# Tile roofing in San Antonio: the tile lasts 50 years. The underlayment doesn't.

Mammoth Roofing & Exteriors · https://mammothroofs.com/services/tile-roofing/ · (210) 934-9074

Clay and concrete tile is the roof of the north side and the Hill Country, and it's misunderstood: the tile is usually fine, the underlayment beneath it is what fails at 20–25 years. We repair, re-lay and replace underlayment under existing tile, and install new tile where it belongs.

## Four jobs, from a cracked tile to a whole roof.

- **Tile repair**: Cracked, slipped and displaced tiles, broken ridge and hip caps, failed flashings. Walked carefully, matched to your tile, fixed properly.

- **Underlayment replacement (re-lay)**: The big San Antonio tile job: your tile comes off, the failed underlayment is replaced with a high-temperature membrane, and the same tile goes back on. New roof, same look.

- **Tile replacement**: When the tile itself is done, or you want a different profile: clay, concrete, slate, or stone-coated steel in a tile profile at a fraction of the weight.

- **Maintenance**: Annual walk, moss and debris cleared, cracked tiles swapped, flashings and valleys checked, photos in the report.

## What's on Texas roofs, and what each is for.

- **Clay**: The traditional barrel tile: color all the way through, excellent in heat, heavy, and the most expensive to walk on and repair.

- **Concrete**: The most common tile here: versatile profiles and colors, durable, heavy. Color can fade at the surface over decades.

- **Slate**: Natural stone, the longest-lived roof there is, the heaviest, and the most skilled to repair.

- **Stone-coated steel**: A tile profile in steel at about 1.5 lb per square foot. The way to keep the look and lose the weight and the underlayment problem.

## The honest case for tile.

The two things people underestimate: the weight, and that the underlayment is a second roof with its own, shorter life.

| Pros | Cons |
| --- | --- |
| Durable: 50+ years for the tile itself | Heavy: needs the structure it was designed for |
| Fire-resistant and non-combustible | Fragile underfoot: cracks if walked badly |
| Reflects heat; keeps attics cooler | Expensive to install and to repair |
| Timeless look; raises curb appeal and value | The underlayment fails at 20–25 years and must be replaced under the tile |
| Low maintenance when installed right | Skilled work: few crews do it properly |

_Sample ranges shown for design. The written inspection determines the scope and price._

## Six steps, walked carefully.

A re-lay is the most common big tile job in San Antonio and the one most roofers won't quote.

- **Free inspection + Roof Grade**: Tile condition, underlayment condition from the attic and at the eaves, flashings, valleys and the structure.

- **Proposal**: Repair, re-lay or replace, with the tile named and every line item priced in writing.

- **Protection and staging**: SafeSite for the house and yard; tile stacked on the roof in the right order to go back on.

- **Tile off, underlayment on**: Failed underlayment removed, deck inspected, high-temperature membrane and new flashings installed.

- **Tile back on**: Your tile re-laid with new fasteners and foam where needed; broken tiles replaced with matched stock.

- **QualCheck and warranty**: The 26-point inspection, photos, SweepCheck, and the warranty document in your hands.

## Straight answers before you book.

### My tile roof is leaking — do I need a new roof?

Usually not. On a 20-plus-year-old tile roof the leak is almost always the underlayment or a flashing, not the tile. A re-lay fixes it and keeps the look.

### How much does a re-lay cost compared with a new roof?

Less than a new tile roof, more than a shingle replacement, because the labor is in taking the tile off and putting it back. The quote shows every line.

### Can I switch from tile to something lighter?

Yes: stone-coated steel in a tile profile gives the same look at a fraction of the weight, with a Class 4 rating.

### Is the inspection really free?

Yes — it's the same Roof Grade visit for every service. Attic first, 75–150 photos, the 32-point Hunter-Gatherer Report, a letter grade and a plain-English verdict. You get the written report whether you hire us or not.

### Will you tell me if I don't need the work?

Yes. An A grade is a handshake and a date to look again. A B means a few small repairs, priced in the open, on a roof with years left in it. We'd rather be the roofer you call in ten years than the one who sold you a roof you didn't need.

### What warranty comes with the work?

Repairs carry a workmanship warranty in writing on the invoice. Full replacements carry the Mammoth Two Tusk Limited Lifetime Warranty: our 10-year workmanship warranty on the installation, plus the manufacturer's lifetime material warranty on the materials, which means the life of that product on the manufacturer's written terms. Ask us for the warranty document and read it before you sign.