Ilam is a residential suburb about five kilometres west of the city centre, built around the University of Canterbury campus and close to the Riccarton shopping area. It is named after Ilam Hall in Staffordshire, the ancestral home of John Watts-Russell, who settled in Canterbury in 1850.
Ilam Primary School, next to the university, opened in 1950, and Westburn School followed in 1962, which gives a guide to when many of the surrounding houses were built. Those roofs are now well into their working life. We start with a free on-site measure and an itemised written quote.
Roofing Services in Ilam
Every roofing service we offer in Ilam, 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 Replacement: Older Super Six and fibre cement roofs can contain asbestos.
- Decramastic Roof Replacement: 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.
- Storm Damage 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: 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 Washing: 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.
Ilam Homes and Their Roofs
Ilam's homes from the 1950s and 1960s were commonly roofed in concrete tile or long run iron, and many are now due for a decision on repair, painting or replacement. Homes let to students and families near the university can benefit from a roof inspection between tenancies. Larger homes may have more complex rooflines with valleys and chimneys that need careful flashing work.
What Ilam Conditions Mean for Your Roof
Ilam sits close to the airport, where nights below 0°C are more than twice as common as in the city centre. Frosty nights bring condensation under steel roofs and keep shaded roof faces damp, which suits moss and lichen. The nor'wester can lift loose ridging and spouting.
Roofers Ilam FAQs
Can you inspect a rental roof between tenancies?
Yes. We provide a roof condition report with photos covering roofing, flashings, spouting and any repairs needed, which helps with planning maintenance.
Should we repair or replace a 1950s tile roof?
If the tiles are sound and leaks are limited, repairs can be good value. Brittle underlay or repeated leaks usually point to a re-roof. We inspect first and show you the condition.
How do we treat moss on our roof?
A roof treatment kills moss and lichen, which then weathers off. Clear spouting and trimmed overhanging branches help stop it returning.
Do you work near the University of Canterbury?
Yes. We cover all of Ilam and the surrounding western suburbs.