The eastern and southern suburbs sit between the harbour and Cook Strait. Island Bay faces open water to the south, Kilbirnie and Lyall Bay spread across the flat Rongotai isthmus, Miramar fills the basin of the peninsula, and Seatoun sits on an exposed promontory at the harbour entrance. Hataitai climbs the south-eastern flank of Mount Victoria. Much of the housing went up after the trams arrived between 1905 and 1909, so a lot of it dates from the early twentieth century through to the 1950s.
Salt and wind are what shorten roof life here. NZS 3604 puts sites within 500 metres of the sea, including the harbour, in the highest sea spray zone, which is likely to take in a large part of Lyall Bay, Island Bay and Seatoun. We confirm the exposure for your address and recommend a COLORSTEEL product and fixings to suit, pair re-roofs with new spouting where the old system has rusted, and repair storm damage after the big southerlies.
Roofing Services in the Eastern and Southern Suburbs
Roof Repairs Eastern and Southern Suburbs
Leaks, loose sheets, failed flashings and cracked tiles repaired properly, with photos of what we found and fixed.
View serviceSpouting and Gutters Eastern and Southern Suburbs
New spouting, gutter replacement and repairs in steel and PVC, sized to carry heavy downpours.
View serviceEvery other roofing service we offer in the Eastern and Southern Suburbs, and what each one covers:
- Roof Replacement Eastern and Southern Suburbs: When repairs no longer make sense, we replace the roof completely and leave you with a roof that is good for decades.
- Gutter Cleaning Eastern and Southern Suburbs: Gutters and downpipes cleared by hand, flushed and checked, with before and after photos of what we found.
- Re-Roofing: A full re-roof replaces your old roofing, underlay and flashings with a new COLORSTEEL roof built to today's Building Code.
- Tile to Metal Re-Roofing: Swapping heavy concrete tiles for lightweight steel removes weight from the frame and ends the cycle of cracked tiles and leaks.
- Asbestos Roof Removal: Older Super Six and fibre cement roofs can contain asbestos.
- Decramastic Roof: Decramastic tiles lose their chip coating and rust from the inside.
- Roof Leak Repairs: We track a leak to its source, which is often nowhere near the stain on your ceiling, and fix the cause.
- Emergency Roof Repairs: Storm damage made safe fast, then repaired with the photos and reports your insurer needs.
- Tile Roof Repairs: Cracked and slipped tiles replaced, ridges rebedded and repointed, and leaks under tiles traced and sealed.
- Roof Flashing Repairs: Flashings around chimneys, skylights, walls and valleys cause most leaks.
- New Roofs: New roofs for new builds, extensions and minor dwellings, installed to plans and signed off for your Code Compliance Certificate.
- Metal Roofing: Longrun COLORSTEEL roofing in corrugate and trapezoidal profiles, rolled to length for your roof.
- Membrane Roofing: Flat and low-pitch roofs, decks and gutters waterproofed with butynol and modern membrane systems.
- Skylights: Roof windows and skylights installed or replaced with proper flashing kits, so the light comes in and the water does not.
- Downpipes and Fascia: Downpipes and fascia replaced or repaired, often alongside new spouting or a re-roof.
- Roof Painting: Roof painting that starts with proper preparation: wash, treat, repair and prime, then two coats of roof paint.
- Roof Cleaning: Moss, lichen and grime removed with the right treatment for your roof type, without damaging the surface.
- Roof Inspections: A detailed roof report with photos and honest repair or replace advice, for owners, buyers and insurers.
- Roof Ventilation: Roof and ceiling space ventilation that reduces condensation, mould and heat build-up.
- Commercial Roofing: Re-roofs, repairs and maintenance plans for commercial, industrial and multi-unit buildings.
See every roofing service we offer across Wellington.
Common Roof Types in the Eastern and Southern Suburbs
Villas and older timber homes in Island Bay, Hataitai, Seatoun and Miramar traditionally have corrugated iron roofs, and longrun corrugate keeps that look on a re-roof. Miramar also has a place in state housing history, with New Zealand's first state house opened at 12 Fife Lane in 1937. Mid-century homes across the area can carry concrete tile or decramastic, which are common tile to metal conversions, and older fibre cement roofs are tested for asbestos before any work. Kilbirnie adds flat and low-pitch roofs on the apartment buildings and hotels near its business centre and the airport.
What the Eastern and Southern Suburbs Conditions Mean for Your Roof
Wellington Airport, on the Rongotai isthmus, records gusts over 63 km/h on about 166 days a year and over 96 km/h on about 24 days a year, and it recorded a 187 km/h gust in the Wahine storm. Seatoun, Lyall Bay and Island Bay face the strait directly, so roof fixings, ridge caps and barge flashings need to suit the wind zone for the site, which we confirm for each address. Salt carried on those winds builds up on unwashed areas such as spouting undersides and soffits, and NZ Steel says regular washing is essential for metal roofing close to the sea.
Suburbs We Cover in the Eastern and Southern Suburbs
Roofers Wellington Eastern and Southern Suburbs FAQs
Which COLORSTEEL product suits a house near the south coast?
COLORSTEEL sells MAXAM for most New Zealand environments, including many coastal sites, and ALTIMATE for extreme marine and highly corrosive sites. Homes facing open surf at Lyall Bay or Island Bay may need the higher grade. We check your address with BRANZ Maps and confirm the product in writing with the quote.
Why have my roof screws and flashings rusted before the sheets?
Fixings and flashings sit where salt collects and rain does not wash it off, so they often corrode first on coastal homes. Replacing them in compatible materials can add years to a roof that is otherwise sound.
What should I do if a southerly lifts part of my roof?
Keep clear of the area, take photos for your insurer and call us. We make the roof safe first, then supply photos and a written report for the claim before carrying out the permanent repair.
How often should a roof near the coast be washed?
Salt builds up on sheltered parts of a roof that rain does not reach, such as under spouting and eaves. COLORSTEEL sets washing intervals by environment, and coastal sites need it more often than inland ones. We note the washing routine your warranty expects when we hand over a new roof.