---
title: "Tile Roofing in Los Angeles: Repair and Replacement"
description: "Tile roofing in Los Angeles: clay and concrete tile repair, underlayment replacement and new tile roofs on Spanish-style homes, by a licensed roofer."
url: "https://aacaliforniaroofing.com/tile-roofing/"
updated: "2026-10-03"
---

# Tile Roofing in Los Angeles: Repair and Replacement

AA California Roofing handles tile roofing in Los Angeles, repairing and replacing clay and concrete tile roofs. We replace cracked or slipped tiles, renew the underlayment under existing tiles and install new tile roofs on Spanish-style and Mediterranean homes. Licensed by the CSLB, #1147688.

If your tile roof leaks, has broken pieces after work on the roof, or you were told it needs "new paper", the sections below explain what each of those means and what the fix involves. To have us look at it, call or use the [contact page](https://aacaliforniaroofing.com/contact-us/); estimates are free.

## Why does a tile roof leak when the tiles look fine?

Clay and concrete tiles shed water, but they do not seal the roof. Rain blows between the tiles, runs down the channels and gets under the laps in a hard storm. What keeps it out of the house is the underlayment, the sheet of roofing felt or synthetic membrane fastened to the wood deck under the tiles. California's residential code sets the underlayment requirements for clay and concrete tile roofs (2025 California Residential Code, section R905.3.3).

The tiles themselves usually last longer than that underlayment. Over time it dries out, cracks at the folds and tears around the nails, and the flashings at valleys, walls and chimneys rust or pull away. The roof looks the same from the street while the layer doing the waterproofing wears out underneath.

Signs that point to the underlayment rather than the tiles:

- A stain that appears after heavy rain even though no tile is broken or missing.
- Leaks in more than one room, or one that comes back after a tile was replaced.
- Dark, brittle felt visible where a tile has slipped or at the eave.
- Water marks in the attic along valleys or below a chimney.

## Tile roof repair, underlayment replacement or a new tile roof?

Tile work comes in three sizes. The right one depends on whether the problem is in a few tiles, in the layer under them, or in the tiles themselves.

| Option | What we do | When it fits | What stays |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Tile roof repair | Replace cracked, broken or slipped tiles; reseal or replace the flashing at one leak point | The damage is local and the underlayment around it is still sound | Almost everything |
| Underlayment replacement | Lift the tiles, replace the underlayment and worn flashing, then relay the tiles | The tiles are mostly sound but the roof leaks because the layer under them is worn out | Your original tiles, minus any that break or were already damaged |
| New tile roof | Remove the old roof to the deck and install new underlayment, flashing and new tiles | The tiles are failing, cannot be matched, or you want a different tile | The framing and the sound parts of the deck |

### Tile roof repair

A repair is right when one area is the problem: a tile cracked by a falling branch, a few pieces broken by someone walking on the roof, a vent or skylight whose flashing has failed. We match the replacement tile in profile and color as closely as the available stock allows. On an older roof we check the underlayment next to the repair; if it crumbles when touched, a patch will not hold for long, and we will tell you so.

### Tile roof underlayment replacement

When the tiles are still sound but the layer under them is worn out, this is the usual fix, often called a lift and relay or a detach and reset. The tiles come off and are stacked on the roof, the old underlayment and worn flashings are removed, the deck is checked and repaired where soft, and new underlayment and flashing go down. Then the tiles go back on.

The code allows existing clay and cement tiles to be reinstalled, but not tiles that are damaged, cracked or broken, and flashings that are rusted or deteriorated must be replaced (2025 California Residential Code, section R908.5). Some tiles usually break when an old roof is handled, so plan for replacements; on an older home where the exact tile is no longer made, a common approach is to move salvaged originals to the most visible slopes and put the closest match on the less visible ones.

### A new tile roof

A full replacement makes sense when the tiles themselves are spalling, crumbling or broken across the roof, or when you want a different tile. One rule surprises people: a new roof cannot be laid over existing tile. The recover section of the residential code lists clay and cement tile among the roofs that may not be covered over (2025 California Residential Code, section R908.4), so a tile roof is always taken down to the deck. For the full replacement process and what drives its cost, see [roof replacement and new roof installation](https://aacaliforniaroofing.com/new-roof-installation/).

