SEO for Melbourne Roofing Companies
Melbourne has more registered roofers per capita than any other Australian capital — and the wildest weather to keep them busy. This guide is built specifically for Victoria's market: the hail belt running through the eastern suburbs, heritage overlay zones where you can't just slap on Colorbond, and the growth corridors out west where 15,000 new roofs go up every year. Whether you're chasing emergency storm calls or $40K heritage restorations, this is the SEO playbook.
The Melbourne Roofing Market in 2026
Victoria's roofing and roof services industry is valued at approximately $3.1 billion annually, with an estimated 2,600+ registered roofing businesses holding VBA Domestic Builder registrations across the state. Greater Melbourne accounts for roughly 70% of that activity — and the competitive landscape is fierce.
But Melbourne's roofing market operates differently to other Australian capitals because of three forces that shape everything from search behaviour to job values:
The Hail Belt
Melbourne's eastern suburbs — from Box Hill through to the Dandenong Ranges — sit in one of Australia's most active hail corridors. The Insurance Council of Australia recorded $1.7 billion in storm claims across Victoria in 2022-23, with roof damage the largest single category. After a declared hail event, "emergency roofer" searches in affected postcodes spike 25-40× overnight.
Heritage Overlay Zones
Melbourne has over 120,000 properties subject to Heritage Overlay planning controls — more than any other Australian city. In Carlton, Fitzroy, South Melbourne, Williamstown, and Kew, you can't replace a slate or terracotta roof with Colorbond without council approval. Heritage restoration commands premium pricing ($40,000–$80,000+ for slate) and attracts a completely different search audience.
The Western Growth Tsunami
The City of Wyndham (Werribee, Point Cook, Tarneit) and City of Melton are adding 12,000–15,000 new homes per year. That's 12,000+ new roofs annually in just two LGAs. In 10-15 years, every one of those roofs will need maintenance, restoration, and eventually replacement — positioning yourself in these suburbs now is a long-term lead generation strategy.
| Market Segment | Est. Value (VIC) | Search Behaviour |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency Repairs (leaks, hail, storm) | $620M | Same-day urgency. 90% mobile. Calls from Google Maps. |
| Roof Replacement / Re-roofing | $850M | 3-6 week research. Multiple quotes. Price-sensitive. |
| Roof Restoration (repoint, repaint, seal) | $480M | 2-4 week research. Often triggered by pre-sale inspection. |
| New Construction Roofing | $750M | Builder referrals dominate. Direct search is secondary. |
| Guttering, Fascia & Downpipes | $400M | Bundled with roofing searches. Standalone volume growing. |
What makes Melbourne roofing SEO particularly valuable is the extreme range of job values. Emergency hail repairs average $2,500-$8,000 (often insurance-backed), standard re-roofing averages $19,500, and heritage slate restorations command $40,000-$80,000+. A single well-ranked page can generate leads worth more than your entire annual SEO investment.
Real SEO Examples: Who's Doing It Right (And Wrong)
Here's what's actually working in Melbourne roofing search right now — and the mistakes that keep most roofers invisible.
