Bedding and pointing: what's actually up there
Your ridge and hip caps are held on by bedding, a sand-cement mortar bed, and sealed by pointing, the coloured flexible layer over the top. Sydney sun and rain work the mortar loose over 15 to 25 years: it cracks, crumbles into the gutters, and the caps start to rock. That's when water gets under the ridge, and because the ridge runs along the top of everything, ridge leaks travel and show up as stains rooms away.
Why "repointing over the top" fails
The shortcut job scrapes nothing out and lays new flexible pointing over failed bedding. It photographs well and lasts about a year: the caps keep moving on the dead mortar underneath, the new pointing cracks along the same lines, and you've paid twice. Our process is the full version: assess the bedding cap by cap, rebed where it has failed, then flexible-repoint in controlled beads. With weep holes so the ridge can breathe. Seal a ridge airtight and trapped condensation leaks it from the inside; it's the detail that separates roofers from everyone else who picks up a pointing gun.
What ridge capping work costs in Sydney
A full rebed and repoint on a typical Sydney home runs $1,500 to $4,000, driven by the metres of ridge and hip, pitch and access. Sectional repairs, a few caps after a storm, one hip line, cost less. Every quote starts with photos of your actual bedding, so you can see whether you need a section, the full ridge, or nothing yet. Fixed, written, itemised.
Repointing before roof painting
If your roof is being painted or restored, the pointing happens first: on our jobs the roofers rebed and repoint, the pointing dries, and then the painters coat over sound work. Pointing attempted by painters is something we're regularly called to strip and redo; there's a photographic example of exactly that on our roof painting page.
Signs your ridge capping needs attention
Mortar crumbs or coloured granules in the gutters after rain. Caps that move when pushed. Visible cracks along the pointing lines. Daylight or drafts at the ridge from inside the roof space. A leak that appears near the top of the roof and wanders. Any one of these is worth a free inspection: tile roof repairs and repointing are usually quoted together when both are due.
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Roof repointing Sydney: FAQs
How much does roof repointing cost in Sydney?
A full ridge capping rebed and repoint on a typical Sydney home runs $1,500 to $4,000 depending on the metres of ridge, roof pitch and access. Small sectional repairs cost less. Every job is quoted fixed and in writing after a free inspection with photos of your bedding.
What's the difference between bedding and pointing?
Bedding is the mortar that holds the ridge caps to the roof; pointing is the flexible sealing layer over it. When bedding cracks or crumbles, new pointing smeared over the top has nothing sound to grip, which is why we assess and rebed first, then repoint.
How long does repointing last?
A proper rebed with modern flexible pointing typically lasts 10 to 15 years. Pointing applied over failed bedding, the shortcut, often cracks within a year or two.
Why does ridge pointing need weep holes?
Weep holes are small breather gaps that let moisture escape from under the capping. Sealed airtight, condensation and wind-driven water are trapped and the ridge leaks from the inside. It's a detail licensed roofers build in and most non-roofers miss.
Can a roof painter do my repointing?
Repointing is licensed roofing work, not painting work. If a painting quote includes repointing, ask who is doing it and what licence they hold: you can verify any NSW contractor licence free at verify.licence.nsw.gov.au. On our painting jobs, roofers do the pointing first and the painters paint.
Do you match the pointing colour to my roof?
Yes. Flexible pointing comes in a full colour range and we match it to your tiles or to the membrane colour if the roof is being painted afterwards.
Related: tile roof repairs · roof painting Sydney · roof restoration · roof leak repairs