## Clay or concrete tile: which is on your house?

Both are sold as "tile", and both are common on Spanish-style and Mediterranean houses across Los Angeles. They are different products, made to different standards: clay tile to ASTM C1167 and concrete tile to ASTM C1492 (2025 California Residential Code, sections R905.3.4 and R905.3.5).

|  | Clay tile | Concrete tile |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Made from | Fired clay | Cement, sand and pigment, molded |
| Typical look | Barrel (half-round) and S-shaped profiles in terracotta reds and earth tones | Flat, low-profile and S shapes, in a wide range of colors, some made to look like clay or slate |
| Color | Comes from the fired clay | Mixed through the tile or applied to the surface, depending on the product |
| Repair concern | Matching older handmade or discontinued clay can be hard | Surface color on older tiles may not match a new tile exactly |

Weight varies from product to product, so a change of tile, or a switch from a lighter roof to tile, starts with the structure. The code requires the roof framing to carry the roof covering and the loads of installing it (2025 California Residential Code, section R908.2), and the weight also affects which permit path the city uses, as described below.

## Walking on a tile roof: why tile repairs need a roofer

Tiles are strong where they are supported and brittle where they are not. A foot placed in the middle of an unsupported tile, or on the raised part of a barrel tile, can crack it, and the crack may not show until the next rain. It is a common way for a tile leak to start: a satellite installer, a painter or a solar crew crosses the roof, and the damage appears months later.

Roofers who work on tile put their weight only where the tile rests on the one below it, spread the load with pads where needed, and carry spare tiles to replace anything that breaks. If someone else needs to go on your tile roof, ask them how they will cross it, and have the roof looked at afterward if you are not sure. Our [roof inspection](https://aacaliforniaroofing.com/roof-inspection/) includes checking tile for cracks you cannot see from the ground.

## Tile roofs in Fire Hazard Severity Zones

For houses in a Fire Hazard Severity Zone or a Wildland-Urban Interface area, California's residential code sends the roof to the California Wildland-Urban Interface Code (2025 California Residential Code, section R902.1.1). That code requires a Class A roof assembly (section 504.2), and it has a rule written for roofs like tile, where the shape of the tile leaves an air space above a wood deck (section 504.2.1.1):

- a 72-pound mineral-surfaced cap sheet (ASTM D3909) over the deck, unless at least 1 inch of mineral wool board or other noncombustible material sits between the tile and the wood;
- bird stops at the eaves where the tile profile allows, to keep debris out of the open ends;
- hip and ridge caps mudded in to keep fire and embers out.

Within the City of Los Angeles, LADBS also requires Class A roof covering in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. If your house is in one of these zones, the underlayment and eave details matter as much as the tile itself, and we plan the job around them.

## Permits for tile roof work in the City of Los Angeles

The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) lists the work it can permit without plan check (express permits, issued online or by appointment) in its Express Permits bulletin (P/GI 2026-003). Two entries matter for tile:

- **Underlayment replacement under existing tile** (the bulletin's wording: remove the tiles, apply new underlayment, reset the tiles) is on the express list, and the bulletin says cool roof compliance is not required for it.
- **A new roof covering** qualifies for an express permit only when it is Class A or B, goes over solid sheathing and weighs under 6 pounds per square foot. Tile heavier than that falls outside the express list, so depending on the product a new tile roof may go through plan check first.

Outside the City of Los Angeles, a different building department issues the permit, and its rules for tile work may not match the LADBS list. In Pasadena, for example, a tile re-roof on a house in a landmark or historic district may also need a Certificate of Appropriateness, and the City asks for matching tile whenever feasible (see our [Pasadena roofing page](https://aacaliforniaroofing.com/areas-we-serve/pasadena/)). On jobs that need a permit, we pull it and arrange the inspections.

## Tile or shingle for a Los Angeles home?

If you are replacing a roof and deciding between the two, start with these questions:

- **What does the house call for?** A Spanish Colonial or Mediterranean house is designed around tile, and shingles change its character; a neighborhood or historic district may also have its own expectations.
- **Can the framing carry tile?** A house built for shingles may need an engineer's review before it can take a heavier roof.
- **Is the roof steep enough?** Tile needs a slope of at least 2 1/2 in 12, and two layers of underlayment up to 4 in 12; asphalt shingles can go down to 2 in 12 (2025 California Residential Code, sections R905.3.2 and R905.2.2).
- **What is the budget?** Tile generally costs more to install than asphalt shingles, and the gap depends on the tile, the roof's shape and the structure.

Asphalt shingle roofs are covered on our [new roof installation](https://aacaliforniaroofing.com/new-roof-installation/) page, and leak repairs on any roof type on our [roof repair](https://aacaliforniaroofing.com/roof-repairs/) page.

## Have your tile roof checked

Our crews work on clay and concrete tile roofs all over Los Angeles County and in nearby Ventura County cities (the full list is on [areas we serve](https://aacaliforniaroofing.com/areas-we-serve/)), from our office in Woodland Hills, under California license C-39 (Roofing). Reach us through the [contact page](https://aacaliforniaroofing.com/contact-us/), tell us whether the roof is clay or concrete if you know, and describe what you are seeing. We will tell you whether it needs a repair, new underlayment or a new roof.