The Suburb Page Dominator
- 35+ unique suburb pages: Not thin templates — genuinely unique content for each. Their "Roofing Doncaster" page references the prevalence of 1970s-80s concrete tile roofs in the area, mentions nearby streets, and includes before/after photos from actual Doncaster jobs
- New-estate awareness: Their "Roofing Point Cook" page covers new-build warranty inspections and common defects found on estates less than 10 years old — a demand that barely existed five years ago
- Collective traffic exceeds homepage: Each page ranks independently for "[suburb] roofer" and "[suburb] roof repairs". Together, the 35 suburb pages generate more organic traffic than their homepage
- The lesson: Don't create suburb pages by swapping the suburb name in a template. Write content that could only exist for that specific suburb — local housing stock, common roof types, photos from actual work there
The Hail Damage Specialist
- Hail map content: "Melbourne Hail Map: Which Suburbs Get Hit Hardest" — an informational piece mapping historical hail frequency by postcode, built from Bureau of Meteorology data
- Photo-based damage guide: "How to Spot Hail Damage on Your Roof" — real photos from Melbourne properties showing damage patterns on Colorbond, tile, and slate
- VIC insurance walkthrough: "Filing a Hail Damage Insurance Claim in Victoria: Step-by-Step" — covers the exact process with VIC-specific insurer information and common rejection reasons
- Pre-built storm SEO: When hail hits, they're already ranking for every query homeowners type. They've built their storm response strategy before the event, not during it
Common Melbourne Roofing SEO Mistakes
- Generic "we service all of Melbourne": A single "Service Areas" page listing 40 suburbs in a bullet list, with zero unique content for any of them. Google gives this zero local relevance — thirty seconds of effort, zero search visibility
- Ignoring heritage roofing: Melbourne has 120,000+ heritage-listed properties and almost no roofers creating content around heritage restoration. "Slate roof repair Carlton" and "terracotta restoration Fitzroy" have low competition but $40K-$80K+ job values
- No VBA registration displayed: Domestic Builder registration through the VBA is legally required for roofing work over $10,000 in Victoria — yet most roofing websites don't show their registration number. A missed trust signal and legal oversight
- Missing the pre-sale angle: In Melbourne's property market, pre-sale building inspections frequently flag roof issues. "Building inspection roof damage" and "roof report said replacement needed" are ready-to-buy leads, but almost no roofers target them
Melbourne's Three Roofing Customer Journeys
Your First 30 Days: Step-by-Step Implementation
A focused plan built around Melbourne's market dynamics — hail preparedness, heritage opportunities, and growth corridor positioning:
Days 1-2: Google Business Profile — Melbourne Priorities
Claim and optimise your GBP. Primary category: "Roofing Contractor". Manually add every suburb you service (don't use a radius — Melbourne's sprawl makes it inaccurate). Lead your business description with "VBA Registered Melbourne roofing contractor (Reg #XXXXX)". Upload 20+ real job photos with suburb names in filenames and descriptions. Prioritise hail damage repairs, heritage restorations, and before/after sets.
Days 3-4: Hail Damage Page
Build this before your generic emergency page. "Hail Damage Roof Repairs Melbourne" is Melbourne's highest-converting emergency keyword because hail events affect entire postcodes simultaneously, insurance covers most damage, and inspections often lead to full re-roofing recommendations. Include a hail damage photo guide, insurance claim process, and prominent "Free Hail Damage Inspection" CTA.
Day 5: Emergency Repairs Page
Build your general "Emergency Roof Repairs Melbourne" page. Must load under 2 seconds on mobile. Tap-to-call button in hero — phone number, not a form. List emergency types: leaks, storm damage, fallen branches, tile displacement. "Response within 2 hours across Greater Melbourne." No stock photos — use a clean, fast design without images rather than generic stock.
Days 6-9: Core Service Pages With Melbourne Pricing
Individual pages for Roof Replacement, Restoration, Repairs, Guttering, Colorbond, and Tile Roofing. Key differentiator: include Melbourne-specific pricing on every page. "Melbourne roof replacement runs $120-$200/m² for Colorbond, $150-$250/m² for tile." Add a dedicated Heritage Roofing page covering slate sourcing, terracotta matching, and council HO application processes.
Days 10-12: Top 5 Suburb Pages
Start with suburbs where you have completed job photos. Each page must reference actual housing stock: "Doncaster's housing stock is predominantly 1970s-80s concrete tile roofs reaching end of life." Include real before/after photos from that suburb, reference the local council by name, and mention nearby landmarks naturally.
