Tile Roofing Installation and Repair in Houston, TX
Most Houston roofers will not touch a tile roof. Tile is heavy, it breaks if you walk it wrong, and the repair method has almost nothing in common with shingles. We install and repair it. Tile roofing in Houston is a small part of the market, which is exactly why homeowners with tile struggle to find someone qualified. If you have clay or concrete tile and you have been told to replace the whole roof, get a second opinion first. Very often the tile is fine and the layer underneath is the problem.
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What Tile Roofing Is
Tile roofs use individual clay or concrete units laid in overlapping courses. Clay tile is fired earth and holds its color permanently. Concrete tile is cast and pigmented, costs less, and is heavier. Both come in low, medium, and high profile shapes, which describes how much the tile rises off the plane. Here is the thing most homeowners do not know. The tile is not what keeps water out. The underlayment does. Tile is a shedding layer and a wear surface that protects the underlayment from sun and impact. That is why a tile roof can look perfect and still leak, and why a tile roof replacement is often an underlayment job rather than a new tile job. The Tile Roofing Industry Alliance installation manual governs how these systems are built, including fastening patterns and wind uplift requirements under current code.
Signs Your Tile Roof Needs Work
Tile roofs fail differently than shingle roofs. Watch for these. Cracked, chipped, or slipped tiles, often after hail or after someone walked the roof. Tiles that have slid out of alignment or dropped down a course. Leaks and ceiling stains with no visible tile damage, which almost always means the underlayment is done. Visible sagging in the roof plane, which can mean a structural issue with the added weight. Mortar crumbling at the ridge and hip caps. Debris and organic growth packed into the tile channels. Broken tiles at valleys where water volume is highest. Underlayment life is the number that matters most. Under Houston heat, felt underlayment beneath tile typically reaches the end of its service life well before the tile does. When we find that, the fix is to lift and stack the tile, replace the underlayment, and relay the same tile.
How We Work on
Tile Roofs
We start with an inspection that looks at both layers. We check tile condition, fastening, and alignment, and we get into the attic to look at the sheathing and any staining. For repairs, we source matching tile where we can. Discontinued profiles are common, so we often pull tile from a less visible slope to patch a visible one and use the closest available match on the back of the house. For a full underlayment replacement, we remove the tile in sections and stack it carefully on the roof or the ground. Then we strip the old underlayment and handle any decking and underlayment replacement the roof needs before installing a new system rated for tile. We reinstall the tile using the fastening pattern the code and the manual call for, replacing broken units as we go. Flashings at valleys, walls, and penetrations get replaced at the same time, because those are the details that fail. We never walk tile without proper technique. Half the broken tiles we find were broken by the last contractor. We also photograph the roof before we touch it. Tile arrives at our jobs already cracked more often than not, and a photo record protects both of us. You will see the same images we do.
Why Choose STX Roofing
Tile requires a crew that knows the material. We do this work rather than subbing it out to whoever is available. Russell Mullin is a U.S. Air Force veteran and a former insurance adjuster. On tile claims that background matters, because carriers frequently underscope tile damage by counting broken tiles and ignoring the underlayment condition and the discontinued-profile problem. We document both. We are GAF Master Elite and CertainTeed ShingleMaster certified, carry an A+ BBB rating, and are bondable to $750,000. We also install Euroshield roofing and residential metal roofing for homeowners who want a long-life roof with less weight than tile. We do not waive deductibles and we do not take assignment of benefits. Repairs and commercial work carry a two-year warranty. Qualifying residential roof systems carry a lifetime labor warranty backed by Directorii.
Where We Work on Tile
We handle tile roofing across Greater Houston and the Lake Houston area, including Houston, Huffman, Atascocita, Kingwood, Humble, Crosby, Spring, The Woodlands, Tomball, Sugar Land, and Richmond. Tile shows up most often in newer master-planned communities and in custom homes around Kingwood, The Woodlands, and the west side. Many of those roofs were built in the 1990s and 2000s, which puts their original underlayment right at the age where it fails. If your neighbors are starting to have leaks and their roofs look fine, that is the pattern.
What Affects the Investment
Tile work is priced differently than shingle work. Labor is the larger share, because handling, stacking, and relaying tile takes time. The main variables are square footage, roof pitch and complexity, whether tile is being replaced or relaid, tile availability if the profile is discontinued, and the extent of decking repair. Structural review is occasionally required if the roof is being converted to tile from a lighter material. Underlayment-only projects that reuse your existing tile cost meaningfully less than a full tear-off and new tile. We put the scope in writing. Financing is available on qualifying projects through Credit Human and Synchrony.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a tile roof last in Houston?
The tile itself can last fifty years or more. The underlayment beneath it is the limiting factor and typically needs replacement well before that. Plan on at least one underlayment cycle during the life of the tile.
My tile roof leaks but the tiles look fine. What is happening?
The underlayment has failed. Tile sheds most of the water, but the underlayment is the actual waterproof layer. When it degrades, water that gets past the tile has nothing stopping it.
Can broken tiles be replaced individually?
Yes, if we can source a match. Profiles get discontinued, so on older roofs we sometimes relocate tile from a hidden slope to a visible one and use the closest available match where it will not be seen.
Is my house strong enough for tile?
If it already has tile, yes. If you are converting from shingles, the framing needs review because concrete tile is substantially heavier. We will tell you when a structural engineer needs to look at it.
Does hail damage tile roofs?
It can crack or chip tile, especially older concrete units. Damage is often missed on the first pass because it is not visible from the ground. We inspect tile by tile and photograph what we find.
Do you install Euroshield?
Yes. Euroshield is a recycled rubber product that mimics slate and shake profiles at a fraction of the weight. It is worth considering when you want the look of tile on a structure that was not framed for it.
Ready to Get Started?
If you have a tile roof in Houston, you need a contractor who understands that the tile and the waterproofing are two different systems. Call STX Roofing at (281) 601-7663 or request a free roof inspection. We will assess both layers and tell you honestly whether you need a repair, an underlayment replacement, or a full system. Veteran-owned, GAF Master Elite, and based in Huffman.
