Tile Roofing

Both work well here. Clay: through-body color (never fades), 75–100+ year life, 30–40% higher cost, lighter weight. Concrete: surface pigment (holds well but can fade over decades), 50+ year life, lower cost, heavier. Most SA Spanish/Mediterranean architecture was built for clay; concrete S-tile replacements of clay look similar but weigh more.

Depends on whether the structure was designed for it. Tile weighs 600–1,100 lbs per 100 sq ft — 2–4x asphalt. Homes originally built with tile have rafters and roof structure sized accordingly. Converting asphalt-to-tile typically requires structural engineering evaluation and often reinforcement. Conversion tile-to-asphalt has no structural concern.

Tile itself: 75–100 years for clay, 50+ for concrete. BUT the underlayment below the tile typically fails at 25–35 years in SA heat (original 30-pound felt) — this is actually what determines practical roof replacement timing. Modern peel-and-stick synthetic underlayments last 40–50 years, extending tile roof service life dramatically.

Five big factors: (1) Clay vs concrete (clay is 30–40% more); (2) Barrel vs flat profile (barrel is more labor-intensive); (3) Structural evaluation/reinforcement needs; (4) Existing tile tear-off vs lift-and-relay; (5) Underlayment type (modern peel-and-stick adds cost but extends system life). Typical 2,000 sq ft tile replacement in SA: $18,000–$45,000.

Eight-step process: (1) Tear off or lift existing tile; (2) Inspect decking, replace as needed; (3) Install peel-and-stick modern underlayment (critical — don't let any contractor use 30-lb felt); (4) Install battens per tile type; (5) Install flashing at penetrations and valleys; (6) Install tile per manufacturer's pattern; (7) Install ridge and hip tiles with matched mortar or mechanical attachment; (8) Final cleanup.

Yes — and this is one of tile's advantages. Individual cracked tiles from hail or debris are easily replaced without disturbing the field. Keeping spare tiles (color-matched) from the original install is smart. If the original tile is discontinued, close matches are almost always available from tile manufacturers' archive programs or salvage yards.

Annual debris clearing (valleys fill easily with leaves), visual inspection for cracked tiles, flashing inspection every 5 years, and — critically — underlayment assessment at year 20+ by lifting representative tiles to check underlayment condition. Tile itself is essentially maintenance-free for decades; the system around it needs periodic attention.

Tile outperforms most materials in hail. 1" hail bounces off. 1.5" hail may crack individual tiles in isolated impacts. 2"+ can crack multiple tiles. Because tiles are individually replaceable, hail damage is usually a repair, not a replacement — a major advantage over shingle. The system still needs inspection post-event to verify no cracked tiles are hiding.

Three considerations: (1) Longevity math — if the home structure supports tile, the 50–100 year lifespan makes lifetime cost competitive with asphalt; (2) Architectural fit — tile is right for Spanish/Mediterranean styles, wrong for traditional colonial; (3) Resale — in SA's Spanish-architecture neighborhoods, tile is expected and adds value; in tract-home neighborhoods, tile may not add value proportional to cost.

Tile to asphalt: straightforward structurally (lighter load), but may leave visible footprint of tile battens unless properly addressed. Asphalt to tile: requires structural engineering evaluation, often rafter reinforcement or ridge beam addition. We advise against conversion unless there's a compelling reason — matching material to what was designed for the structure is usually right.

Seven questions: (1) How many tile projects have you completed locally? (2) Do you use peel-and-stick underlayment (not 30-lb felt)? (3) How do you handle structural questions? (4) Do you offer lift-and-relay (preserving existing tile when possible)? (5) What's the warranty on workmanship? (6) Can I see 3 local tile projects? (7) How do you handle HOA/historic district approvals if applicable?