Days 13-15: Pricing Guide
Publish "How Much Does a New Roof Cost in Melbourne? (2026 Prices)". Break down by material AND region: "Western suburbs new-builds typically use Colorbond at $120-$160/m², while inner-city heritage restorations run $300-$600/m² for slate." Include the VBA builders warranty insurance requirement for jobs over $16,000 and Melbourne-specific factors: multi-storey access, heritage overlay compliance costs, asbestos removal.
Days 16-18: Melbourne-Specific Authority Content
Publish two high-value pieces: (1) "Melbourne's Hail Belt: Which Suburbs Get Hit Hardest" — map hail frequency across postcodes using BOM data. (2) "How to Claim Roof Damage on Insurance in Victoria" — cover VIC-specific insurer processes, the VBA's dispute resolution role, and when independent assessors are worth the cost.
Days 19-22: Before/After Gallery + Technical SEO
Organise gallery by job type AND suburb. Tag every image: "Colorbond re-roof completed in Werribee Melbourne — before and after." Submit XML sitemap, implement RoofingContractor schema, test emergency and hail damage pages on real 4G mobile — if either takes >2 seconds, strip back until it does.
Days 23-26: Local Citations — VIC Specific
List on HiPages, Oneflare, Bark, ServiceSeeking, Yellow Pages, True Local. Ensure your VBA registration is visible and correct on the VBA's public register — link to your entry from your website. If a Master Builders Victoria or HIA Victoria member, claim and link those profiles. NAP consistency: exact same business name, address, phone across every listing.
Days 27-30: Reviews + Baseline
Text every client from the past 6 months: "If you have 30 seconds, a Google review mentioning [suburb] and the type of work really helps other homeowners find us." Reviews mentioning "hail damage," "heritage," or specific materials add keyword relevance naturally. Set up Google Search Console, call tracking, and benchmark positions for top 20 keywords. Plan months 2-3: more suburb pages, seasonal content, material comparison guides.
Keyword Research: What Your Customers Search
Melbourne roofing keywords cluster into four distinct groups — emergency/storm, planned projects, material-specific, and suburb-level. Here's the data with Melbourne-specific competitive analysis:
Emergency & Storm Keywords (Highest Conversion)
Spikes 25-40× during hail events
Year-round demand, peaks in winter
Low base volume, MASSIVE storm spikes
Post-event traffic goldmine
Planned Project Keywords (Highest Value)
Broadest term, mixed intent
Primary head term for planned projects
Pre-qualified leads — they're budgeting
Restoration ≠ replacement — needs its own page
Melbourne-Specific Opportunities
Most popular material for new Melbourne roofs
Huge in eastern suburbs — 1970s-80s housing stock
Heritage overlay demand drives this
Tiny volume, $40K-$80K+ jobs, near-zero competition
Ageing tile homes, high household income
Growth corridor, warranty issues emerging
Content Strategy: What Roofers Should Publish
Melbourne's roofing content strategy is driven by three forces other cities don't share: a hail belt, a heritage overlay market, and two of Australia's fastest-growing corridors. Here's your three-pillar approach built for this city:
🔧 Pillar 1: Service & Material Pages — With Melbourne Context
- Hail damage specialisation page: If you service Melbourne's eastern suburbs, this is arguably your single most important content asset. Include a photo guide showing what hail damage looks like on Colorbond, tile, and slate, the VIC insurance claim process, your response time guarantee, and a gallery of hail repairs you've completed
- Heritage restoration pages: "Heritage Roof Restoration Melbourne" (umbrella), "Slate Roof Repair Melbourne" (material-specific), "Heritage Overlay Roofing Requirements" (informational — ranks for council-related searches). Melbourne's 120,000+ heritage properties are dramatically underserved online
- Material comparisons with Melbourne climate context: "Colorbond vs Tiles in Melbourne: Which Lasts Longer?" — reference Melbourne's temperature extremes and why thermal expansion is harder on tiles here than in milder climates. "Best Roofing Material for Melbourne Weather" — cover hail resistance ratings, thermal performance, bushfire ratings for outer suburbs
- Pricing guides with regional variation: "Western suburbs new-builds typically use Colorbond at $120-$160/m², while inner-city heritage restorations run $300-$600/m² for slate." Don't publish one number — show the Melbourne-specific range and explain why
📍 Pillar 2: Suburb & Region Content — Melbourne's Diverse Zones
- 25-30 suburb pages with genuine local content: Each page must contain content that could only apply to that suburb. "Doncaster's housing stock is predominantly 1970s-80s concrete tile roofs reaching 40-50 year lifespan." "Werribee estates built 2015-2023 now showing first maintenance needs — gutter realignment, flashing repairs, builder warranty defect claims."
