If your tile roof is leaking or the ridge capping is cracking, the question is usually 'repoint or re-roof?' — and the answer is almost always repoint, at least first. Here's how we make that call.
What repointing and rebedding actually do
Ridge capping — the rounded tiles along the peaks of your roof — is bedded in mortar and then 'pointed' with a flexible compound that seals the joint. Over time the mortar cracks and the pointing perishes, letting wind-driven rain in under the caps. Rebedding replaces the mortar base; repointing reseals the joint with a flexible compound that moves with the roof instead of cracking like old sand-and-cement.
When repointing is the right call
If the tiles themselves are sound, the underlay (sarking) is intact, and the only issue is cracked ridge mortar and perished pointing, a repoint and rebed restores the roof's weathertightness for a fraction of re-roofing. This covers the majority of tile roof leaks we see.
When you need more than repointing
If tiles are cracking across the field (not just the ridges), the underlay is perished or torn, or the roof structure has moved and ridges won't sit true, repointing alone won't hold. In that case you may need a combination of tile replacement, underlay renewal and repointing — or, if the whole roof is at end of life, a re-roof.
The cost difference
A repoint and rebed starts from $2,000 on a standard home. A full tile re-roof is tens of thousands. So the decision matters. The good news: a repoint buys you 10–15 years, and you can always re-roof later. We photograph the roof and tell you honestly which side of the line you're on.
Modern pointing vs old mortar
Older roofs used rigid sand-and-cement pointing that cracks with coastal temperature swings. Modern flexible pointing compound stretches and moves, so it lasts far longer on a Northern Rivers roof. If your roof still has rigid mortar pointing, upgrading to flexible pointing during a repoint is a meaningful improvement.
Questions
Common questions
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We're local to Lennox Head and cover the whole Northern Rivers. Every job is photo-documented and warranted.
Coastal Roofing Repairs
Local Northern Rivers roofers · 28 years on the tools · insured
Written by the Coastal Roofing Repairs team, 28 years roofing on the NSW North Coast. We work on coastal metal and tile roofs every day — these guides come straight from what we see on the tools, not a marketing desk.
