Merivale has been a fashionable residential suburb since the 1860s, and some of its narrow streets and lanes still hold restored original cottages. The name comes from Merevale, the 100 acre block Charlotte Jackson took up in 1851, and the suburb runs roughly from Heaton Street to Bealey Avenue between Papanui Road and Rossall Street.
Rising land values in the 1990s brought a burst of subdivision and infill housing, and the February 2011 earthquake badly damaged the Papanui Road shops. Today older cottages sit beside newer infill homes with very different roofs. We start with a free on-site measure and an itemised written quote.
Roofing Services in Merivale
Every roofing service we offer in Merivale, 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.
Merivale Homes and Their Roofs
Merivale's restored cottages and character homes mostly suit longrun corrugate, which keeps their profile on a re-roof, and older roofs can hide sarking, chimneys and lapped flashings. Infill homes from the 1990s often have more complex rooflines with valleys, internal gutters or parapets, where flashing details decide whether the roof stays dry. Where a home is in a heritage area or scheduled, we check with Christchurch City Council first.
What Merivale Conditions Mean for Your Roof
Merivale is flat ground close to the city centre, where nights below freezing are less frequent than at the airport but frost still forms on calm clear nights. Mature gardens and nearby Hagley Park bring leaves into spouting and valleys. The nor'wester can lift loose ridging and old flashings on character roofs.
Roofers Merivale FAQs
Can we keep the look of our Merivale cottage with a steel roof?
Yes. Longrun corrugate keeps the traditional profile, and we match ridging and barge details to the house. We check heritage status with Christchurch City Council first where it applies.
Our 1990s infill home leaks at an internal gutter. Can that be fixed?
Usually. Internal gutters and their outlets are common leak points. We find the entry point and quote a repair or replacement of the gutter lining.
Do you remove unused chimneys?
Yes. We remove chimneys below the roofline and close the opening with new roofing and flashings. The Natural Hazards Commission says removal is the safest option.
How often should spouting be cleared under big trees?
At least once a year after leaf fall, and more often if the spouting overflows.