01 / Heritage
Clay that has outlasted its roof
Clay tile can outlast the layers beneath it. Sound clay can often be lifted, set aside and laid again, so the look of the house stays the same.
What it does to the price
Underlayment renewal
Much tile work is renewing the sheet beneath the tile. Fixr puts lift and relay at $3 to $5 per square foot.
Roof size
Price follows the number of squares. Fixr's clay table runs from $12,741 to $46,362 as a roof grows from 1,500 to 3,000 square feet.
02 / Under the tile
What wears out is mostly hidden
Underlayment, battens and flashing do the waterproofing. They age with sun, slope and exposure, and they are where most tile roof estimates spend their money.
What it does to the price
Coastal exposure
Flashing metal and fasteners matter more near the ocean than the tile does.
Tile profile
Mission tile is the least costly clay shape in Fixr's table. French and Riviera cost the most.
03 / Coast and hills
Salt air below, fire maps above
Near the ocean, metal flashing and fasteners take the wear. In the hills, mapped fire hazard zones can bring their own roof rules. Both belong in a written estimate.
What it does to the price
Fire hazard mapping
Hillside and canyon parcels may sit in a mapped zone with added rules. The share of each city differs widely.
City or county permit
Each building department sets its own fees. The City of Ojai lists $388 for a residential re-roof up to 2,000 square feet.