Concrete vs. clay — what’s right for your house

Both have their place. Here’s how we walk Miami homeowners through it:

Concrete tile. Heavier, less expensive, available in any color and profile. 50+ year lifespan when sealed properly. Most Miami-Dade single-family homes get concrete. Excellent value.

Clay tile. Lighter (counterintuitively), more expensive, doesn’t fade. The classic Spanish barrel look — iconic in Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, and Miami Beach historic districts. 75+ year lifespan. Premium choice.

Profiles we install: S-tile (the curved Mediterranean look), flat tile (modern slate-look), and traditional barrel tile (two-piece, hand-laid). All are HVHZ-approved.

Why most tile roofs fail early

Tile itself almost never fails — it’s rated for 50+ years and laughs at hurricanes. What fails is the underlayment underneath, because most installers use the wrong product, don’t double-layer in valleys, or skip the secondary water barrier required by code.

On every Duke tile install:

Self-adhered, peel-and-stick base layer (no nails through your water barrier)
Full HVHZ-approved underlayment system, not the cheap stuff
Double-layer in valleys, around penetrations, and at hips/ridges
Approved fastening pattern (foam-set, mechanically attached, or mortar-set depending on slope)
Birdstop closures at eaves to keep critters out
50-year manufacturer warranty + 10-year Duke workmanship

Tile re-roof timeline & cost

A 2,500 sq ft single-family tile re-roof in Miami-Dade typically runs $28,000–$48,000 for concrete tile, $36,000–$62,000 for clay. Timeline is 5–8 working days depending on weather, deck condition, and complexity.

For historic homes in Coral Gables or Coconut Grove, we source matching old-stock tile when the architectural review board requires it. This is a Duke specialty — we’ve got connections to most of the clay tile salvage yards in South Florida.

Areas we serve

We install and service tile roofing across all of Miami-Dade County and Broward County, including Miami, Hialeah, Coral Gables, Doral, Kendall, Homestead, Miami Beach, Aventura, North Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Pembroke Pines, Hollywood, Davie, Plantation, Sunrise, Pompano Beach, Coral Springs, Miramar, and Weston.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a tile roofing project take?

Most tile roofing projects on a single-family Miami home are completed in 3–8 working days, depending on size, pitch, and deck condition. Commercial projects vary by square footage. We give you a written schedule before we start.

Do you handle the permits?

Yes — every Duke project includes Miami-Dade or Broward County permits, scheduling of the required city/county inspections, and final close-out documentation for your records and insurance carrier.

What warranty do you offer?

As a GAF Certified contractor we can offer manufacturer warranties up to 50 years on most tile roofing systems. Every Duke project also comes with our own 10-year workmanship warranty.

Do you offer financing?

Yes. We offer 0% APR for 18 months, low-monthly-payment plans, and no-money-down options. See our financing page for current programs.

Tile Roofing