Tile lasts decades.
The layer under it
decides how many.

Clay is kiln-fired and holds colour and structural integrity longer — commonly rated 50-plus years — while concrete is heavier, absorbs water over time, needs periodic resealing, and is typically warrantied in the 40 to 50 year range. Clay is lighter and longer-lived; concrete is the more common mid-tier choice.

Both handle salt air well compared with other roofing categories, which is part of why tile dominates coastal South Florida. Clay tends to hold its colour and finish longer in that environment; concrete is more prone to staining and fading over time without periodic maintenance.

For clay a 50-year-plus lifespan is a realistic manufacturer rating with proper maintenance, and concrete is usually rated closer to 40 to 50 years. But in both cases the underlayment beneath the tile is the more likely thing to fail first, so the real service life often depends on when the underlayment was last replaced rather than the age of the tile.

It depends how the original trusses were engineered — it has to be verified, and sometimes reinforced, before tile goes on. Tile-rated structures are commonly engineered for 500 to 720 pounds per square of dead load, well above what a shingle-only frame is typically built for.

Often yes — clay commonly runs 600 to 900 pounds per square against roughly 900 to 1,100 for concrete, so it can be the lighter option. It is also the more expensive material and more prone to breakage under foot traffic, so it is a trade rather than a free win.

This is the most common tile-roof failure pattern. The underlayment beneath the tile has failed while the tile itself remains intact — the tile is largely a wear and wind layer, and the underlayment does the actual waterproofing.

Sometimes with salvaged stock in the exact discontinued profile, and sometimes with the closest current match. If the repair is insurance-related and matching is not achievable, Florida’s matching statute may require the insurer to address adjoining areas so the roof reads uniformly.

Frequently, yes. If the tile is sound it can be lifted, stacked and reinstalled over a new underlayment, with an allowance for the pieces that break during removal. It is often the most economical way to add decades to a roof.

Yes. Roofing is permitted work in all three counties, and the package documents the specific tile, underlayment and fastening system to its approved configuration. Inspections typically run deck and re-nail, dry-in, then final.

It is the Miami-Dade product approval that says a specific assembly, installed a specific way, meets the requirements. Tile, underlayment and fastening each carry their own, and the installation has to match the configuration that was approved — not merely use approved parts.

It varies with the crew’s tile experience, but breakage is common enough that manufacturers exclude foot-traffic breakage from warranty coverage entirely. Crews who walk battens and eave lines with roof jacks rather than the open tile field break far fewer.

Almost always. Tear-off is loud and dusty for a short period, and there will be a boom truck and a staging area to work around, but the house stays occupied and watertight from dry-in onward.

Tile is generally the most expensive of the common systems upfront, with clay typically pricier than concrete. The trade-off is a longer realistic lifespan and strong wind and UV performance that can offset the higher initial cost over the life of the roof. We do not publish a rate, because deck condition and structure change it materially.

Damaged sheathing found at tear-off. It cannot be seen until the old roof is off, so we price the deck-repair rate up front rather than treat it as a surprise.

Keep foot traffic off it, keep valleys and gutters clear, and have the ridge and hip mortar and the penetrations looked at every few years. Concrete tile benefits from periodic cleaning and resealing to control staining and fade.

Walk the batten lines and near the eaves using roof jacks or walk boards, and stay off the unsupported middle of a tile — stepping there is the single most common way tiles crack. Manufacturers do not cover foot-traffic breakage.