November 1, 2026 · 7 min read · Costs
The short answer
Concrete tile costs less than clay tile, and flat tile costs less to lay than barrel or S tile. On a Palm Beach County re-roof, concrete tile sits in the upper-middle of what roofs cost here, about level with standing seam metal and well above shingle. Clay sits at the top. Inside each tile type, the profile, the size and pitch of the roof and how much wood (decking) needs replacing move the number. Every Molsbee tile quote includes the permit and a full tear-off, and the price is in writing before any work starts.
In this county a tile roof generally lasts 15 to 20 years, and it is usually the underlayment under the tile, not the tile itself, that wears out first.
Tile compared with the other roofs here
| Roof type | Cost compared with the others | Lifespan here | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural shingle | Lowest | 13 to 18 years | Light |
| Flat (smaller home sections) | Depends on size | 15 to 20 years | Light |
| Standing seam metal | Upper-middle | 20 to 25 years | Light |
| Concrete tile | Upper-middle, about level with metal | 15 to 20 years | Heavy |
| Clay tile | Highest | 15 to 20 years | Heavy |
A "square" is 100 square feet of roof surface, and roofers price by the square. The median concrete tile roof we quoted measured 31 squares, about 3,100 square feet of roof, so that is a typical tile home here.
Two things stand out on our own quotes. Concrete tile and standing seam metal now cost about the same for the same size roof. And for the same size roof, concrete tile ran about 1.6 times an architectural shingle roof.
Concrete vs clay tile
| Concrete tile | Clay tile | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Upper-middle | Highest |
| Where it is common | Newer neighborhoods across the county | Historic and Mediterranean homes, the island |
| Color | In the mix or the coating; can fade over the years | Fired clay; color holds |
| Weight | Heavy | Heavy |
| Breakage when walked | Sturdy | More brittle; crews step carefully |
| Can it be reset? | Sometimes | Often, when the clay is sound |
When concrete makes sense: most homes. It looks like tile from the street, it is the common choice in the county's tile neighborhoods and it costs meaningfully less than clay.
When clay makes sense: historic homes, design-review areas and owners who want the original look. In Boca Raton's Old Floresta, for example, the guideline prefers straight barrel mission tile, and on the island the Town of Palm Beach Architectural Commission looks closely at tile profile.
Flat, barrel, S and slate-look tile: what changes the cost
- Flat tile: the simplest to lay, with the fewest pieces for the area it covers. Usually the lower end for its tile type.
- Barrel (two-piece) and S-tile: more pieces, more hand work at the hips, ridges and valleys, and more mortar or foam at the details. Usually the upper end.
- Slate-look concrete tile: a flat profile with a textured face. It lays like flat tile, with the color and line chosen up front.
- Detach-and-reset: on sound clay tile, we lift the tile, replace the underlayment and reset the same tile. You pay for careful removal and reinstallation instead of a new field of tile, which usually costs less than full replacement.
What else moves the number
- Roof size and pitch. More squares and steeper roofs take more material and more labor.
- Hips, valleys and details. Every hip and valley on a tile roof is hand work.
- The deck. Older homes often have board decking, and mortar-set tile leaves old mortar and battens to clear. Soft or rotted wood is replaced.
- Your wind band. Design wind speeds run from 150 mph inland to 170 mph on the barrier islands. The higher band means more adhesive or fasteners per tile.
- Design review. In historic districts and on the island, matching the existing profile and color can steer the job toward detach-and-reset or toward a specific tile.
What is included in every Molsbee tile quote
- Permit, inspections and full tear-off of the old roof
- New underlayment, including a self-adhered secondary water barrier over the deck
- New flashing, edge metal and ridge and hip details
- Attachment for your wind band
- Disposal and cleanup
- A set number of new plywood sheets, written into the quote
Three tiers, so you can choose:
| Tier | Plywood sheets included | Workmanship warranty |
|---|---|---|
| Pro | 4 sheets | 5 years |
| Platinum | 8 sheets | 10 years |
| Prestige | 12 sheets | 15 years |
The manufacturers' product warranties come with every tier, in writing. On concrete tile, Platinum is the tier our customers choose most often. If more wood turns out to be rotted once the tile is off, it is photographed and billed per sheet at the rate printed on your quote, so nothing is a surprise.
Why tile roofs here usually need replacing
The tile is rarely what fails. The underlayment beneath it is the real waterproofing, and in Palm Beach County's heat that layer generally lasts 15 to 20 years. That is why a tile roof can look fine from the street and still leak. It is also why the biggest decision on a tile job is whether your tile can be reset or needs replacing, and we answer that at the inspection with photos.
Molsbee data
Original numbers from our own job records. Customer names and addresses are never included.
- Concrete tile was the most-quoted roof type: 79 of 245 job quotes (Molsbee Roofing job records, May to Oct 2026, n=245).
- Tile made up 17 of 45 signed residential re-roofs: 12 concrete and 5 clay (Molsbee Roofing job records, Jun to Oct 2026, n=45).
- For the same size roof, a concrete tile roof ran about 1.6 times an architectural shingle roof on our quotes (Molsbee Roofing job records, May to Oct 2026, n=62 tile and n=48 shingle).
- On concrete tile, the Platinum tier was chosen on 5 of 12 signed jobs, more than any other tier (Molsbee Roofing job records, Jun to Oct 2026, n=12).
- The median concrete tile roof we quoted measured 31 squares (Molsbee Roofing job records, May to Oct 2026, n=62).
- On signed contracts, the final job value matched the signed proposal total on 48 of 48 jobs (Molsbee Roofing job records, Jun to Oct 2026, n=48).
Tile roofs in your town
See how we handle tile roof replacement in West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens and Wellington, and our tile roofing page. Weighing tile against other roofs? Read tile vs shingle vs metal in 2027, or start with the 2027 Palm Beach County roofing guide.
Get your tile roof priced
Call (561) 318-8624 or request a free roof inspection. We will tell you whether your tile can be reset, show you the photos and put the full scope and price in writing.
Molsbee Roofing, Inc. · Florida license CCC1327429 · Owens Corning Preferred Contractor
