A roof plumber looks after everything that keeps rain out of your home, from the roof itself to the gutters and downpipes that carry the water away. They install new metal roofs, replace old ones, repair leaks and flashings, and fix or replace gutters and downpipes.
So if your roof leaks every wet season, shows rust around the screws or sheets, or has reached the point where patching no longer makes sense, a roof plumber is the person to call.
TL;DR:
- A roof plumber’s job: They install and repair everything that carries rainwater off your home: the roof sheets, flashings, gutters and downpipes.
- Who to call: Call a roof plumber for metal roof leaks, overflowing gutters or downpipe problems. Call a roofer for broken tiles or a roof repaint.
- Why the stain is rarely under the leak: Water travels along sheets and timber before it drips through. A roof plumber traces it back to the entry point and repairs that spot.
- Why the whole roof gets checked: Flashings, gutters and downpipes work together. A fault in one can cause water problems in another, so fixing only one spot often isn’t enough.
- Why Townsville roofs need regular checks: Cyclonic winds, wet-season rain, strong UV and coastal salt air all wear on roofs here. A yearly inspection before the wet season catches small problems early.
- Before you hire: Look the contractor up on the QBCC licence register and confirm the licence class matches the quote.
- Not sure where the water is coming from? 1Touch handles both roof plumbing and general plumbing, and is available 24/7.
Roof Plumber vs Roofer: What’s the Difference?
“Roofer” and “roof plumber” sound like two different trades, and sometimes they are. What really decides who can do the job, though, is the licence. In Queensland, the licence a tradesperson holds sets out exactly what work they can legally do on your roof.
The easiest way to work out who you need is to start with the job:
- Tile roof work. If you need broken tiles replaced, ridge caps repointed or a tile roof re-laid, the business you hire needs a QBCC roof tiling licence.
- Metal roof work. If you need a metal roof installed, replaced or re-sheeted, or flashings and gutters repaired, look for a QBCC roof and wall cladding licence or a QBCC plumbing and drainage licence. Both cover this work.
- Roof work that involves plumbing. If the job touches anything Queensland classes as plumbing, such as disconnecting and reconnecting a solar hot water system on the roof, the business needs a QBCC plumbing and drainage licence.
Before you book anyone, use the table below to match the job you need done with the licence to look for.
| What you need done | Licence to look for |
| Replace broken tiles, repoint ridge caps, re-lay a tile roof | QBCC roof tiling licence |
| Install, replace or re-sheet a metal roof | QBCC roof and wall cladding licence, or plumbing and drainage licence |
| Repair flashings, gutters and downpipes on a metal roof | QBCC roof and wall cladding licence, or plumbing and drainage licence |
| Roof work involving plumbing, such as a rooftop solar hot water system | QBCC plumbing and drainage licence |
A business that holds a plumbing and drainage licence is what most people mean by a roof plumber. For a metal roof, that one licence covers the roofing and the plumbing, so a single business can handle the whole job. Before you book, check the licence on the QBCC register to make sure it covers the work you need.
What Work Does a Roof Plumber Do?
Most roof plumbing work falls into six main jobs, from replacing a worn-out roof to keeping your gutters and downpipes flowing. Each one below covers what the job involves and when you’re likely to need it.
1. Installing and Replacing Metal Roofs
A metal roof can only take so much. Once rust has spread across the sheets and the screws have worked loose, replacing it makes more sense than repairing it.
A roof plumber strips off the old sheets and replaces them with new Colorbond or Zincalume, fixed down to Wind Region C standards so the roof stays put when a cyclone comes through. They can also take off an old tile roof and fit Colorbond in its place.
On asbestos roofs, a licensed contractor removes the old sheeting before we start.
2. Finding and Repairing Roof Leaks
A water stain on your ceiling rarely sits directly under the hole. Water tends to run along the roof sheets and timber before it drips through, so the place where it gets in can be a metre or more away from the mark you can see.
A roof plumber’s job is to trace the water back to that entry point, which is usually a lifted flashing, a rusted screw, a corroded sheet or a gutter overflowing back into the roof.
At 1Touch Plumbing, we use moisture detection equipment to find exactly where the water is getting in and how far it has travelled through the structure, so the repair’s done at the source, not where the sign shows up.
3. Installing and Repairing Roof Flashings
Flashings are the folded metal strips that seal the joins on your roof, such as along the ridge, where the roof meets a wall, and around solar hot water units, vents and skylights. Because these joins are where different parts of the roof come together, they’re also where most leaks on a metal roof start, especially once Townsville’s strong UV has dried out the sealant around them.