- Regional cluster pages: "Eastern Suburbs Roofing — Box Hill to Glen Waverley" (restoration belt), "Western Growth Corridor Roofing — Werribee, Tarneit, Point Cook" (new builds), "Inner Melbourne Heritage Roofing — Carlton, Fitzroy, Collingwood" (premium heritage niche)
- Local building compliance: Heritage overlay requirements by council area, VBA registration rules, bushfire zone roofing standards (BAL ratings for outer suburbs like the Dandenongs and Macedon Ranges)
🌧️ Pillar 3: Seasonal & Market-Driven Content
- Hail season content (October-March): "Is Your Roof Ready for Melbourne's Hail Season?" — publish September. "What to Do Immediately After Hail Hits Your Roof" — emergency response guide. "Melbourne Hail Damage Insurance Claims: Complete Guide" — publish October, reference VIC-specific processes
- Property market content (year-round, peaks spring): "Building Inspection Found Roof Issues? What Melbourne Homeowners Should Know" — captures pre-purchase anxiety traffic. "Does a New Roof Increase Property Value in Melbourne?" — targets homeowners considering selling
- Melbourne-specific maintenance: "Gutter Maintenance in Melbourne: The Eucalyptus Problem" — Melbourne's dense urban canopy creates unique gutter debris issues. "Roof Ventilation in Melbourne: Why Your Home Is Too Hot in Summer" — Melbourne's 40°C+ days make ventilation a selling point
Schema Markup: Ready-to-Use Code
Schema markup helps Google understand your roofing business, services, and service area:
RoofingContractor Schema (Required)
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "RoofingContractor",
"name": "Your Roofing Business Name",
"image": "https://yourdomain.com.au/completed-roof.jpg",
"url": "https://yourdomain.com.au",
"telephone": "+61-X-XXXX-XXXX",
"address": {
"@type": "PostalAddress",
"streetAddress": "Your Business Address",
"addressLocality": "Melbourne",
"addressRegion": "VIC",
"postalCode": "3000",
"addressCountry": "AU"
},
"geo": {
"@type": "GeoCoordinates",
"latitude": -37.8136,
"longitude": 144.9631
},
"areaServed": [
{ "@type": "City", "name": "Melbourne" },
{ "@type": "State", "name": "Victoria" }
],
"hasOfferCatalog": {
"@type": "OfferCatalog",
"name": "Roofing Services",
"itemListElement": [
{ "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Roof Replacement" } },
{ "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Roof Restoration" } },
{ "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Emergency Roof Repairs" } },
{ "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Guttering & Downpipes" } }
]
},
"priceRange": "$$-$$$$",
"openingHoursSpecification": [
{
"@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
"dayOfWeek": ["Monday","Tuesday","Wednesday","Thursday","Friday"],
"opens": "07:00",
"closes": "17:00"
},
{
"@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
"dayOfWeek": ["Saturday"],
"opens": "08:00",
"closes": "13:00"
}
]
}
</script>
Suburb Service Page Schema
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Service",
"serviceType": "Roof Replacement",
"provider": {
"@type": "RoofingContractor",
"name": "Your Roofing Business",
"url": "https://yourdomain.com.au"
},
"areaServed": {
"@type": "Place",
"name": "[SUBURB_NAME], Melbourne"
},
"description": "Professional roof replacement and restoration services in [SUBURB_NAME], Melbourne. Licenced VIC roofer with 15+ years experience.",
"offers": {
"@type": "AggregateOffer",
"priceCurrency": "AUD",
"lowPrice": "3500",
"highPrice": "35000",
"offerCount": "4"
}
}
</script>
