Tile Roofing in Sebastian, FL
The classic Florida roof — concrete and clay tile that handles heat, resists storms, and lasts for decades, installed and repaired by a licensed local contractor.
Why Tile Works in Florida
Decades of life
Concrete and clay tiles can last 40–50+ years with proper care.
Handles heat & sun
Tile naturally ventilates and reflects heat, helping with cooling costs.
Storm & fire resistant
Heavy, durable tiles stand up to wind, debris, and embers.
Timeless curb appeal
The classic Florida look that lifts your home's value and style.
Tile Options We Install
Concrete tile — durable and cost-effective, in many profiles and colors
Clay tile — the premium, fade-resistant classic Florida look
Barrel (Spanish) & flat profiles to match your home's style
Underlayment upgrades — the real key to a long-lasting tile roof
Tile Roof Repair & Re-Roofing
Cracked, slipped, or missing tiles let water reach the underlayment — where most tile-roof leaks actually start. We repair damaged tiles and flashing, and when the underlayment is worn out, we can lift and re-lay your tiles over fresh underlayment or complete a full replacement. We'll inspect and tell you honestly which path makes sense.
What a Tile Roof Costs
$9–$25 per square foot installed
Tile spans a wide range — concrete sits lower, clay at the top — and depends on profile, roof complexity, structural needs, and whether it's new tile or a re-lay. We inspect first and give you a clear, itemized estimate. Compare materials in our Florida roof cost guide.
What to Expect When You Work With Leeward
Free inspection & honest assessment — we check the tiles and the underlayment beneath.
Clear written estimate — itemized materials, scope, and timeline. No pressure.
Permitting & insurance handled — we pull permits and coordinate inspections.
Clean, code-compliant installation — trained, insured crews and daily cleanup.
Final walkthrough & warranty — we stay until you're satisfied.
Get Your Free Tile Roof Estimate in Sebastian, FL
We'll inspect your roof, answer your questions, and give you a clear, honest quote.
Tile Roofing FAQs
How long does a tile roof last?
The tiles themselves can last 40–50+ years; the underlayment beneath usually needs replacing sooner, which is why re-roofs often re-use the existing tile.
Concrete tile or clay tile?
Concrete is durable and more affordable; clay is the premium, fade-resistant classic. We'll help you choose based on budget and style.
Can you repair a few broken tiles?
Yes — we replace damaged tiles and fix the flashing and underlayment underneath, where leaks usually start.
Is my house strong enough for a tile roof?
Most Florida homes built for tile handle it fine; for a switch to tile, we'll confirm the structure can support the added weight.
Roofing Service Areas on the Treasure Coast
Leeward Roofing proudly serves Sebastian, Vero Beach, Fellsmere, Micco, Roseland, Barefoot Bay, Grant-Valkaria, and the surrounding Indian River and Brevard County communities.
Roof opened up in the storm? Tarp first, argue later.
Insurers can and do exclude damage that got worse because nothing was done. Getting a tarp on within a day or two protects the roof and protects the claim at the same time.
- Look for lifted shingles, displaced tile and bent flashing from ground level.
- Photograph debris and any detached material where it landed.
- Call for tarping before the next band arrives, not after.
- Ask any contractor for their licence number and check it at myfloridalicense.com.
Recent Leeward jobs
Real Treasure Coast roofs installed by our own crews — not stock photography.
The tile is fine. The layer underneath it is not.
This single misunderstanding costs Florida homeowners more money than anything else in roofing.
Tile is a rain screen, not waterproofing
Concrete and clay tile shed most of the water and shield what is beneath from UV and impact. The actual waterproofing is the underlayment. Water that gets past the tile — and under wind-driven rain a great deal does — is stopped by that membrane, runs down it and exits at the eave. The tile is armour. The membrane is the roof.
Two clocks, two very different numbers
The tile field can last 50 years or more. The underlayment fails at roughly 20 to 25. If your home was tiled in the 1990s, the tile is probably fine and the layer doing the real work is finished.
Which makes lift-and-relay the usual right answer
We lift the tile carefully, strip the failed underlayment, install a new membrane to current code with proper fastening, and relay your original tile. Expect 5 to 15 per cent breakage, replaced from salvage. It costs roughly $7.50 to $14.00 per square foot against $11.00 to $24.00 for full tile replacement — and it completely sidesteps the discontinued-profile problem.
Very few contractors offer it unprompted
It is more skilled labour and a smaller invoice, so it rarely appears on a quote unless you ask. If someone has quoted you full tile replacement without first explaining the lift-and-relay option and why it does or does not suit your roof, that is worth a second conversation.
