Roof Tile Types and Options

What are the types of roofing tile available?

The price of roof tiles is incredibly varied and is dictated by what they are made of – usually either concrete or clay – and their colour, profile and size. Naturally the type you choose will impact the cost to repair the roof. Most brands come in a range and have a budget option at the lower end of the price range followed by some mid-range tiles and then a luxury or superior high-end product. Prices are usually quoted net of VAT so you will need to add 20% to your final total. Here are a selection of some of the most popular branded roof tile choices and a description of them with an average guide price:-

• Redland Concrete Roof tiles – from around £0.40p for a plain tile up to £1.67 for a slate-look concrete tile and £1.85 for a double Roman concrete roof tile. Some of Redland’s tiles are only available in pallet loads so would not make an economic choice unless you were completely re-roofing
• Forticrete – a leading name in the UK in architectural masonry and popular for their low maintenance products and quality of manufacture. Forticrete start at £0.63p for a plain concrete tile and the other end of the range produces a Hardrow slate tile as an alternative to natural slate at £3.88 for a tile and a half size
• Marley Eternit Clay roof tiles – starting at £0.37p for a single camber roof tile ranging up to £1.18 for a Marley handmade plain Canterbury roof tile

What are the different styles and types of roof tile?

Roof tiles tend to be manufactured in either concrete or clay and, as you will discover if you browse online or just look up at people’s roofs, there are many different types available.

Each brand differs but there are some general categories of tile which can help you narrow down your choices before you start looking more specifically at different manufacturers. These include:-

• Clay roof tiles – a smaller flat tile in a warm red colour, these add a high-quality design aesthetic to a property and provide a warm, Mediterranean look. They can come in varied shapes and patterns and appeal to those who are also looking for an eco-friendly and totally natural option
• Concrete tiles – more expensive concrete tiles can mimic the look of clay tiles whilst providing greater durability against the weather than a traditional clay tile. However, concrete tiles are heavier and although often cheaper than clay tiles, you may find that the spend increases if you need to reinforce the roof structure to bear the extra load
• Interlocking roof tiles – these are usually the easiest and quickest to install and most normally made of concrete although there are some clay options. They are typically flat or profiled smooth or granular and they are one of the commonest roof tiles to be found in the UK

When it comes to roof tiles, a lot of the terminology is used interchangeably so it can be confusing when trying to choose a new roof tile. It is always easiest to fix on the style of tile you want and then consider what it should be made out of if it is not already obvious. There are also synthetic alternatives designed to mimic clay tiles and natural slate. Look at the colours last.