A tile roof is better than shingle when the house can carry the extra weight and you plan to keep the roof for decades: clay and concrete tile outlast asphalt shingles by a wide margin, while shingles cost less up front, weigh far less and are easier to repair. The right pick depends on your framing, roof pitch, fire zone and budget. For a written comparison on your own roof, call NEMA Roofing at 866-631-3366.
Tile vs shingle roof at a glance
| Factor | Clay or concrete tile | Asphalt shingles |
|---|---|---|
| Expected life (NAHB study) | Over 50 years | About 20 years |
| Lowest pitch allowed (California Building Code) | 2.5 in 12; double underlayment up to 4 in 12 | 2 in 12; double underlayment up to 4 in 12 |
| Deck under it | Solid sheathing (spaced boards allowed only in low seismic design categories) | Solid sheathing |
| Weight | Heavy; permit offices treat a switch to tile as a structural question | Light |
| What wears out first | The underlayment under the tiles | The shingles themselves |
| Walking on it | Tiles crack under foot traffic | Walkable with care |
| Typical look | Barrel (S) or flat profiles, Spanish and Mediterranean styles | Flat, textured, wide color range |
The life figures come from the National Association of Home Builders’ study of home components, which notes that roof life depends on weather, design, material quality and maintenance. They are averages, not promises.
Why does a tile roof cost more than shingles?
Tile costs more to buy and more to install, and the gap is not only the price of the tiles. Four things drive it:
- Material. Clay and concrete tiles cost more per square than asphalt shingles, and trim pieces for hips, ridges and rakes add to it.
- Labor. Each tile is set and fastened to the pattern the code’s attachment table requires for the wind speed and pitch, then cut around valleys, vents and walls. Shingles go on faster.
- What goes under it. Tile valleys need wide metal flashing with a raised splash rib, and low-pitch tile roofs need two layers of underlayment.
- Structure. If the framing was built for a light roof, a structural check and any strengthening come before the first tile.
Over the life of the house the comparison narrows, because one tile roof can outlast two or more shingle roofs. Plan for one mid-life cost with tile: the underlayment ages first, and the fix is to lift the tiles, lay new underlayment and reset the same tiles. To compare fairly, ask for written estimates for both materials with the same scope: tear-off, deck repair, underlayment type, flashing, permit and disposal.
Can your house carry a tile roof?
Weight is the question that settles many tile vs shingle decisions before price comes up. Two local rules show how building departments treat it:
- In unincorporated Riverside County, a reroof permit that replaces a lightweight covering (composition shingle, roll roofing, hot mop) with concrete or clay tile cannot be processed by mail; it needs roof framing plans submitted in person.
- In the City of Los Angeles, LADBS issues an Express Permit with no plan check for reroofing only with Class A or B coverings under 6 pounds per square foot over solid sheathing. Heavier coverings go through plan check.
A house that already has tile was framed for it, so tile-to-tile is simpler. Going from shingles to tile, budget time for the structural review.
How do they compare on fire and heat?
Fire. The California Building Code treats clay or concrete tile installed on a noncombustible deck as a Class A roof. On a wood deck, tile and shingles both reach Class A only as a listed assembly, so ask which listing your roof will be built to. In Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones a Class A covering is required; LADBS, for example, states it for every reroof in those zones in the City of Los Angeles.
Heat. Material alone does not make a roof cool. The California Energy Commission notes that rated cool-roof products come in tile, asphalt shingle and other materials, in light and darker colors. For a steep-slope reroof that replaces more than half the roof, the 2025 energy code sets cool-roof values in climate zones 4 and 8 through 15, which include Woodland Hills and Tarzana (zone 9), with listed exceptions. Santa Barbara, Goleta and Carpinteria sit in zone 6, where that steep-slope rule does not apply.
Tile roof vs shingle roof cleaning and upkeep
Tile asks for less frequent work but more careful hands. Tiles crack when stepped on in the wrong place, so cleaning and debris removal are best done from a ladder or by a roofer who knows where to step. Keep valleys and the channels between tile rows clear so water reaches the gutters.
Shingles tolerate walking, but they lose their protective granules to scraping and high-pressure washing. Gentle cleaning, clear gutters and a look after strong wind cover most of it. Our tile roof maintenance guide lists the yearly tasks for tile.
What happens when you switch from one to the other?
Tile to shingles. Where LA County Public Works is the building department, its reroofing manual requires existing clay or concrete tile to be removed completely before reroofing with any material. Expect a full tear-off and a deck inspection.
Shingles to tile. Expect the structural review above, a check that every section of the roof meets the 2.5 in 12 minimum pitch for tile, and new flashing at walls and valleys sized for tile.
Which one fits your home?
Choose tile if most of these are true:
- The house has Spanish, Mediterranean or other styles built around tile, or already has a tile roof.
- You plan to stay long enough for the longer life to pay back the higher first cost.
- The framing is rated for it, or you accept a structural review.
Choose shingles if the budget is fixed now, the roof is low-pitch or light-framed, or you want the widest color choice. If neither fits, compare both with metal roofing against shingles. For how long each tile type lasts, read how long tile roofs last.
Getting both options priced
NEMA Roofing installs and repairs both, with five locations in Santa Barbara, Oxnard, Woodland Hills, Tarzana and Downey and crews covering all of Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Our tile roofing service covers new tile, underlayment replacement and tile repair. To have both materials quoted on your roof, call 866-631-3366.