OfferCatalog — these are Melbourne-specific high-value categories that most competitors miss. List 5-10 specific suburbs in areaServed rather than just "Melbourne" — this improves local relevance signals for suburb-level queries.description field and on every page. The VBA maintains a public register at vba.vic.gov.au — link to your entry from your "About" or "Credentials" page. This is both a legal requirement for advertising in Victoria and a trust signal for Google's E-E-A-T assessment. Licenced roofers deserve to rank above unregistered operators.12-Month Content Calendar
Melbourne's roofing demand follows two overlapping cycles: the hail/storm season (October-March) and the property market cycle (peaks spring and autumn). Here's how to align content to both:
January
Melbourne's 40°C+ heatwave days cause thermal expansion cracking in tile roofs. Publish "Heat Damage and Your Roof" content. Prepare hail response content for late-summer storms.
February
Melbourne's most active hail month historically. Emergency and insurance claim content must be live and ranking. Post every storm job to GBP within 24 hours.
March
Post-storm assessment content. Property market heats up — publish "Pre-Sale Roof Assessment Checklist for Melbourne Homes". Autumn inspection content targeting homeowners who noticed summer damage.
April
Melbourne's best roofing weather begins. Push pricing guides and material comparisons. Target homeowners planning spring property listings who need roofs done first.
May
Melbourne's deciduous trees (plane trees, elms) shed heavily. Publish "Autumn Gutter Cleaning: Why Melbourne Homes Need It Before Winter". Unique to cities with heavy deciduous canopy.
June
"Why Melbourne Roofs Leak in Winter" — focus on pointing failure, valley deterioration, and the cumulative effect of Melbourne's temperature cycling on materials. Indoor planning content.
July
Quieter work period = content production time. Build 3-5 new suburb pages. Publish material comparison guides. Heritage restoration planning content (council applications take 6-8 weeks).
August
"Book Your Spring Re-Roof Before the Rush". Heritage restoration planning content — if council approval is needed, homeowners must start now. Early bird pricing campaigns.
September
Re-roofing season peaks. Simultaneously publish storm preparation content — "Is Your Roof Ready for Melbourne's Hail Season?" Capture both planned and emergency audiences.
October
Hail season content must be live and ranking. Emergency page fully optimised. "Melbourne Hail Season 2026: Are You Prepared?" Insurance claim guide published and indexed.
November
"Get Your Roof Done Before Christmas" messaging. Storm damage content live. Every completed job = GBP post + review request. Maximum content output month.
December
Update all suburb pages with new job photos. Publish "2027 Melbourne Roofing Trends". Review and refresh all content. Plan Q1 priority keywords and new suburb page targets.
Monthly Content Rhythm
Every Month, Publish:
- 2 before/after project showcases tagged by Melbourne suburb + material
- 1 educational article with a Melbourne-specific angle (hail, heritage, growth corridors, or seasonal)
- 4 Google Business posts featuring recent completed work with suburb names
- 1-2 new suburb pages (building toward 30 suburb coverage)
- 3-5 new Google reviews requested — prompt clients to mention suburb, job type, and materials
Competitor Analysis Framework
Melbourne has 2,600+ registered roofers competing for the same search results. Use this 5-step framework to find and exploit the gaps:
Map the Map Pack — Your Primary Battlefield
Search "roofer Melbourne", "roof repairs Melbourne", "roofer [your primary suburb]", and critically, "hail damage roof repair Melbourne" from a Melbourne IP. Record the top 3 Map Pack results for each. The Map Pack captures 42-50% of clicks for Melbourne roofing searches. If you're not in the Map Pack for your primary suburb, that's where all effort goes first.
