Clay and concrete tile roof repair in Los Angeles
A broken tile rarely causes the leak by itself; the underlayment beneath it does the waterproofing. We replace cracked and slipped tiles with matched profiles, check the paper under them, and tell you whether it's a repair or a relay.
- Answered 24/7
- Clay and concrete tile
- Underlayment checked
Tile roof repair in Los Angeles covers the two layers every tile roof has: the clay or concrete tile you see and the underlayment beneath it that actually keeps water out. We replace cracked and slipped tiles, rebuild failed ridge mortar, and check the paper under every repair before the tiles go back.
Updated September 2026
The tile outlasts everything around it
Clay and concrete tile will outlive the house if nobody steps on it wrong. What wears out is everything around it: underlayment splits after decades of summer heat, ridge mortar cracks loose, and fasteners corrode until tiles slide. A single cracked tile is often the mark of foot traffic from a dish installer or a solar crew.
We source matching clay or concrete tile for each repair, including salvage for older colors no longer made. When lifted tiles reveal brittle paper across a whole slope, we say so; then the honest answer is an underlayment relay that reuses your tile.
Signs a tile roof needs repair
Cracked or chipped tiles
Often along the path people walk to a vent, skylight or AC unit.
Tiles out of line
A course that has slid down leaves a gap above it.
Mortar crumbs on the ground
Loose ridge and hip mortar falls onto patios and into gutters.
A stain after each first rain
A ceiling spot that returns every season points to failed paper.
Broken pieces in the gutter
Fragments mean something above them moved or broke.
Daylight in the attic
Light through the deck marks a gap that water will find.
Tiles that rattle in wind
Loose tiles tap or shift on Santa Ana nights.
What a tile roof repair costs depends on these five things
There is no honest flat price for tile repair, because the tile is rarely the expensive part.
- How many tiles come off
Reaching one broken tile can mean lifting several courses above it.
- Tile availability
Current concrete profiles are easy to buy; discontinued clay colors need salvage.
- What is under the tile
Brittle underlayment or rotten battens found during the repair add work.
- Ridge and hip length
Mortar work is priced by the length of ridge that has failed.
- Roof height and pitch
Two-story and steep roofs need more setup to work safely.
Paper gone across a whole slope? Compare the numbers in our Los Angeles roof cost guide.
The three tile repairs we make most
Cracked and broken tile replacement
A hairline crack, a missing corner, a piece in the gutter. We lift the tiles above it, check the underlayment and batten beneath, and set a matched replacement with a hook, clip or tile adhesive so it can't creep. Cracks along the path to an AC unit or skylight get extra attention. When the broken tile sits under a solar panel or near a skylight, we'll plan the repair around that equipment so nothing else gets disturbed or damaged in the process.
Slipped tile reset
A course that has crept down leaves the row above exposed and lets water reach the paper directly, usually because a nail rusted through or a batten rotted. We lift the courses, replace the batten or fastener, and reset the tiles in line with hooks or clips. Rakes and exposed edges get extra fastening. We also check the tiles on either side of the slipped course, since the same failing nails often hold those tiles too, and they're usually the next ones to move.
Ridge and hip mortar repair
Ridge mortar cracks with age, and loose ridge tiles are the first thing strong wind lifts. You may find mortar crumbs on the patio or a ridge that has gone wavy. We remove failed mortar and bed the ridge in color-matched mortar or polymer adhesive, over a ridge vent where the attic needs air. Where the ridge has no vent and the attic runs hot, we'll suggest adding one during the rebuild, since the ridge is already open and the extra cost is small.
Brands we install and service
Which tile we are repairing depends on the neighborhood. In Hancock Park and Los Feliz it's mostly clay on older Spanish and Mediterranean homes, and matching an old color often means salvage tile. Across the San Fernando Valley it's usually concrete tile, which is easier to match but heavy to handle. After a Santa Ana event with gusts over 90 mph tore tile sections off roofs in Pasadena and Altadena, ridge and rake fastening became the first thing we check on any wind call.
How a tile repair visit runs
Find the source
We check the attic or ceiling, then the roof, because water runs along battens before it drips.
Lift and inspect
Tiles around the damage come up so we can see the underlayment and fasteners.
Repair beneath
Torn paper is patched or replaced in the area and rotten battens are swapped.
Set matched tile
Replacement tiles go in with hooks, clips or adhesive so they stay put.
Photos and a straight answer
You get before and after photos and an honest read on how much life the roof has left.
Tile roof repair questions
Straight answers to what people ask us most about this job.
Other ways to reach usUsually. Many profiles are still made, and for discontinued colors we find salvage or borrow tiles from a hidden slope.
The underlayment under the tile stops the water tile lets past. When it splits, leaks start with every tile intact, so we lift tiles to check.
Repair local damage while the paper is flexible. Brittle paper across a slope calls for a relay that reuses your tile.
Yes. We reset lifted ridge and edge tiles with added fastening. For an open roof, see our wind damage repairs after a Santa Ana night.
Any foot traffic can crack tile. We photograph cracks along the path to panels or vents and repair them with matched tile.
Small repairs are often done in one visit. Ridge rebuilds take longer, and tile that has to be sourced adds time.
Small repairs usually don't. Underlayment replacement over a large area can count as re-roofing, and then we pull the LADBS permit.
Other repairs & leaks jobs we handle
Missing and curling shingles
Shingle Roof Repair.
Flat Roof Repair in Los Angeles
Flat Roof Repair.
Melted vents, gutters and flashing
Fire and Smoke Damaged Roof Repair.
Valley leak repair
Roof Leak Repair.
Ridge beam reinforcement
Structural Roof Repair.
