Professional Repairs for Clay and Concrete Tiled Roofs
Tiled roofs can develop defects because of strong winds, frost, ageing fixings, damaged battens, previous repairs or movement within the roof structure.
Where damage is limited to a small area, replacing individual tiles and correcting the underlying defect may restore the roof without extensive work. Where deterioration is more widespread, partial renewal or a complete re-roof may offer a more reliable long-term solution.
Our team will assess the visible condition of the tiles, ridges, verges, valleys, flashing and accessible supporting materials before recommending the most appropriate work.
Clay or Concrete Roof Tiles?
In short: concrete tiles are widely used on post-war semis, estates and newer homes and are usually the more economical choice. Clay tiles cost more but hold their colour and suit older and more traditional houses.
| Concrete tiles | Clay tiles | |
|---|---|---|
| Look | Wide range of colours and profiles; the coloured surface gradually wears and dulls | Colour runs through the tile, so it mellows with age rather than fading |
| Where you see them | Interlocking tiles on post-war housing, extensions and new builds | Plain tiles and pantiles on period homes, renovations and higher-specification projects |
| How they age | Older tiles can become rough and porous, holding moisture and moss | Some older or poorly fired tiles can flake on the face after repeated frost |
| Material cost | Usually lower | Usually higher |
Plain Tiles, Interlocking Tiles and Roof Pitch
There are two broad families of roof tile:
- Plain tiles are small and laid double-lapped, so every part of the roof has at least two thicknesses of tile. They need many more tiles per square metre, are heavier and generally need a steeper pitch, but they can be worked neatly around bays, dormers and curved details.
- Interlocking tiles are larger, single-lap tiles with grooves along the sides that lock into the next tile. Profiles include double Roman, pantile styles and flat designs. Fewer tiles are needed, so they are quicker to lay, and many can be used at lower pitches than plain tiles.
Before quoting, we check the pitch and exposure of your roof against the manufacturer’s requirements for the tile being proposed, including how many tiles need nailing or clipping. Our guide to roofing materials for UK weather compares tiles with slate and other coverings.
Weak Points on a Tiled Roof
Many tiled roof leaks start at the edges and junctions rather than in the middle of a slope:
- Verges: on older roofs the tiles at the gable ends are often bedded on mortar, which cracks and drops out. A dry verge system replaces it with interlocking caps fixed to the batten ends, so nothing relies on mortar.
- Broken nibs and missing clips: interlocking tiles hang on the battens by small nibs on the back. If a nib breaks, or the tiles were never clipped, they can slide or lift in high winds.
- Eaves: the underlay at the bottom of the roof should carry water into the gutter. Where it has sagged or perished, an eaves support tray and new underlay can be fitted by lifting the lower courses. Our article on roof felt failure under tiles explains the signs.
- Abutments: where a slope meets a wall, older houses often have a mortar fillet instead of lead, and it tends to crack away from the brickwork.
Ridge and valley faults are just as common and are covered on our ridge tile repairs and roof valley repairs pages.
