Concrete and clay tile roofing: understand the system before choosing work.

Compare before you decide

Materials and tradeoffs · Assembly plan · Installation checks · Repair or replacement · Your choices

What to look for

• Broken, missing or displaced tiles visible from the ground
• Fragments found below a roof edge
• An interior leak even when the visible tiles look intact

Use observations from the ground, an ordinary occupied room or photos you already have. Do not climb onto a roof, enter an unsafe area, lift materials or test a damaged component. A photo can help explain the concern; it cannot establish the cause or hidden condition.

Why a closer look can help

Ask about the underlying weather protection and flashings as well as the visible tile. Discuss local tile repair, lift-and-reset and replacement as different scopes. Do not walk on tile to investigate.

Share where you see it, when it began, whether it changes during rain and any known repair history. Include safe photos if you already have them. Unknown roof material or age is an acceptable answer.

Browse the Help Center ↗

Which materials and approach fit best?

The best roof is a compatible, well-detailed assembly that fits this building and your priorities. Compare these options after confirming roof slope, structure, existing condition, drainage, exposure and applicable requirements. Availability and installer experience also matter; no material wins every project.

Concrete tile

Compare the specific profile, weight, finish and available matching pieces. Confirm the building can support the proposed assembly before selecting by appearance.

Clay tile

Consider the desired profile and appearance alongside weight, attachment, availability and cost. Clay and concrete are not interchangeable merely because their shapes look similar.

Reuse through lift-and-reset

An option to discuss when enough existing tiles are serviceable and the work below them needs renewal. Include handling breakage, replacement availability and the exact area being rebuilt.

How a well-planned assembly comes together

Use this sequence to review a proposal, not as installation instructions. The selected manufacturer’s current details, approved assembly, project design and applicable local requirements control the actual layers, attachment and dimensions.

1. Evaluate the structure and deck where needed; define removal, tile storage and disposal. A heavier replacement needs a suitability review.
2. Specify the underlayment assembly for the slope, product and local requirements. Explain valleys, roof edges and wall/penetration flashing before tiles cover the work.
3. Identify the tile-specific attachment and any batten or elevated system included in the selected design. Specify matching field, hip, ridge and closure details.
4. Coordinate gutters, skylights and roof-to-wall transitions so tile layout does not compromise drainage or underlying flashings.

Installation quality: evidence to ask for

• Request photographs of the new underlayment and valleys before tile is reset. Intact-looking tile does not prove the layers beneath it are sound.
• Ask who pays for breakage beyond an allowance, how mismatched pieces will be handled and which tiles are considered unsuitable for reuse.

Ask who checks the work, which details will be photographed before concealment and what completion records you will receive. A clean finished surface cannot show every hidden connection.

Repair, restore or replace?

Replacing a few broken tiles, renewing flashings, lifting and resetting a section, and rebuilding the full roof are different choices. Ask which layer is failing and why a smaller scope would or would not address it.

Ask what is known, what is still concealed and what additional assessment would change the recommendation. Roof age, a single stain or a material label should not be the only explanation.

You choose the next step

You do not need to know the cause or select a material before asking a question. Request the findings, compare suitable options and take time to review the written scope. Sending an inquiry does not authorize construction or optional upgrades.

• Set your priorities: stop a specific leak, retain sound materials, improve the assembly, manage disruption or stay within a budget.
• Ask for a base option and separately priced alternatives where technically suitable. Request the reason if a smaller repair is ruled out.
• Agree any assessment fee, access and testing before the visit. Ask which observations, photographs or written findings are included.
• Before accepting work, confirm materials, exclusions, payment terms, timing and the process for approving additional work. You can request clarification or another opinion.

The proposal and signed agreement define the actual work and terms. This checklist helps you ask for the information you want before deciding.

Plan for ownership after the work

Arrange qualified access rather than walking on tiles. Keep spare matching pieces when practical and ask how later service trades should protect the roof.

Separate the material warranty from workmanship coverage. Review the actual documents for eligibility, exclusions, maintenance, transfer terms and how to report a problem. No service life, energy saving or storm outcome is guaranteed by choosing a material alone.

Check the technical reference

Consult Tile Roofing Industry Alliance: technical resources for system guidance. Reference links are educational and do not imply Roof Doctor certification, manufacturer affiliation or endorsement.

Tile Roofing Industry Alliance: technical resources · Warranty questions · Sample written scope