Audit Suburb Coverage
Count how many suburb-specific pages each top 5 competitor has. In Melbourne, the landscape is stark: top performers have 20-40 suburb pages, average roofers have 1-5, and most have zero. Creating 25-30 unique suburb pages is the single largest competitive moat — it's also the hardest for competitors to replicate quickly because each page needs real content and ideally real photos from that suburb.
Check the Hail Content Gap
Search "hail damage roof repair Melbourne." As of early 2026, very few Melbourne roofers have dedicated hail damage content despite the eastern suburbs sitting in one of Australia's most active hail corridors. This is one of the widest content gaps in the market — low competition, massive event-driven traffic potential, and insurance-backed job values.
Audit Heritage Content
Search "heritage roof restoration Melbourne", "slate roof repair Melbourne", and "terracotta roof restoration Melbourne." Melbourne has 120,000+ heritage overlay properties — and almost no dedicated SEO content serving them. If no competitor has dedicated pages for these, you can own this high-value niche ($40K-$80K+ jobs) with 2-3 pieces of content.
Review Comparison
In Melbourne's roofing market, the review landscape breaks down clearly: dominant players have 150-300+ Google reviews at 4.7+ stars, competitive players have 50-150 reviews at 4.5+ stars, and everyone else is below threshold. If your main competitors have 200+ reviews and you have 15, you need a systematic review process running for 6+ months before you'll compete in the Map Pack.
Melbourne Roofing Searches: Storm Spike Effect
Trust & Safety Signals: What Homeowners Need to See
High-value roofing work demands trust before a homeowner picks up the phone. Melbourne has specific trust signals that matter more here than in other cities:
For Hail Damage & Emergency Customers
| Trust Signal | Why It Matters in Melbourne | Implementation |
|---|---|---|
| Free hail damage inspection | Melbourne's eastern suburbs get hit regularly — homeowners want inspections before claiming on insurance | "Free Hail Damage Roof Inspection" CTA on hail page |
| VIC insurance claim support | Victorian insurance claims have specific documentation requirements that overwhelm homeowners | Step-by-step VIC process guide + "We handle the paperwork" messaging |
| Same-day emergency response | Melbourne's heavy rain during storms causes rapid water damage escalation | "Emergency tarping and waterproofing within 2 hours across Greater Melbourne" |
| After-hours availability | Major Melbourne storms frequently hit overnight and on weekends | 24/7 phone number with live answering, not voicemail |
For Planned Re-Roofing Customers
| Trust Signal | Why It Matters in Melbourne | Implementation |
|---|---|---|
| VBA registration displayed | Legal requirement in VIC for work over $10K. Informed Melbourne homeowners check. | Registration number on every page. Link to VBA public register for verification. |
| Builders warranty insurance | Required by VBA for domestic work over $16K. Homeowners should see proof. | "Builders Warranty Insurance Certificate available on request" in footer or credentials page |
| Melbourne before/after photos | Stock photos destroy trust. Homeowners want proof you've worked locally. | 20+ before/after sets tagged by Melbourne suburb and material type |
| Itemised written quotes | Melbourne homeowners comparing 3+ quotes need transparent breakdowns | "Detailed written quotes within 48 hours" policy stated clearly |
For Heritage Clients
| Trust Signal | Why It Matters | Implementation |
|---|---|---|
| Heritage project portfolio | Heritage clients need proof you've done council-approved work before | Gallery of heritage restorations with council approval references |
| Council compliance knowledge | Heritage Overlay requirements vary by Melbourne council | Content showing you understand specific council HO requirements |
| Specialist material sourcing | Replacement slate and period terracotta are difficult to source | Mention your supply chains for heritage roofing materials |
