What Massey roofs are up against
Built in the 1970s and 1980s
Growth started in the 1960s and most of Massey was developed through the 1970s and 1980s. At the 2023 Census it had 5,919 dwellings, from Massey Keegan and Royal Road West to Westgate South.
The tiles of that era
Decramastic pressed-metal tiles were popular in New Zealand in the 1960s and 1970s. Resene says their stone chips erode over time, exposing the bitumen and then the steel, which eventually rusts.
Redhills next door
The Unitary Plan's Redhills Precinct is a new suburb of some 600 ha west of Fred Taylor Drive, zoned for everything from single houses to terraces and apartments. It sits in a natural amphitheatre of ridgelines and gullies draining to Brighams Creek.
Hail and frost out west
NIWA's Henderson River Park station nearby records hail on about 8 days a year, double Albert Park's 4, and averages 27.4 ground frosts. Hail can crack tiles and dent flashings in ways that aren't obvious from the ground.
Restore or re-roof an original Massey roof?
| Restore (clean, repair, re-coat) | Re-roof (new roofing) | |
|---|---|---|
| Makes sense when | The tiles or decramastic are mostly sound and the trouble is moss, faded coating or a few broken pieces | Rust has broken through, chip has worn off across most of the roof, or leaks keep coming back |
| Building consent | Repairs and maintenance with comparable products can be exempt under Schedule 1 | Like for like may be exempt; changing the roofing system can need consent, so check first |
| Asbestos | Low-pressure cleaning only on old decramastic | Test first; removing more than 10 square metres of asbestos roofing is licensed work |
| Weight | No change | Pressed steel tiles weigh about a tenth of a concrete tile roof; moving to a heavier roof needs consent |
Asbestos: test before anyone strips or blasts
WorkSafe says homes built before 2000 may contain asbestos, and Resene names decramastic as a profile whose old coatings are likely to contain it. You can't tell by looking. Don't water-blast, drill or walk on a roof like that, and have a sample tested before any re-roof.
Jobs that come up in Massey
Decramastic to COLORSTEEL is a re-roof many owners of houses this age weigh up. Read decramastic to COLORSTEEL and the decramastic vs COLORSTEEL guide before getting quotes.
Restorations suit roofs that are tired but sound. Our restoration vs re-roofing guide and roof restoration in Auckland explain what a proper job includes.
New Redhills homes are a builder's matter first. Raise any leak with them in writing before calling anyone else.
What we'd do with a Massey roof
We'd get the roof tested for asbestos and assessed honestly before choosing anything. If the decramastic is shedding chip across most of the roof, we'd stop repainting and plan a re-roof. If it's sound with patchy wear, a proper restoration is the better use of money for now.
Want a roofer to take a look?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match it with a Find My Roofer certified roofer who specialises in that kind of work, and they call you to quote. Your number goes to them alone.