Tile roof repair that preserves your roof — and your money.
Not every tile roof needs a full replacement — many need underlayment repair beneath sound tile. The McGilvary family has been licensed roofing contractors in Palm Beach County since 1974, and that is the work we specialize in: failed underlayment, discontinued-tile matching, valley and flashing rebuilds, and honest repair-vs-replace assessments across Palm Beach County.
Accredited · Certified · Recognized · Licensed Roofing Family Since 1974
Your tiles aren't the problem — the underlayment beneath them is.
Concrete and clay roof tiles can last 50 years or longer with proper installation and maintenance. Underlayment life depends on the material, installation and exposure; we determine its condition by inspection, not by age. When the tile is sound and the underlayment beneath it has failed, a targeted repair or rebuild can address the failure without a full replacement.
We remove your existing tiles, install modern synthetic underlayment to current Florida Building Code, and reinstall your tiles (plus matched replacements where needed) — extending the roof's useful life for far less than a full tear-off. If your tiles are genuinely shot, we'll tell you that too.
What actually goes wrong on a South Florida tile roof.
Broken & cracked tiles
Falling branches, foot traffic, thermal stress, and age make tiles brittle and crack them. The hard part isn't replacing them — it's matching discontinued profiles. We source from manufacturer archives and architectural salvage, and place near-matches on hidden roof planes.
Underlayment failure
Your roof's waterproofing is the membrane beneath the tiles, not the tiles themselves. Underlayment life depends on the material, installation and exposure; we determine its condition by inspection, not by age. Water stains in several areas at once, attic moisture, and a musty smell are the warning signs — and the reason we specialize in re-underlayment.
Tile slippage & displacement
Older wire- or mortar-set tiles loosen over time and slip in hurricane-force wind, opening paths for wind-driven rain. We re-secure tiles with mechanical fasteners meeting current Florida wind-uplift code — stopping the progressive failure where one loose tile becomes many.
Valley & flashing deterioration
Valleys and flashings at walls, chimneys, and penetrations are a tile roof's most vulnerable points. Metal corrodes in salt air, sealants fail under UV. We replace valley metal, install proper counterflashing, and seal penetrations — typically $2,500–$8,000 to prevent $15,000+ in interior damage.
Everything a clay or concrete tile roof needs — without the upsell.
We repair both clay and concrete tile systems across Palm Beach County, from 1920s Mediterranean estates to modern Spanish Colonial homes — with an honest repair-vs-replace recommendation every time.
- Individual tile replacement & color matching
- Underlayment replacement under existing tiles
- Valley metal replacement (marine-grade for coastal)
- Flashing repairs at walls, chimneys & penetrations
- Tile re-securing to current wind-uplift codes
- Ridge-cap replacement & 24/7 emergency tile repair
Different tiles, different repair playbooks.
Tile type changes everything — cost, brittleness, sourcing, and how we walk and fasten the roof. We work across all of them.
Clay tile
Color runs through the body of the tile. Clay becomes brittle with age, so we walk it on boards. Historic glazed and custom shapes may need salvage sourcing.
Concrete tile
Found on many modern Palm Beach County homes, with a look similar to clay. Its surface coating wears and its color can fade; it's heavier, so older structures get evaluated before major work.
Barrel & S-tile
High-profile curves that define Mediterranean architecture. Two-piece barrels allow easy single-tile swaps; walking requires weight distribution to avoid cracking ridges. Closure pieces often need custom sourcing.
Flat tile
Low-profile, contemporary look. Needs a steeper pitch and perfect edge alignment — one misaligned tile creates a water-entry point. Fastening discipline matters more without a curved interlock.
Historic & custom
Palm Beach historic districts require period-appropriate repairs. We work with salvage dealers and custom manufacturers (12–20 week reproductions) and help navigate architectural-review-board approval.
Underlayment rebuilds
When the tile is sound and the underlayment beneath it has failed, we remove the tile, rebuild the underlayment and reinstall your existing tile. See tile roof preservation.
Specialized technique — so we fix the roof without breaking the tiles.
Free inspection
We walk the roof on weight-distributing boards, photograph broken tiles, and use attic thermal imaging to find hidden underlayment moisture — then tell you honestly whether you need a repair or a replacement.
Tile matching
We photograph and measure your tiles and source matches — common profiles in days, discontinued in 3–6 weeks, custom reproductions in 8–12 weeks — with cost options from "close enough" to exact.
Detailed proposal
A written estimate separating tile, labor, underlayment, valley/flashing, and structural work — with minimum, recommended, and comprehensive options, timeline, and warranty all spelled out.
Expert repair
Tiles staged and numbered, failed underlayment fully replaced to code, marine-grade valley metal, proper mechanical fasteners — backed by full photo documentation and a 2-year workmanship warranty.
No price list. A written scope.
What a repair costs depends on what the inspection finds. You get a written scope before any work is quoted.
Under Florida's Roof Age Law (§627.7011), a documented repair and, when the roof qualifies, a 5-Year Roof Certification may be useful when an insurer reviews the roof.
Tile specialists from a McGilvary roofing family licensed since 1974 — not general roofers guessing.
Tile specialists
The McGilvary family has been licensed roofing contractors in Palm Beach County since 1974, working on everything from historic clay Mediterranean estates to modern concrete systems. We know the walking, staging, and fastening techniques that preserve tiles; general roofers crack them.
Honest underlayment specialists
Re-underlayment under existing tile is labor-intensive, and we specialize in it because it keeps sound tile on the roof — and we won't push a replacement your roof doesn't need.
A real tile-sourcing network
Relationships with major manufacturers (Eagle, Boral, Hanson, Ludowici), nationwide architectural salvage, and custom reproduction shops — so we solve matches other contractors call "impossible."
Licensed, verified & proven
Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC1331721 (active since 2018), BBB A+, a BuildZoom score of 107 (94th percentile, Top 6% in Florida), 5.0 stars across 500+ Google reviews, and a 2-year workmanship warranty under our written warranty terms.
Tile work often connects to the rest of the roof — explore roof rebuilds, leak repairs, a free roof inspection, or a 5-Year Certification.
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Palm Beach County tile roof questions, answered.
How much does tile roof repair cost in Palm Beach County?
How long do tile roofs last in Florida?
Can you match my existing tiles if some need replacing?
Should I repair or replace my tile roof?
What causes tile roofs to leak in South Florida?
Will insurance cover tile roof repairs in Florida?
Find out what your tile roof actually needs — before you replace it.
A free, documented tile roof inspection from a family-owned Palm Beach County craftsman, carrying forward a McGilvary family roofing legacy licensed since 1974. We'll show you exactly what we find — and whether a repair is the right call.
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