Roof tile replacement that matches your roof and lasts

What our tiled roofing includes

• Cracked, slipped and missing tiles replaced to match in colour and profile
• Concrete interlocking tiles and plain clay tiles, single tiles or whole slopes
• Valley, hip and ridge tiles renewed and re-fixed
• Vent tiles, soil pipe tiles and roof window surrounds re-tiled
• Battens and breathable membrane renewed under any slope we open up
• Lead soakers and flashings replaced where tiles meet walls and chimneys
• Clips and nails fitted to the tile type and exposure, not left to friction
• Scaffold or ladder access, risk assessment, tidy finish and waste removed

Roof tile replacement from one tile to a whole slope

A single slipped tile is a small job and a real leak risk. Water runs under the gap onto the membrane, then down to the battens and the rafters, and the first sign is a stain on the ceiling months later. We replace the tile, check what the water has already reached and make the repair tight.

At the other end, a slope that is cracking and slipping everywhere needs a properly fixed set of new tiles on new battens. Our team does both, with over 25 years' experience on tiled roofs. You get a free, no obligation quote and a straight answer on which one your roof needs.

The tiles we replace

Different roofs need different tiles, and the replacement has to match both the profile and the weathering.

Concrete interlocking tiles

Common on 1930s semis, post-war estates and newer houses. The tiles lock together along the side and are held by nails and clips. Over time the surface wears and cracks, and when one slips the neighbours lose their grip. We match the profile and fit clips so the repair holds in a gale.

Plain clay tiles

The traditional tile on older houses, hung from small nibs on the battens. Frost and age cause the nibs to snap, and the tile slides. We replace plain tiles with clay in the same size, colour and camber, using reclaimed tiles where a new one would stand out.

Valley, hip and ridge tiles

These take the water and the wind. Valley tiles are cut to the angle of the roof, hip tiles are fixed along the sloping edges and ridge tiles cap the top. We replace cracked ones and re-fix loose runs, then check the lead beneath.

Why roof tiles fail

Frost splits a tile that has soaked up water. Age thins the surface and makes it brittle. Rotten battens let nails pull out, and moss packed under the edges lifts the tile as it grows. Strong wind finishes the job on any tile that was already loose. Branches, and people walking across the roof, crack more.

That is why we do not stop at the tile you can see. Slipped tiles are a symptom. We find the cause, whether that is rotten battens, a failed nail or a ridge that has let go, and put it right.

How we match and fix a replacement tile

We lift the surrounding courses to release the broken tile, then check the batten and membrane under it. A rotten batten or torn membrane is renewed before any new tile goes down.

The replacement is chosen to match the roof's profile and the weathered colour. Where a new tile stands out, we use reclaimed stock or take a matching tile from a hidden area. Each tile is nailed or clipped to suit the tile type and how exposed the roof is. Next, we re-lay the courses and check the nearby valley, ridge and dry verge for loose mortar.

Roof tile replacement or a new roof: where the line is

If the damage is isolated, replacing the tiles is the right and cheaper answer. If the tiles are worn out across the whole slope, or the battens have gone, repairs become a loop of call-outs and a re-roof costs less over the years.

We quote both whenever both make sense, and we never push a full re-roof when a repair will do. As one reviewer wrote of Hugh's initial survey, he "didn't push us to make a decision". For the full job, see new roofs, and for smaller faults, roof repairs covers leaks, lead and ridges. The roof repair cost guide shows what changes the price.

Tiled roofs across Luton, Bedford, Milton Keynes and Watford

Luton, Dunstable and Bedford are full of 1930s semis with clay plain tiles and post-war estates under concrete interlocking tiles, and each has its own weak points. Milton Keynes has newer concrete-tile estates where the roof is now old enough to start slipping. We work from our Dunstable office across Luton, Bedford, Milton Keynes and Watford.

Signs you need us

• Tiles on the lawn or path after strong wind
• Gaps in the courses, or tiles that have slid down the slope
• A cracked or crumbling tile that you can see from the ground
• Daylight in the loft, or damp patches on a bedroom ceiling
• Moss and lichen packed under tile edges, lifting them
• A tiled slope that has gone wavy or is sagging between rafters