First Class Slate Roofing website

First Class Slate Roofing

Trading name of FIRST CLASS SLATE ROOFING PTY LTD · Sydney, NSW

★★★★★ 4.9 · 37 Google reviews
✓ Verified business · ABN active 13 yrs

AustralianRoofers Trust Score New

91
out of 100
Excellent
Verified identityABN active on the public register
25/25
LongevityRegistered company ≈13 yrs
20/20
Review reputation4.9★ across 37 Google reviews
34/35
Cross-source consistencyno independent second-source rating found — single-source reputation
12/20

How it's calculated: a transparent, evidence-weighted score — identity & longevity from the public ABN register, reputation from verified Google reviews, and consistency from cross-checking independent platforms. Grades are proportional to the evidence. Where we search the register and can't confirm a business, the identity check scores zero rather than being quietly left out — so a firm we couldn't verify never outranks one we could. Longevity stays unscored in that case, because without a registration date there's nothing to measure.

Our honest take

Verdict: Sydney's go-to slate and heritage roof specialist

First Class Slate Roofing is a genuine niche specialist, and honestly, that's the whole appeal. Where most roofers do 'a bit of everything', this firm is built around one material — slate — and the heritage buildings that use it. The Google record is excellent: 4.9 from 37 reviews, and what struck us is how many are detailed and substantive rather than one-liners. Again and again, reviewers describe 100-plus-year-old heritage roofs, Victorian terraces and steep slate replacements handled cleanly, on budget and on time.

We checked the Australian Business Register and it all stacks up: First Class Slate Roofing Pty Ltd, ABN 73 162 450 437, an active NSW company registered in February 2013. That register date matches the firm's own story on its 'meet the team' page — that director Scott Barton, a Glasgow-trained slater, set the company up in 2013. The site also says Scott is HIA-registered and a member of the Master Roof Tilers and Slaters Association, and that his tradesmen are UK-trained; we're passing those on as the firm's own claims. But the strongest signal we found isn't the star count — it's the calibre of the jobs. Reviewers include a church that ran a formal tender before choosing them, and a strata company that switched all its roof repairs to First Class after another roofer failed to return.

The honest limitations are about fit, not quality. This is a slate and heritage specialist — if you've got a plain modern Colorbond or concrete-tile roof, a generalist roofer may well quote you more cheaply for straightforward work. The rating base is essentially Google-only (we couldn't find a ProductReview listing), and slate re-roofing is by nature a considered, quote-first process rather than a same-hour emergency service — though several reviews mention Scott doing a fast temporary leak repair ahead of the full job.

Reputation across the web New

The same firm, checked across platforms

Google
4.9 /5
37 reviews
Primary source · verified place
independently pulled
Second source
No independent second-source listing found yet. The score reflects single-source reputation and says so.
How we read this: Google is the only substantial rating source, with no ProductReview listing to cross-check against — but the reviews are notably detailed and include institutional clients (a church tender, a strata portfolio), which is stronger corroboration than a wall of short five-stars.

Verified business details New

Checked against the public ABN register

ABN
73 162 450 437 · Active
ACN
162 450 437
Registered
Feb 2013 · ~13 yrs
GST
Registered · since 2013
Entity type
Australian Private Company
Registered name
FIRST CLASS SLATE ROOFING PTY LTD
Location
NSW 2035

Source: verified against the official Australian Business Register via ABN Lookup (abr.business.gov.au), including GST registration.

Why we bother: "years in business" is the claim most roofers make and fewest prove. The register settles it — an established registered company is a materially different risk to a brand-new sole trader, and now you don't have to take anyone's word for it.

