--- title: "Tile Roofing in Santa Barbara & Southern California | NEMA Roofing" description: "Tile roofing in Santa Barbara and Southern California: clay and concrete tile roofs installed, repaired and replaced. Call NEMA Roofing at 866-631-3366." url: "https://nemaroofing.com/our-services/tile-roofing/" updated: "2026-09-28" --- # Tile Roofing in Santa Barbara & Southern California **Tile roofing in Santa Barbara** means clay or concrete tile over a waterproof underlayment, the roof you see on many homes from the Riviera to Montecito and across Ventura County. NEMA Roofing installs new tile roofs, repairs broken and slipped tile, and re-lays existing tile over new underlayment when the layer beneath has worn out, in Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, from six locations (Santa Barbara, Oxnard, Woodland Hills, Tarzana, Downey and San Bernardino). Call [866-631-3366](tel:866-631-3366) for a free on-site assessment. We have over 10 years of experience in the roofing trade and have installed numerous Metal Roofs, Tile Roofs, and Flat Roofs. We always provide open licensing and bonding information to our customers regarding our company and work. Our CSLB license is #1083283. Tile Roofing ## How a tile roof actually keeps water out Tile sheds most of the rain, but it is not watertight on its own. Wind-driven rain and water that runs under the tiles are stopped by the underlayment beneath them, and by the flashing at valleys, walls and chimneys. Clay and concrete tile can outlast the underlayment by a long way, which is why many tile roofs that “need replacing” only need the underlayment renewed and the same tiles put back. ## Clay or concrete, and which profile | | Clay tile | Concrete tile | | --- | --- | --- | | Material | Fired clay; color runs through the tile | Cement and sand, colored in the mix or on the surface | | Look | The traditional barrel tile of Spanish and Mission-style houses | Many shapes, including flat profiles that imitate slate or shake | | Weight | Heavy | Heavy, often heavier than clay of the same profile | | Weak point | Brittle under foot traffic and impact | Surface color can fade; can absorb more water | Profiles fall into three groups: two-piece barrel (separate pan and cover tiles, the classic Santa Barbara look), one-piece S-tile, and flat tile. The project videos further down this page include two-piece tile roofs installed in Santa Barbara and Montecito. Choosing among them is partly taste and partly the house: its style, the roof’s slope and what the frame can carry. Beyond the profile, tile comes in many blends, colors and finishes, and matching an existing roof or the style of the street is part of the decision. That is why NEMA’s roofers are always available to give you wholly genuine and trustworthy advice. That includes advice on choosing a tile roof design, drawing on our decades of experience. Roofing Repair Near Me ## Rules that apply to a tile roof in California - **Minimum slope.** The California Building Code (2025 edition, section 1507.3.2) allows clay and concrete tile only on roofs with a slope of at least 2 1/2 inches per foot. Lower sections need a different covering. - **Fire zones.** In fire hazard severity zones the roof assembly must be Class A. Tile is widely used in Class A assemblies, but the rating belongs to the tested assembly, so the underlayment and details matter. - **Cool-roof rule.** Under the 2025 Energy Code, roof constructions weighing at least 25 pounds per square foot are exempt from the re-roof cool-roof requirement. Ask for the installed weight of the tile system you choose if your house is in an inland climate zone such as Ojai or Westlake Village (zone 9), where the rule otherwise applies to sloped roofs. - **Weight.** Switching from shingles or metal to tile adds a lot of load; the framing has to be checked first. ## Tile roof repair: what usually goes wrong - **Cracked and broken tiles**, often from someone walking on the roof, a fallen branch or a satellite installer. Single tiles can be replaced if a matching profile and color is available. - **Slipped tiles** whose fasteners have failed, leaving a gap in the course. - **Worn underlayment**. Leaks appear in several places at once, stains show up after long rains, and the tiles themselves look fine. This is the most common cause of leaks on older tile roofs here. - **Flashing** at valleys, chimneys, skylights and walls, including valley metal that has rusted through. - **Debris** packed under the tiles and in valleys that holds water against the underlayment. When the underlayment has failed across the roof, the lasting fix is a “lift and re-lay”: the tiles are removed and stacked, the underlayment and flashing are renewed, and the same tiles, plus replacements for broken ones, go back on. The building code allows existing clay and cement tile to be reinstalled, but not tile that is damaged, cracked or broken, and not rusted or damaged flashing (California Building Code 2025, section 1512.4). It often costs less than new tile and keeps the look of the house. For a whole-roof project, see [roof replacement](https://nemaroofing.com/our-services/roofing-replacement/); for a single leak, [roof repair](https://nemaroofing.com/our-services/roofing-repair-near-me/). Image for post 28196 ## Caring for a tile roof - Stay off it. Most broken tile is caused by foot traffic; a roofer knows where to step. - Have valleys and gutters cleared before the rainy season, especially under trees. - After a big storm or an earthquake, have the ridge, hips and edges checked for loose or slipped tiles. - Keep a few spare tiles from your roof; matching an older profile and color later can be hard. We take responsibility very seriously and work until our customers are 100% satisfied. Regular checks are part of our [roof maintenance](https://nemaroofing.com/our-services/roof-maintenance/) service. ## Tile roofing questions ### Can you replace just a few broken tiles? Yes, when a matching tile can be found and the underlayment under it is sound. If the underlayment is worn out, new tiles alone will not stop the leak. ### Can I put solar panels on a tile roof? Yes. Tiles where the mounts go are lifted, flashed mounts are fastened to the roof structure and the tiles are cut and reset around them. It is a good moment to check the underlayment in the same area. ### Do you work on tile roofs in Ventura County? Yes, across [Ventura County](https://nemaroofing.com/service-areas/ventura-county/) as well as Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. 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