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Roofers in OtagoTwo very different roofing climates.

Otago has two roofing climates. Dunedin's coast is windy and damp with salt in the air, while Queenstown Lakes gets more snow and harder frosts, the strongest sun on NIWA's Otago list, and strict rules on roof colour. Your city or district council handles building consent, and the national rules on LBPs apply right across the region.

Coast or lakes: what changes for your roof

Dunedin and the coastQueenstown Lakes
Rain a year738 mm at Musselburgh, 968 mm at the Botanical Gardens757 mm at Queenstown Airport
Snow days a yearAbout 4 at Musselburgh, 8 at Dunedin AirportAbout 12
Coldest recorded-8.0 °C at Musselburgh, -8.8 °C at the airport-12.2 °C
Gusts over 61 km/h65 days a year at Musselburgh30 days a year
Sea sprayZone D within 500 m of the sea or harbourInland, away from sea spray
Main quake sourceAkatore Fault, with low overall hazardAlpine Fault
Roof colour limitsHeritage controls on some older housesLight reflectance limits in several zones

Roof colour rules around Queenstown

In Queenstown Lakes District Council's Rural Residential and Rural Lifestyle zones, any new, altered, reclad or repainted building must be in browns, greens or greys, and all roofs need a light reflectance value (LRV) of 20% or less. Going over that needs a resource consent. In the residential zones, the council's guide says metal roofing must have a non-reflective finish.

The same guide lists COLORSTEEL Grey Friars, Ironsand and Karaka as usually appropriate, and says to avoid shiny untreated Zincalume. Check with the council before you pick a colour; our COLORSTEEL colours section shows the range.

Snow load and earthquakes

The metal roofing Code of Practice says the maximum snow load under NZS 3604 is 2 kPa, and sites above set altitudes in the snow zones need a specific design. Snow straps on spouting, and extra fixings on spouting, flashings and chimneys, are normal in snow-prone areas, so ask about them inland.

AF8 puts the chance of an Alpine Fault earthquake in the next 50 years at 75%, and Otago Regional Council expects one to shake Queenstown at intensity MM VII for 1 to 2 minutes. On the coast, the council says Dunedin's hazard is very low compared with most of New Zealand. Either way, a tired brick chimney is the roof feature to think about first; our chimneys and earthquakes guide covers that.

Building consents come from your city or district council: Dunedin City Council in the city, Queenstown Lakes District Council around the lakes, and so on. Otago Regional Council works on natural hazards, such as South Dunedin's rising groundwater and the active fault study for Dunedin and Clutha.

Like-for-like repairs and replacements with comparable products are usually exempt under Schedule 1, but exempt work must still meet the Building Code and can't breach the district plan. Around Queenstown, that means the colour rules apply even when no building consent is needed. A consented roof on a house is restricted building work for an LBP, who gives you a Record of Work at the end. Our re-roof consent guide has the detail.

What we'd do in Otago

On the coast, we'd put the money into wind and water: fixings, flashings and spouting, with materials suited to the exposure zone. Around the lakes, we'd check the district plan's colour rules before choosing a roof, and ask the roofer about snow straps and the snow zone for the site. Wherever you are, we pass jobs to one checked roofer where we have one, and tell you straight away if we don't.

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Cities in Otago

Dunedin roofsWind, villas, steep sections and South Dunedin's low ground: what Dunedin roofs face, and the jobs that follow.
Questions

Straight answers.

Can I choose any roof colour in Queenstown Lakes?
Not everywhere. In the Rural Residential and Rural Lifestyle zones, roofs need an LRV of 20% or less in browns, greens or greys, and residential zones need a non-reflective finish on metal roofing. Ask the council before ordering.
Who issues building consents in Otago?
Your city or district council, such as Dunedin City Council or Queenstown Lakes District Council. Otago Regional Council deals with natural hazards rather than building consents for houses.
Related help

Helpful next

Dunedin roofsWind, villas, steep sections and South Dunedin's low ground: what Dunedin roofs face, and the jobs that follow.Do you need a building consent to re-roof?When a re-roof is exempt, when it needs a consent, and how to find out for your house.COLORSTEEL coloursAll 24 COLORSTEEL roof colours: looks, heat reflectance, finishes and what to check before you choose.Chimneys, earthquakes and when to remove oneWhy old brick chimneys fall in quakes, your options, and the consent and character rules.How to check a roofer is an LBPHow to look up a Licensed Building Practitioner, and when your roofing job actually needs one.

Where this information comes from

Every fact and rule on this page comes from the sources above, checked on the dates shown. How we write and check these pages.

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