A roof plumber replaces flashings that have cracked, lifted or rusted, and reseals the joins where the old sealant has broken down. In many cases, that repair alone is enough to stop a leak without replacing any of the roof sheets.
4. Installing and Repairing Gutters
Townsville’s wet season tends to bring rain in heavy bursts rather than steady showers, and when a gutter can’t handle that volume, the water spills over the back and into your roof cavity.
When a roof plumber installs new gutters, they size them for those heavy downpours and fit overflow measures, such as slotted fronts, so any excess water spills outside the house instead of inside it. They also replace gutters that have rusted or started to sag, and reseal joins and corners that leak.
At 1Touch Plumbing, we use corrosion-resistant components as standard, which helps gutters last on homes exposed to salt air.
5. Installing and Replacing Downpipes
Downpipes carry the water from your gutters down to the ground and into the stormwater system. If there aren’t enough of them, or they sit in the wrong places, the gutter fills faster than it can drain and overflows, even when it’s clean and the right size.
A roof plumber works out how many downpipes your roof needs and where they should go, then installs new ones, replaces damaged or rusted ones, or adds extra outlets where the existing ones can’t keep up.
6. Inspecting and Maintaining the Roof Drainage System
Most roof problems start small and out of sight, and you usually only find out about them when a heavy storm sends water into the ceiling.
If you live near the coast, salt air slowly rusts the screws on your roof, the sun dries out the sealant around your flashings, and leaves keep piling up in the gutters, and none of it is easy to spot from the ground. You can only catch the early signs with a timely roof inspection.
A roof plumber checks every part of the roof and tells you what condition it’s in, so you can plan repairs at your own pace instead of paying for them in an emergency. At 1Touch, we inspect from outside and inside the roof cavity, then send you a complete report (with photos of your roof) within 24 to 48 hours.
Final Thoughts: Choose Your Roof Plumber by Licence, Not Title
A roof plumber takes care of everything that keeps rain out of your home, from the roof sheets and flashings to the gutters and downpipes that carry the water away. When it comes to choosing who to call, the title matters less than the licence, because that’s what decides the work someone can legally do on your roof.
Before you book anyone, search their name on the QBCC licence register and check that it covers the job you need to get done. At 1Touch, we’re QBCC licensed and fully insured, so you’re welcome to look us up.
If something’s wrong with your roof and you’re not sure what’s causing it or what it might cost, give us a call. Quotes are free, so just describe what you’re seeing, and we’ll tell you what’s likely going on and what it will take to fix.
Get in touch here, and we’re available 24/7.
FAQs about Roof Plumbers in Townsville
How much does a roof plumber cost in Townsville?
The price depends on the size and type of the job, the roof pitch, how easy the roof is to reach, and its condition. At 1Touch Plumbing, we offer free quotes, so you can describe what your roof needs and get a price for that specific work.
Do roof plumbers work on tiled roofs?
Yes, but the licence determines what kind of work. Replacing broken tiles or repointing ridge caps needs a tradesperson with a QBCC roof tiling licence. Gutters and downpipes on a tiled home, or replacing a tile roof with a metal one, fall under a roof and wall cladding licence or a plumbing and drainage licence.
At 1Touch, we’re licensed for metal roofing and plumbing, so we can replace an old tile roof with new Colorbond roofing. We don’t install new tile roofs, so if you want to keep your tiles, a roof tiler is the right call.
Can a roof plumber work around solar panels?
Yes, though the panels may need to come off before the roof work starts, and a qualified contractor usually handles that. At 1Touch, we can organise the contractor for you. If your system is less than five years old, we recommend contacting the original installer first to help protect the panel warranty.
Do roof plumbers work during the wet season?
Yes, but with some limits. Planned jobs like re-roofing may pause in heavy rain or high wind, since it isn’t safe to open up a roof in those conditions. Emergency make-safe work, such as a temporary tarp over storm damage, can still go ahead once it’s safe to get on the roof.
Is roof plumbing work covered by a warranty?
Yes. Most roof plumbing work comes with two kinds of cover: the roof plumber’s workmanship warranty for the work itself, and the manufacturer’s warranty for products like Colorbond, which follows the manufacturer’s own conditions.
At 1Touch, our workmanship warranty covers any problem caused by our own work, and we fix it at no extra cost. If an issue isn’t related to our work, we can still repair it and charge only for that repair.
Does 1Touch service my area?
1Touch does roof plumbing call-outs across Townsville suburbs and in towns within about 200 kilometres by road, depending on availability and the type of work. Tell our team your suburb or town, and we’ll confirm whether we can get to you.