When full replacement genuinely is right
Widespread cracked or spalling tile, a structure that cannot carry the load, or deterioration severe enough that relaying would waste the labour. We will show you the photographs and tell you which situation you are in.
Underlayment grade is the decision that matters
Self-adhered modified bitumen rather than the cheapest permitted option. It is buried and invisible, which is precisely why it is where a cheap bid saves money — and it is the only part of the assembly actually keeping water out of your house.
Tile in a Florida wind zone
Heavier, more brittle, and governed by more paperwork than shingle.
The ASCE worksheet applies
Tile requires a components-and-cladding pressure worksheet on the permit application in Indian River County — as metal and low-slope do, and asphalt shingle does not. Routine, but it means a tile permit packet is heavier.
Fastening per approval or NOA
Tile attachment must follow the Florida Product Approval or Miami-Dade NOA for the specific product — mortar set, foam adhesive or mechanical fastening, each with its own uplift rating. It is not interchangeable.
Weight the structure has to carry
Concrete tile is substantially heavier than shingle. A home built for tile is fine and a lift-and-relay changes nothing structurally. Converting a shingle roof to tile may need engineering review.
Broken tile from foot traffic
Walking tile incorrectly cracks it. That includes inspectors, satellite installers and pressure-washing crews. A surprising share of tile leaks trace back to someone who was up there for an unrelated reason.
Coastal fastening hardware
Within roughly 600 feet of open water, corrosion-resistant fastening, flashing and valley metal are not optional. Salt takes the hardware long before it touches the tile.
Organic growth matters more on tile
Moss and algae hold moisture against the underlayment, which is the component whose life you are trying to preserve. On shingle it is mostly cosmetic; on tile it is not.
Tile roofing FAQs
My tile looks perfect but the roof leaks. What is wrong?
The underlayment beneath it has failed. Tile is a rain screen, not the waterproofing layer - the membrane underneath does that work and fails at roughly 20 to 25 years while the tile may have decades of life left. This is the most common tile situation in Florida.
What is a tile lift-and-relay?
We lift your existing tile, strip the failed underlayment, install a new membrane to current code with proper fastening, and relay your original tile. Expect 5 to 15 per cent breakage, replaced from salvage. It runs roughly $7.50 to $14.00 per square foot against $11.00 to $24.00 for full tile replacement.
Why did my other quote not mention lift-and-relay?
It is more skilled labour for a smaller invoice, so it rarely appears unless the homeowner asks. If you have been quoted full tile replacement without anyone explaining why relaying does or does not suit your roof, it is worth a second opinion.
How long does a tile roof last?
The tile field can run 50 years or more. The underlayment beneath it fails at roughly 20 to 25 years. Budget on the underlayment clock, because that is the component that actually keeps water out.
My tile profile is discontinued. What now?
Lift-and-relay solves it entirely because you reuse your own tile. Where replacements are needed we source from salvage and can relocate tile from a low-visibility elevation to the visible face, putting the closest available match where nobody looks.
Can I walk on my tile roof?
We would rather you did not - walking tile incorrectly cracks it, and a meaningful share of tile leaks trace back to someone up there for an unrelated reason. That includes satellite installers and pressure-washing crews.
Is tile too heavy for my house?
If your home was built for tile it is fine, and a lift-and-relay changes nothing structurally. Converting a shingle roof to tile adds significant dead load and may require engineering review.
Does tile need a different permit?
Tile requires a components-and-cladding wind pressure worksheet on the application in Indian River County, as metal and low-slope do but asphalt shingle does not. Fastening must also follow the specific product’s Florida Product Approval or Miami-Dade NOA.
Should I pressure wash my tile roof?
Carefully or not at all. High-pressure washing cracks tile and drives water under it, and the foot traffic does its own damage. If growth needs treating there are gentler chemical methods, and on tile it is worth doing because growth holds moisture against the underlayment.
Tile or metal for a coastal home?
Both perform well. Tile suits the architecture and HOA requirements in much of coastal Florida; standing seam metal has no exposed fasteners for salt to attack and lasts 40 to 70 years. Within sight of open water we lean metal unless the HOA mandates tile. See metal roofing.
Proudly serving the Treasure Coast
Let's take a look at your roof. Free.
No pressure, no obligation, and an honest answer even when that answer is "you don't need a new roof yet."
- Free, itemized estimate in writing
- Most inspections scheduled within 24 hours
- We handle permits and insurance paperwork
- Licensed CCC1337211 and fully insured
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