Are concrete roof tiles worth the money?
Concrete roof tiles have become very popular because of their appealing looks, longevity and durability. The colors and textures of concrete tiles give them an upscale look at half the cost of clay tiles. The concrete tiles can last fifty years or more if installed correctly. Durability is seen in concrete tiles ability to fend off fires and its strength.
Cost
Kompareit.com computed the cost of materials and installation for concrete roof tiles:
Concrete tiles are expensive. They generally cost $400 to $900 per square (one square equals 100 square feet). High-end concrete costs as much as $1,000 per square. A typical two-story home has about 1,500 square feet of roof, bringing the total cost for materials and installation to $6,000 to $15,000.
The installation and materials doesn’t speak to all the costs for concrete roof tiles. Before the installation, the roofers have to tear down the old roof and cart the remains to a dump. They also have to check whether structurally the roof can handle the weight of the tiles. If it can’t tolerate the weight, your client may need to have you repair the deck or replace it. That choice of repair or replace it, is a decision that can be very costly but necessary to the success of the project.
Composition
Roofkey.com has identified three appearances for concrete roof tiles:
Lightweight and Standard
There are two types of concrete roof tiles. They are lightweight and standard. What distinguishes each type is its weight. Lightweight tips the scales at 7.6 pounds per square foot. Standard weighs in at 10 to 11 pounds per square foot. Even though the standard concrete roof tiles weigh more, it is the standard style that experts choose over the lightweight.
Moisture and Longevity
According to roofkey.com, “Tile roofs are prone to moisture penetration from wind driven rain or snow more than any other type of roofing product. That is why the underlayment, batten system, and flashing and how they are installed is so very important and is the key to how long a tile roof lasts. Concrete roof tiles can be a very good roof, but only if it and the underlayment, battens, and flashing are installed correctly.”
When concrete roof tiles are properly installed, the homeowner can expect the tiles to last fifty years. When underlayment, flashing and batten systems are properly installed, those items can last thirty to forty years. If the underlayment, batten system and flashing are made out of cheap materials, these items might only survive for about eight years.