Local SEO Playbook: Covering Greater Melbourne
Melbourne's roofing demand varies dramatically by region. Each zone has different housing stock, different roof types, and different customer needs — your suburb pages must reflect this:
| Zone | Housing Stock & Demand | Target Keywords |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Suburbs — The Restoration Belt (Box Hill, Doncaster, Glen Waverley, Ringwood) | 1960s-80s concrete tile roofs, many 40-50+ years old. Hail belt — highest density of post-storm queries in metro Melbourne. Primary demand: tile restoration, re-roofing to Colorbond, hail damage repairs. | "roof restoration Doncaster", "hail damage roof repair Box Hill", "re-roofing Glen Waverley" |
| Western Growth Corridor (Werribee, Point Cook, Tarneit, Melton) | New estates 2010-present, predominantly Colorbond. Early estates now showing first maintenance needs — gutter realignment, flashing repairs, builder warranty defects. 12,000-15,000 new homes/year. | "roofing Werribee", "roof warranty repair Point Cook", "new roof Tarneit" |
| Inner Melbourne — Heritage Premium (Carlton, Fitzroy, Collingwood, Williamstown, Kew) | Victorian/Edwardian terraces, 1900s-1930s bungalows. Strictest heritage overlays in Australia. Jobs command $40K-$80K+. Slate, terracotta, period-appropriate materials. Council approval required. | "heritage roof restoration Melbourne", "slate roof repair Carlton", "terracotta restoration Fitzroy" |
| Northern Corridor (Craigieburn, Epping, South Morang, Bundoora) | Mix of new estates (north) and 1970s-90s established homes (south). Significant ethnic diversity — consider multilingual GBP posts for suburbs with large non-English speaking populations. | "roofing Craigieburn", "roof replacement Epping", "roofer South Morang" |
| South-East Growth Engine (Berwick, Cranbourne, Clyde, Pakenham) | Melbourne's second-fastest growing region. Clyde and Pakenham adding 5,000+ homes/year. New build demand now, restoration demand building over next decade. | "roofing Berwick", "roof repairs Cranbourne", "roofer Clyde" |
| Bayside — Coastal Premium (Brighton, Sandringham, Mentone, Hampton) | Premium established homes, some heritage, coastal exposure. Jobs command 20-30% higher pricing. Low volume keywords but conversion values of $25K-$50K+ per job. | "slate roof repair Brighton", "roof restoration Bayside", "premium roofer Sandringham" |
The Cost of NOT Doing SEO
Here's the maths for a Melbourne roofing business — factoring in the hail events that other cities don't experience:
What Melbourne Roofers Without SEO Are Losing
| Metric | Without SEO | With SEO (12 months in) |
|---|---|---|
| Organic website visits | 100-250/mo | 2,500-6,000/mo |
| Quote requests from organic | 2-4/month | 30-60/month |
| Emergency calls from organic | 0-2/month | 12-25/month |
| Hail event capture (per event) | 0-1 calls | 15-40 calls in 48 hours |
| Jobs won from organic leads | 1-2/month | 10-18/month |
| Revenue from organic channel | $8-15K/month | $80-160K/month |
Technical SEO Checklist
Melbourne roofing sites have two non-negotiable technical requirements: emergency and hail damage pages must load instantly on mobile, and suburb pages must send strong local signals. Work through this:
<a href="tel:+613XXXXXXXX">. Test it actually works — broken tel: links are surprisingly commonGoogle Business Profile Checklist
For Melbourne roofers, the Google Map Pack is where 40-50% of leads originate. Your GBP setup must reflect Melbourne's unique market dynamics:
Melbourne GBP Essentials:
- Primary category: "Roofing Contractor". Secondary categories: "Roof Repair Service", "Gutter Cleaning Service", "Building Restoration Service" (signals heritage capability)
- Business description front-loads VBA credentials: "VBA Registered Melbourne Roofing Contractor (Reg #XXXXX). Specialising in hail damage repairs, heritage roof restoration, Colorbond re-roofing, and emergency services across Greater Melbourne."