What they're actually known for New

Ranked by what customers mention — not a self-declared list

General roof repairs5 of 20 reviews
Leak detection & repair4 of 20 reviews
Re-roofing / full replacement4 of 20 reviews
Metal & Colorbond2 of 20 reviews
Tile roofing1 of 20 reviews
Guttering & downpipes1 of 20 reviews
What this tells us: The taxonomy centres on slate work — installation, repair and full replacement — alongside leak detection, heritage restoration and associated flashing, copper and gutter work. It tells a homeowner this is the firm to call specifically for a slate or heritage roof, whether that's a leak, a targeted repair or a full re-roof, rather than a generalist tackling slate as a sideline.

Who you'll actually deal with

Scott Barton — Glasgow-trained director and master slater

One name runs through the reviews overwhelmingly: Scott. The firm's own team page identifies him as director Scott Barton, a master craftsman trained at Cambuslang Roofing College in Glasgow who set the company up in 2013, and reviewers consistently describe him as hands-on — quoting personally, being on site, offering options rather than pushing a replacement, and doing temporary fixes to stop leaks before the main work. Multiple clients single out that he didn't try to over-scope or overcharge, which is a recurring trust theme.

The site says the wider crew are handpicked and UK-trained, and one reviewer notes Scott 'has specialists for each aspect of the job' — a couple even name individual tradesmen (Dan, Harry, Brad) approvingly. The realistic caveat: this is a specialist boutique, not a large multi-branch outfit, so availability revolves around Scott and his crew, and the specialisation means it isn't the cheapest option for a plain, non-slate roof.

What clients say

In their own words

★★★★★

We had our (small but steep) slate roof and skylights replaced and are so happy with the result. Scott and his team were really professional and I was confident in their experience. Would absolutely use again and highly recommend.

— Eleanor W
★★★★★

Wish we had found First Class Slate Roofing sooner! I highly recommend Scott and his teams (Scott has specialists for each aspect of the job) for their professionalism and quality work. If you have a slate roof - they live up to their name "First Class". Thank-you

— Polly Wilkie
★★★★★

Scott and the team were amazing! Quoted quickly and came back and did the work really fast. The team were professional, courteous, really knew their stuff, understand slate roofs and didnt try to overcharge us when they saw the height of the roof. I highly recomend these guys

— Katrina Drewer

Reviewers repeatedly praise Scott and his team for professional, honest, high-quality slate and heritage roofing — quoted fairly, delivered on time and on budget, with a strong emphasis on genuine slate expertise.

Best for

  • Slate roofs — installation, repair or full replacement — including steep, awkward or heritage-listed rooftops
  • Owners of period homes (Victorian terraces, century-old properties) who want a specialist who respects the building's character
  • Strata, church and institutional clients wanting a documented, tender-grade slate contractor with insurance-report support

Less suited for

  • Plain modern Colorbond or concrete-tile roofs, where a generalist roofer will likely quote cheaper for straightforward work
  • Anyone needing an immediate same-day emergency service rather than a considered, quote-first slate project
  • Buyers who specifically want multiple independent review platforms to compare, since this firm is essentially Google-only

Before you commit

Five questions worth asking

  • For my slate roof, do you recommend repair or full replacement — and can you show me the options and reasoning behind each?
  • What warranty do you provide in writing on both the slate materials and your workmanship?
  • Can you show photos or references from a heritage or period-home job similar to mine?
  • Which grade or type of slate are you quoting (e.g. Welsh vs other), and how does that affect price and lifespan?
  • Can you confirm your current NSW licence and public liability insurance, and will Scott be on site for my job?

Bottom line

A verified, long-established NSW company (registered 2013) that's a true slate and heritage-roofing specialist, backed by detailed reviews and institutional clients — if your roof is slate, we'd call this a low-risk, high-confidence pick. Just remember it's a specialist, so a plain non-slate roof may be cheaper with a generalist.

Assessed by the editorial team at AustralianRoofers.com from public Google Business Profile data, the firm's own website, and the ABN register. Not a paid placement.

Contact First Class Slate Roofing

This firm hasn't published an enquiry email we can verify, so the quickest way to reach them is by phone or through their Google profile.