I discovered the leak on a rainy Sunday afternoon. When I went to get a towel from the laundry room, I stepped into a puddle that was not there the previous day. I placed a bucket under the drip and waited to see if the issue would resolve itself. It did not. I eventually hired a professional to inspect the roof. The inspection revealed cracked tiles, rusted valleys, and a gutter in very poor condition. The total cost for the repairs was more than $20,000.
That number proved to be more important than I initially thought, as on 1 July Victoria made changes to the rules about who is responsible when major home repairs are not completed correctly.
What Changed With Victoria’s Home Warranty Scheme
The new Home Warranty scheme replaced Domestic Building Insurance for eligible domestic building contracts signed on or after 1 July 2026. Most reports have focused on new houses and apartment developers. While this focus is logical, I believe that roofing projects have not received enough attention.
The previous system only allowed you to make a claim if your builder died, disappeared, or became insolvent. These limited conditions meant many homeowners could not get help when they received poor quality work from a builder who was still in business but refused to communicate or resolve the issues.
The government describes the new scheme as “first resort” cover. You can make a claim if eligible work is unfinished, defective, or non-compliant and the builder cannot or will not repair it. The insurance provides up to $400,000 of cover per home. The Building and Plumbing Commission is now the only provider because the private market has closed.
Does Home Warranty Cover Roof Repairs?
The scheme applies to eligible domestic building work valued at more than $20,000. The BPC includes repairs and alterations to a home in its list of covered works, rather than only new constructions. A complete re-roofing of a standard Melbourne house can exceed this cost, particularly if you replace concrete tiles with Colorbond and install new gutters and downpipes. My project cost more than the $20,000 threshold.
Major defects are covered for six years after the work is completed, while other defects are covered for two years. The warranty does not cover minor cosmetic differences between the finished work and the original plans. If the new ridge capping is a different shade of grey than you expected, the warranty will not apply, and I recommend accepting that result.
Your builder must pay the premium within ten business days of signing the contract or before the work begins, depending on which occurs first. You should receive a Notice of Cover after the BPC accepts the payment. If you do not receive this document, you should request it. You should be polite when you first ask for it.
If you signed a contract in June, you remain under the previous scheme. Existing Domestic Building Insurance policies do not transfer and continue to operate under their original terms.
Home Warranty vs Plumbers’ Insurance for Roof Work
I have not seen many people discuss this specific point, though I am open to correction. Licensed plumbers perform a large amount of roof work in Victoria. Metal roofing, flashings, gutters and downpipes fall under the plumbing licensing system as roofing (stormwater) work. Tile work does not, which means a job like mine, with cracked tiles on one side and rusted valleys and gutters on the other, can straddle both systems.
I realised this when I asked the person quoting my roof repair which insurance would cover the project. He told me that his own insurance would cover it. For the plumbing parts of the job, that is correct. Licensed plumbers in Victoria are required to maintain their own insurance for their work. This coverage can help if the work is defective and the plumber won’t fix it, although you generally need to give them a chance to rectify it first.
The BPC guidance states that your protection depends on the type of work, the contract date, and whether the contractor has the correct licence or registration. The new Home Warranty scheme may not apply to your specific project. This is not a cause for concern. Plumbers’ insurance has been required since 2002, and for domestic work it must provide at least $50,000 of cover per claim. I believe you should verify your specific coverage rather than assuming it exists.
Questions to Ask a Roofer Before You Sign
First, verify that the person providing the quote has the required licence or registration. You can use the BPC practitioner search. This process takes about thirty seconds, which is faster than trying to understand technical terms like “sarking” on your own.
Next, you should ask if the project falls under a building contract or if it is classified as plumbing work. You should also ask about the specific protections that exist if problems occur. If the building contract is for more than $20,000, you must ask when the Home Warranty premium will be paid. You should also ask when you will receive the Notice of Cover. If the project is plumbing work worth $750 or more, you should also receive a compliance certificate. It confirms the work meets plumbing standards and is insured for six years, and it makes any future claim much simpler.
A competent tradesperson will answer these questions directly. When you request quotes, you should contact an established roofing plumber Melbourne homeowners can find on the official register. Ask them to provide their answers in writing. If a contractor gives vague answers or becomes annoyed by your questions, you should consider that a reason not to hire them.
Keep everything. The contract, invoices, before and after photos of the roof, every text message. I am not good at keeping records, so I have started a folder on my phone called “Roof” that currently holds nine photos of a gutter and one of my thumb. This is a beginning.
Is Victoria’s Home Warranty Scheme Worth Knowing About?
I think so. This change will not prevent rain or improve the quality of a poor contractor, but it does provide more protection for the client. My bucket remains in the laundry room for now. The roofers are scheduled to arrive next week, and I confirmed their insurance coverage before booking them.