- Service area: manually list every suburb you cover — don't use a radius. Melbourne's sprawl and irregular boundaries make radius targeting inaccurate. Add suburbs incrementally as you complete jobs there
- Upload 50+ photos: completed Melbourne roofs (aerial drone shots rank well), hail damage inspections, heritage restorations, before/after sequences, team at work, branded vehicles. Update monthly with recent jobs
- Weekly GBP posts: every completed job gets a post. "Completed a Colorbond re-roof in Doncaster this week — replaced 40-year-old concrete tiles." Tag the suburb in every post
- Q&A section: pre-populate with Melbourne-specific questions: "Are you VBA registered?", "Do you do hail damage inspections?", "What areas of Melbourne do you cover?", "Do you help with insurance claims?"
- Review responses within 24 hours — always mention suburb and job type: "Thank you for the kind words about the heritage slate restoration in Fitzroy. The original 1890s slate matching was a rewarding challenge."
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a new roof cost in Melbourne?
Colorbond re-roofing runs $12,000-$28,000 for a standard Melbourne home (roughly $120-$200/m²). Concrete tile re-roofing: $15,000-$35,000. Roof restoration (repointing, rebedding, repainting): $3,500-$9,000. Heritage slate restoration: $40,000-$80,000+. Costs vary significantly by region — inner-city heritage work commands premium pricing, while western suburbs new-estate work is typically more competitive. Access difficulty (multi-storey, steep pitch) and asbestos removal add $3,000-$8,000.
What happens after hail hits my roof in Melbourne?
First, document the damage with photos from ground level — don't climb on the roof. Contact your insurer within 24-48 hours to lodge a claim. Request a professional hail damage inspection from a VBA-registered roofer — many Melbourne roofers offer free post-hail inspections. Hail damage can be subtle (cracked tiles, dented Colorbond, dislodged pointing) and may not cause leaks immediately but will shorten your roof's lifespan. Most comprehensive home insurance policies cover hail damage in Victoria. Keep the roofer's inspection report for your insurer.
Does a roofer need a licence in Victoria?
Yes. In Victoria, roofers must hold a Domestic Builder (Limited) or Domestic Builder (Unlimited) registration through the Victorian Building Authority (VBA). For domestic roofing work valued over $10,000 (most re-roofing and restoration jobs), the builder must also hold builders warranty insurance. For work over $16,000, this insurance is mandatory. Always verify a roofer's registration on the VBA's online "Check a Practitioner" tool at vba.vic.gov.au before signing a contract.
When is the best time to replace a roof in Melbourne?
Autumn (March-May) and early spring (September-October) offer Melbourne's best roofing conditions — dry weather, moderate temperatures ideal for sealant curing, and roofers typically have shorter wait times. Avoid booking during peak hail season (December-February) when emergency repairs take priority and wait times blow out. If you need council approval for heritage overlay work, add 6-8 weeks to your timeline and start the process in winter for a spring installation.
Can I replace a heritage roof with Colorbond in Melbourne?
It depends on your Heritage Overlay (HO) status. Properties under a Heritage Overlay in Melbourne typically cannot replace original slate or terracotta roofing with Colorbond without council approval — and approval is frequently denied if the roof is visible from the street. Inner suburbs like Carlton, Fitzroy, South Melbourne, Williamstown, and Kew have the strictest requirements. Check your property's HO status through your local council's planning maps. If your property is heritage-listed, expect to restore with period-appropriate materials, which costs more but also adds significant property value.
How long does roofing SEO take to work in Melbourne?
Expect initial phone call increases within 3-5 months, with significant lead growth at 6-10 months. Melbourne roofing SEO has a unique advantage: hail events create massive search spikes that reward businesses already ranking. A roofer who has invested 6 months in SEO before a major hail event will capture dramatically more leads than one who started the week before. Think of SEO as storm preparedness — the value compounds over time and pays out disproportionately during weather events.
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