge for the site visit
- Photos of what we find up there
- Upfront pricing, agreed before we start
- Licenced roof plumbers, insured
Water coming in right now?
Put a bucket under it and move anything you care about out of the way. If water is near a light or the ceiling is sagging, switch that circuit off at the switchboard and keep everyone out from under it. Then ring us on 9904 3074.
We come as soon as it is safe to get on the roof. In heavy rain or strong wind that can mean waiting for it to ease, and we will tell you what to do in the meantime.
Sound familiar?
- "There's a stain on the ceiling and it gets bigger every time it rains." The leak is rarely right above the stain. Water runs along the timber before it drops, so the cause can be a metre or more away.
- "Someone already fixed it and it's leaking again." Usually the cause was never found. A sealed stain or a new tile does nothing if the water is getting in at a flashing or a valley further up.
- "The gutters pour over the edge in heavy rain." Leaves, a blocked downpipe, a gutter with no fall, or a gutter too small for the roof above it.
- "Water comes in where two roofs meet, or along a wall." Often a box gutter, a valley or the flashing where the roof meets the wall.
What happens if you leave it
A roof leak does not fix itself. The water soaks the insulation, stains and then sags the plasterboard, and gets into the timber. Mould follows. One wet season can turn a roof repair into a roof repair and a new ceiling.
Harbour weather is hard on a roof here. Salt air goes after flashings, valleys and gutter joints long before the roof itself is finished.
How it goes
Found, shown, fixed
- Book a site visit or ring us. No charge for the visit. Tell us where the water shows up and when. A photo of the stain helps.
- We get up on the roof. As soon as it is safe to. We trace the water back to where it actually gets in, not just where it shows.
- We show you what we found. Photos from up there, what is causing it, and the price before any work starts. You decide.
- Fixed properly. The cause repaired, the work checked, and the old material taken away.
Repair or new roof? A straight answer
Most roof leaks are a repair: a flashing, a valley, cracked or slipped tiles, ridge capping that needs re-bedding, a rusted section of gutter. That is most of the roof work we do.
If the roof itself is near the end of its life, we tell you that straight, show you the photos, and price the repair and the replacement so you can decide. Nobody gets talked into a new roof they do not need.
What we do
- Leak investigation and repair
- Gutter and downpipe replacement
- Box gutter repair and replacement
- Valleys, flashings and back trays
- Ridge capping, bedding and pointing
- Tile and metal roof repairs
- Gutter guard and gutter cleaning
- Re-roofing. Roofing renovations
Box gutter repair
Box gutters, where an overflow goes inside
A box gutter sits inside the line of the roof: between terraces, behind a parapet, or where two roofs meet. When an ordinary gutter overflows the water goes over the edge. When a box gutter overflows, or its lining splits, the water comes into the house.
We get up there, find where it is failing, and tell you plainly whether it can be repaired or needs replacing. You get photos of what we found and the price before we start.
Before you book
What people ask us
What will it cost?
The site visit costs nothing. Once we have found the cause, you get the price before any work starts, and you decide. Upfront pricing, agreed before we start.
Will you tell me I need a new roof?
Not if a repair will do the job. Most leaks are a repair. If the roof is finished, we show you why with photos and price both options.
Will it actually stop the leak?
We find the cause before we fix anything, rather than sealing the spot where the water shows. That is why leaks other people have patched get fixed properly here.
Is it safe for you up there?
Roof work is plumbing, done by licenced roof plumbers. We carry public liability and workers compensation cover, and we work to the safety rules for working at height.
Roofing on the North Shore since 2007
Our job records run from 2016. Since then we have completed more than 1,300 roof and gutter jobs. Licenced roof plumbers, contractor licence 227192C.
From our Google reviews
Ewan did what 3 other roof plumbers failed to achieve and sealed a leak in our roof! He and his co-worker completed the work in a timely and efficient manner and the final price was exactly what he quoted.
Glenn Crouch, Google reviewSimon has been my go-to plumber and roofer for the last ten years. STS have managed both my home and business renovations and fixed roofing leaks in severe weather and they have never leaked again.
Bridget Knox, Google reviewAppreciated the plumber calling whilst on site to provide a full assessment of what needed to be done. Job was done quickly after my initial contact.
Lisa M., Google reviewRoof leaking? Book a site visit.
No charge for the visit. We find where the water gets in, show you the photos and give you the price before we start.
From our blog
Worth a read
Looking for a North Shore roof plumber?
What a roof plumber does, and the questions worth asking before anyone gets on your roof.
Read itGetting your roof and gutters ready for summer
A checklist for the storm months, from the gutters to the valleys.
Read itHalf-round or quad gutters?
Which profile suits your roof, and why the size matters more than the shape.
Read itCommon questions about roofing and gutters
How do I know where a roof leak is actually coming from?
You usually cannot tell from inside. Water runs along a batten or a rafter and comes through the ceiling a long way from where it got in. We trace it back to the cause rather than sealing the nearest likely spot, which is why leaks we fix tend to stay fixed.
What causes most roof and gutter problems around here?
Sun and weather. Years of UV make tiles brittle and crack them, and it rusts gutters and downpipes from the inside out. Add leaves in a valley or a gutter that cannot clear a heavy downpour, and the water goes somewhere it should not.
My gutters overflow every storm. Is that a gutter problem?
Not always. It can be leaves, a downpipe that is blocked or was never connected properly, a gutter with no fall, or simply a gutter too small for the roof above it. We work out which before quoting, because three of those four are cheap and one is not.
What does gutter replacement cost?
Gutter replacement starts from $135 per metre. What moves it is access, the height, whether the fascia behind it has rotted, and how many downpipes and corners are involved. We measure it and give you the figure in writing before anything comes off. If you want an existing leak found rather than a length of gutter replaced, leak investigation starts from $440.
Do you clean gutters and fit gutter guard?
Yes to both. Guard is worth it under heavy trees and a waste of money where there are none, so we will tell you which you have rather than sell it to everyone.
Roof work sounds dangerous. Are you insured?
Yes. We work to the Work Health and Safety requirements for working at heights and carry current workers compensation and public liability. We will send you the certificates of currency if you want them.
Do you do call outs after a storm?
Our office is open Monday to Friday, 7am to 5pm, and we do call outs outside those hours for a fee. After a big storm we are busy, so ring early rather than wait.
Are you licenced?
Yes. NSW licence 227192C covers the plumbing and roofing work, and our own team does it, not subcontractors.
Word gets around
Neighbours telling neighbours. Give us a call and spread the word.
Leak, gutter or the whole roof?
Book a site visit and we will get up there, take photos, explain what we found and price the work. No charge for the visit. If water is coming in now, ring us.
Office hours: Monday to Friday, 7am to 5pm.
A photo of the stain or the gutter helps us see it before we arrive.