Roof Repointing & Ridge Capping Shellharbour
Crumbling mortar along the ridges is the single most common fault we find on older tiled roofs here. It is also one of the cheapest to fix, provided the bedding underneath is still sound. We check that before quoting.
- Flexible pointing compound
- 10+ years experience, fully insured
- Free written quotes
Two layers, and only one of them is visible
The ridge capping finishes the roof where two planes meet. Underneath each cap is a bed of mortar holding it in place, and over the top is the pointing you can actually see from the ground.
The pointing is what cracks, separates and falls out first. The bedding beneath it sometimes stays perfectly stable, and sometimes has gone with it. That difference is the whole job, because one is a repoint and the other means lifting the caps and rebedding them, at roughly double the cost. Nobody can tell which you have from the footpath.
Repoint, rebed or a local repair
The right answer follows what the capping is actually doing, not how bad the mortar looks from below.
Repointing is enough when
- The caps are sitting straight and firm.
- The bedding beneath them is still holding.
- The mortar on top has cracked, weathered or fallen away.
- The tiles either side are sound.
Rebedding is needed when
- Caps rock, sit unevenly or have moved out of line.
- The bedding has broken down along a run.
- Water is getting in at the ridge rather than just looking untidy.
- Previous repointing was done over failed bedding, which happens a lot.
The ridge is a connected system
Ridge work follows the peaks, the hips, the points where they intersect and the ends where they terminate. Each of those needs different handling, and the ends and intersections are where a cheap job shows up first.
Main ridges
The straightforward runs along the top. Usually the easiest part and the bit people picture when they think of repointing.
Hips
The sloping ridges running down the corners. Longer, more exposed and often further gone than the main ridge.
Intersections
Where ridges and hips meet. Fiddly, and a common leak point when previous work has been rushed.
Terminations
Where a ridge ends at a wall or over the eave. Needs proper detailing rather than a wedge of mortar.
Ridges looking rough from the ground?
Send a photo and we will tell you whether it is a repoint or a rebed, then quote it in writing.
What happens on the job
Check
We test whether the caps are firm and the bedding is holding, along the whole ridge line.
Decide
Repoint, rebed, or rebed some runs and repoint others. Priced so you can see the split.
Prepare
Old failed mortar removed and the surfaces cleaned so the new work actually bonds.
Bed
Where needed, caps lifted and reset properly rather than pointed over a failing bed.
Point
Flexible pointing compound, which moves with the roof instead of cracking like old mortar.
Finish
Ends and intersections detailed properly, site cleaned and the work walked with you.
What ridge work will not fix
A sound ridge matters, but not every roof problem starts up there. We keep the quote tied to what we can actually show you.
Leaks from elsewhere
If water is entering at a valley, a flashing or a broken tile, perfect ridges will not change anything. We check before assuming the ridge is the cause.
Tired tiles
Repointing a roof whose tiles are porous or breaking up is money spent on a roof that needs more. We will say so.
Structural movement
If the roof itself is moving, the mortar cracking is a symptom. That is a different conversation and not one to paper over.
Appearance alone
Fresh pointing tidies the ridge lines considerably, but it will not change the colour of the rest of the roof. That is restoration territory.
Show us the pattern, not just one crack
We repoint and rebed tiled roofs for homes and commercial properties across Shellharbour and the surrounding suburbs, within about 20 km. Most of the calls come from the older suburbs, where roofs from the 1950s and 60s are well past the service life of their original bedding.
What helps most is a sense of how widespread it is. Is the mortar cracking along one ridge or all of them? Are pieces on the ground or in the gutters? Can you see any caps sitting crooked? Photos from the ground are ideal, and you should not be up there checking.
What repointing and ridge capping costs
Every roof is quoted in writing after we have looked at it. The ranges below are a guide only and cover most Shellharbour homes; size, pitch, access and the condition we find can move a job outside them either way.
Repoint a section of ridge capping
$300 – $600
Repoint the full roof
$2,000 – $4,500
Rebed and repoint the full roof
$3,000 – $6,000
Assessment and written quote
Free
Repointing alone suits capping that is sound but has failing mortar. If the capping has moved, it needs rebedding first, and we price that separately so the difference is visible.
Repointing and ridge capping questions
Straight answers to what people actually ask us. If yours is not here, just call and ask.
What is the difference between repointing and rebedding?
Repointing renews the mortar you can see on top of the capping. Rebedding means lifting the caps and resetting them on fresh mortar underneath. Repointing over failed bedding is a false economy that fails again quickly, and it happens more often than it should.
What does it cost?
Repointing a section of ridge capping typically runs $300 to $600, a full roof repoint $2,000 to $4,500, and rebedding and repointing a full roof $3,000 to $6,000. Every job is quoted in writing after we have looked.
How do I know which one I need?
You generally cannot tell from the ground, which is the honest answer. We check whether the caps are firm and the bedding is holding along the whole ridge, then price accordingly and show you why.
Is cracked ridge mortar actually a problem?
It can be. Failed pointing lets water in at the ridge, and on a Shellharbour roof from the 1950s or 60s it is the most common fault we find. It is also one of the cheapest to fix before it reaches a ceiling.
Do you use flexible pointing?
Yes. Flexible pointing compound moves with the roof rather than cracking the way rigid mortar does. It is the difference between work that lasts and work that looks good for a couple of years.
Will it fix my leak?
Only if the leak is at the ridge. If water is entering at a valley, a flashing or a broken tile, perfect ridges change nothing. We check where it is actually coming in before quoting.
Can you do just the worst ridges?
Yes, and sometimes that is the sensible call. We will tell you which runs need doing now and which have years left, rather than quoting the whole roof by default.
Should I do this or a full restoration?
If the ridges are the problem and the rest of the roof is fine, just do the ridges. If the whole roof is weathered and several things need attention, a restoration does them together and usually costs less than doing each separately.
Get a free repointing quote
Describe where the ridge mortar is cracking and how widespread it looks. We will tell you whether it is a repoint or a rebed, and price the two separately so you can see the difference.
If the whole roof is tired rather than just the ridges, compare roof restoration, which includes ridge work as one stage.
Prefer to talk? Call (02) 4215 8188.