Separate the visible tile from the weather-shedding system below
Assess Broken or Slipped Roof Tile
Determine whether visible tile movement is isolated or evidence of a wider assembly condition.
Document the actual condition
A cracked, displaced, or missing clay or concrete tile is visible evidence, but it does not establish the condition of underlayment, battens, fastening, or nearby flashing. Use ground-level zoom photos and safe attic observations. Walking tile to improve the record can break additional units and should be left to qualified personnel.
Set the inspection questions
The roofer should examine the surrounding field, attachment method, water-shedding laps, debris paths, and exposed layers before calling the work a simple tile swap. Record product markings and stored spares, but verify profile, dimensions, interlock, color, and condition; an extra tile is not proof of compatibility.
Write a comparable scope
The proposal should state where and how many tiles are expected to be lifted, replaced, relocated, or salvaged; how incidental breakage is handled; and what happens if a match is unavailable. Closeout should include the opened underlayment area and final fastening detail, not only a picture of the finished surface.
Preserve the decision record
Inventory field, ridge, hip, rake, and other trim pieces separately because one profile does not establish that every roof location can be matched. Ask how lifted tiles will be staged and how fragile neighboring pieces will be protected. The finished record should identify any conspicuous color variation without promising an exact visual match.
- Separate field tile from ridge, hip, and rake pieces
- Verify profile fit before promising stored tile can be used