Kelburn was laid out after the Upland Estate Company bought William Moxham's farmland in 1896, and it filled quickly once the Wellington Cable Car opened in 1902. The suburb sits on the hills just west of the central city, bordered by the Botanic Garden, Thorndon and Karori, and its homes are among the most valuable in Wellington.
Kelburn also has some of the most closely watched weather in the country. The Kelburn weather instruments in the Botanic Garden have records going back to 1927, and they logged a 198 km/h gust in the Wahine storm of 1968. A roof here has to be fixed for wind first. We measure on site for free and put the quote in writing, line by line.
Roofing Services in Kelburn
Every roofing service we offer in Kelburn, and what each one covers:
- Re-Roofing: A full re-roof replaces your old roofing, underlay and flashings with a new COLORSTEEL roof built to today's Building Code.
- Roof Replacement: When repairs no longer make sense, we replace the roof completely and leave you with a roof that is good for decades.
- 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 Repairs: Leaks, loose sheets, failed flashings and cracked tiles repaired properly, with photos of what we found and fixed.
- 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.
- Spouting and Gutters: New spouting, gutter replacement and repairs in steel and PVC, sized to carry heavy downpours.
- Gutter Cleaning: Gutters and downpipes cleared by hand, flushed and checked, with before and after photos of what we found.
- 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.
Kelburn Homes and Their Roofs
Kelburn's early 20th century villas traditionally have corrugated iron roofs, while later homes can carry tile or longrun steel. Larger family homes often have complex rooflines with several hips and valleys, and mature trees near the Botanic Garden drop leaves into those valleys. On any Kelburn roof, the fixing pattern, ridge and barge details matter as much as the sheets.
What Kelburn Conditions Mean for Your Roof
Kelburn is high and exposed. Many Wellington sites are in High, Very High or Extra High wind zones under NZS 3604, and some need specific design, so we confirm the zone for your address before specifying fixings. Mature trees mean leaf-filled spouting and valleys, which can push water back under flashings in heavy rain.
Roofers Kelburn FAQs
How strong does the wind get in Kelburn?
NIWA's Kelburn station recorded a gust of 198 km/h in the Wahine storm on 10 April 1968. Most days are far calmer, but roof fixings are designed for the extremes, which is why the wind zone for your site sets the fixing pattern.
Our Kelburn home has a complicated roof with lots of valleys. Is that a problem?
Valleys collect water and leaves from two roof planes, so they are a common leak point. We check valley flashings closely on inspections and widen or replace them during a re-roof if they are undersized.
Can trees damage my roof?
Overhanging branches can scrape paint and dent sheets in a gale, and leaves block spouting and valleys. Trimming branches back from the roof and cleaning gutters regularly prevents most of these problems.
How do you get materials onto a steep Kelburn section?
Some Kelburn homes have steps or a steep drive rather than vehicle access to the house. We plan deliveries, scaffolding and sheet lengths around the site during the free measure, and show access costs on the quote.