Tile is a roof measured in lifetimes. Concrete and clay tiles carry serious weight and serious longevity, and their bold profiles suit the Mediterranean, Spanish, and Tuscan-style homes found throughout the Fraser Valley and Vancouver’s West Side. A tile roof can outlast several asphalt roofs, which is a large part of its long-term value.
Two things matter most on the coast. The first is structure - tile is heavy, so the roof framing has to be rated to carry it, something we confirm before any installation or re-roof. The second is what lies beneath the tile. The tiles themselves shed the bulk of the rain, but it is the underlayment that is the true waterproofing layer, so we install a robust, high-quality membrane and detail the flashings carefully, because replacing a failed underlayment means lifting the tile.
Our damp, shaded conditions also let moss and debris build up in the channels between tiles, which can dam water and hold moisture against the roof. Routine clearing and moss treatment keep the system draining the way it should. We install new tile, carry out partial repairs, and re-lay existing tile over fresh underlayment - giving a heavy, handsome roof the watertight foundation it needs to last for generations in our climate.