How to Become a Roofer in Australia: Roof Plumbing vs Roof Tiling, the Cert III — and $88,000 Average Pay
"Roofer" in Australia is actually two trades wearing one hard hat: the roof plumber — metal roofing, guttering, flashings, the trade behind every Colorbond roof — and the roof tiler working the country's concrete and terracotta stock. Both run the classic apprenticeship model, both are chronically short of hands, and the pay lands well above the trade average. Here's the honest 2026 route.
In short: The main pathway is the Certificate III in Roof Plumbing — a three-year, nationally recognised apprenticeship (minimum age 16, employer and apprenticeship contract required) covering roof sheeting, wall cladding, insulation, fascia, flashings, gutters and downpipes. Roof tiling has its own Cert III apprenticeship. Apprentices earn $15–$23/hour in year one, rising to $24–$32 by year four; qualified roofers average $88,380 (~$42/hour), with entry-level at ~$65,900.
The two trades, honestly compared
| Roof plumbing | Roof tiling | |
|---|---|---|
| Qualification | Cert III in Roof Plumbing (3-year apprenticeship) | Cert III in Roof Tiling (apprenticeship) |
| The work | Metal sheeting, cladding, insulation, fascia, flashings, gutters, downpipes | Concrete and terracotta tile laying, bedding, pointing, repairs |
| Market driver | The Colorbond nation — new builds, re-roofs, metal-vs-tile conversions | The vast existing tile stock — restoration and repair |
| Licensing note | Roof plumbing is licensed plumbing work in most states — check your state's ladder | State-based registration/licence tiers apply |
The strategic read: roof plumbing is the wider door — metal dominates new construction, and the drainage scope (gutters, downpipes) makes it year-round work; tiling expertise concentrates on the restoration market, where storm damage and ageing stock guarantee demand.
The apprenticeship, in numbers
- Get the contract: minimum age 16, an employer and a signed apprenticeship contract before training starts — roofing crews hire on evident fitness and reliability; a white card and a few labouring weeks remain the classic ins.
- Earn the ladder: $15–$23/hour in year one rising to $24–$32 in year four — with award increases stacking on top and busy metro employers paying above minimums.
- Qualify into real money: entry-level qualified roofers earn ~$65,900, the national average sits at $88,380 (~$42/hour) — and height-comfortable, storm-season-willing crews clear more with overtime.
After the ticket
- Storm work: every hail and wind event is the roofing trade's overtime season — insurance-funded and urgent.
- Solar-adjacent work: panel installs need roof penetrations flashed properly — roof plumbers are the trade solar companies call.
- The business jump: re-roofing and restoration quotes run into five figures, and customers vet contractors on licence and insurance — which is your setup checklist when the own-ABN moment comes. Guttering and maintenance rounds make the recurring-revenue base.
The honesty section: roofing is the trades' fitness test — heights, heat, and Australian summer on bare metal. Crews manage it with early starts, hydration discipline and harness culture, and the trade increasingly rewards those who last: supervision, estimating and the contractor's ute all sit above the tools. Plan the body like the asset it is, and the $88k average is a waypoint, not a ceiling.
The bottom line
Pick your lane — roof plumbing for the metal-and-drainage breadth, tiling for the restoration market — sign the contract, ride the $15-to-$32 apprentice ladder, and qualify into an $88,380-average trade with storm seasons underwriting demand. For homeowners on the hiring side: find licensed roofers near you here.
Frequently asked questions
Through a three-year apprenticeship: the Certificate III in Roof Plumbing (metal roofing, gutters, flashings) or the Certificate III in Roof Tiling. You need to be at least 16 with an employer and apprenticeship contract in place — white card plus labouring experience is the classic way to land one.
In 2026, first-year apprentices earn $15–$23 an hour, rising each year to $24–$32 in fourth year — with award increases on top and metro employers commonly paying above minimums.
The national average is $88,380 (about $42 an hour), with entry-level qualified roofers at around $65,900. Storm-season overtime, solar-related flashing work and eventually contracting push earnings above the average.
Roof plumbers work metal — sheeting, cladding, fascia, flashings, gutters and downpipes — and their work is licensed plumbing in most states; roof tilers lay and restore concrete and terracotta tile roofs. Metal dominates new construction, while tiling expertise concentrates in the large restoration market.