Do you need a new tile roof?

If your roof is looking scruffy or starting to leak, what can you do? It might be that you need to have the roof cleaned or repaired, or perhaps you will have to think about replacing your entire roof. To decide on the best option for your roof, it will be helpful to talk to a professional roof tiling company. There are a range of options available, and they will be best placed to advise you on the best course of action in your situation.

Do you need to replace the tiles?

Having work carried out on your roof doesn't have to mean replacing all of the tiles on your roof. One of the advantages of a tile roof is that you can often have the tiles cleaned and replaced on the roof rather than buying new tiles. Any areas of damage can be easily patched without renewing the entire roof.

If you want a new tile roof

When you need to replace you roof, you have a lot of options. You could opt for:

• A slate tile roof
• A terracotta tile roof
• A concrete tile roof
• An asphalt shingle roof
• A timber shingle roof
• Solar roof tiles

Each of these options has advantages and disadvantages. Terracotta and slate are perhaps the most popular options, although they tend to be quite expensive compared to choices such as concrete. Concrete is the cheapest tiling option and has the advantage that once in place, it can look like either slate or terracotta. If you prefer to use either asphalt or timber shingles, you will find that these are cheaper than roofing tiles but may not last as long. The most expensive choice is solar roofing tiles, but these do not need cover the entire roof, and you will obviously gain the advantage of generating your own power in the future.

Installing a tile roof

Roof replacement is normally a job best left to professionals. Working at heights is not easy, and it is safest to leave it to those with the skills and experience to work safely and effectively off the ground. In general, you should expect to pay more for your new tile roof if your home has more than one storey or if your roof has a steeper pitch than usual. You will also need to ensure that the price you are quoted includes the cost of removing your existing roof and not just installing the new tile roof. It normally works out cheaper to have your roofing contractor remove the existing roof rather than using a third party, but it is important that you check the costs before signing the contract.