Tile roofing
Clay and concrete tiled roofs
From replacing a handful of slipped tiles to stripping and re-laying a whole elevation. The two materials behave differently and age differently, and the right repair depends on which you have.
Clay and concrete are not interchangeable
- Clay
- Plain tiles and pantiles, common on older London stock. Colour comes from the clay, so it holds; the failure mode is frost damage and spalling on exposed elevations. Matching an old clay tile usually means reclaimed stock.
- Concrete
- Heavier, and the colour is a surface pigment that fades. A concrete tile can look finished while remaining structurally sound. Profiles are frequently discontinued, which makes matching a sourcing exercise rather than an order.
- Weight
- Concrete tiles are substantially heavier than clay or slate. Changing covering type is a structural question, not a preference — particularly on a roof that has already had a loft conversion.
- Fixing
- Older tiled roofs often relied on nibs and gravity, with only perimeter tiles nailed. Current practice fixes far more of them, which is one reason a re-lay behaves better in a storm than the roof it replaced.
Repair, patch or re-lay
Three different jobs, and the difference is worth understanding before comparing quotations:
- Single replacements. A few slipped or broken tiles. Half a day, plus access.
- Patch repair. An area — often one elevation or the section around a valley — stripped, re-battened and re-laid using the existing tiles plus matched replacements.
- Strip and re-lay. The whole roof off, new underlay and battens, tiles re-laid where sound and replaced where not. This is the job when the underlay has perished or the fixings have gone across the roof.
A quotation should be explicit about which of these it covers and what happens to the price if the battens turn out to be soft. That contingency is normal; not stating it is what produces a bill nobody expected.
Tiled roofs we have worked on
Case studies are published here as jobs finish, with photographs taken on site before, during and after the work.
Tiled roof questions
My tiles are discontinued. What now?
Three options: reclaimed tiles of the same profile, a close modern equivalent, or taking tiles from a less visible elevation to make the front good and using the substitute at the back. All three are legitimate; which is right depends on the property and on what you are willing to spend.
Why is moss growing on my tiles, and does it matter?
Moss grows where the roof stays damp — north-facing slopes, under trees, on porous concrete tiles. A light growth is cosmetic. Heavy growth holds water against the tile, blocks gutters and can lift the tail of a tile in frost. Removing it is worth doing; pressure-washing it off is usually not, because that removes the tile surface as well.
Not sure what your roof needs?
An inspection ends with a written report and photographs, whether or not you go ahead with the work.
Inspection fee: £99.00.