A new clay tile roof costs $8–$22 per square foot installed, concrete tile $7–$19, natural slate $15–$30, and cedar shake $5.50–$13.50. On a 25-square roof (2,500 ft²) that is $20,000–$55,000 for clay, $17,500–$47,500 for concrete, $37,500–$75,000 for natural slate and $13,750–$33,750 for cedar shake. Replacing only the underlayment and relaying the existing tiles costs $3–$5 per ft², or $7,500–$12,500 on the same roof.
Below: prices by material, why the underlayment is often the part that needs replacing, single-tile and single-slate repairs, and the weight and removal costs that belong in the quote.
Installed prices, not a quote. Sources are listed at the end.
Price by material
| Material | Per ft² installed | 25-square roof | Typical life |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clay tile | $8–$22 | $20,000–$55,000 | about 100 years |
| Concrete tile | $7–$19 | $17,500–$47,500 | up to 50 years |
| Natural slate | $15–$30 | $37,500–$75,000 | 75–200 years, soft to hard slate |
| Synthetic slate | $9–$15 | $22,500–$37,500 | about 50 years |
| Cedar shake | $5.50–$13.50 | $13,750–$33,750 | up to 50 years |
Published ranges for slate run wider still: This Old House gives $10–$45 per ft² installed.
For comparison, architectural asphalt shingles run $380–$900 per square installed; see roof replacement cost.
Replacing the underlayment, keeping the tiles
Clay tile and slate usually last far longer than the underlayment beneath them. The underlayment on a tile roof needs replacing about every 20–30 years, and a leaking tile roof with sound tiles is usually an underlayment problem.
The fix is often called a lift-and-relay: the crew removes the tiles, replaces the underlayment and reinstalls the same tiles. It costs $3–$5 per ft², including removal, new underlayment and reinstallation, with about 10% tile breakage allowed for. On a 2,000 ft² roof that is $6,000–$10,000; on 2,500 ft², $7,500–$12,500.
That is a fraction of a new clay roof on the same area. Ask the contractor how broken tiles will be matched, since salvaged or matching tiles for older profiles can take time to find.
The underlayment material itself runs $0.50–$2 per ft²; the rest of the lift-and-relay price is the labor of removing and relaying tile. Underlayment types are compared in synthetic vs felt underlayment.
Replacing individual tiles and slates
| Repair | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Cracked clay or concrete tile | $25–$50 per tile |
| Tile roof repair, typical job | $900–$2,300, about $1,800 on average |
| Individual slate | $50–$200 per slate |
| Slate roof repair, typical job | $300–$1,500, about $900 on average |
| Flashing on a slate roof | $200–$1,000 |
Walking on tile or slate breaks it, so a crew that knows the material matters more than on a shingle roof. When several repairs are needed across the roof and the tiles are sound, pricing a lift-and-relay alongside the repairs shows which is the better spend. The general tests are in repair or replace a roof.
Weight and structure
Natural slate weighs 1,000–2,000 lb per square, many times the weight of asphalt shingles. Moving from asphalt to slate or tile usually needs an engineer's check of the rafters, and structural reinforcement for slate costs $1,000–$10,000 when needed.
Replacing slate with slate, or tile with tile, on a structure built for it does not raise this question. Metal is the common lighter alternative for long service life; see metal roof vs shingles cost.
Removal, permits and slope
- Removing an old clay tile roof: about $186 per square, or $4,650 on 25 squares.
- Removing an old slate roof: $50–$150 per square.
- Permits: up to about $500.
- Minimum slope: clay tile is not installed on slopes under 2½/12. How to measure roof pitch shows how to check a roof.
Cedar shake
Cedar shakes cost $5.50–$13.50 per ft² installed and cedar shingles $4.50–$9, with a national average of about $14,250 for a cedar shake roof (typically $11,000–$17,500). Installation labor alone runs $2–$5 per ft².
Cedar lasts up to about 50 years when installed and maintained properly, and it needs more maintenance than tile, slate or asphalt. In wildfire-prone areas, check local code before choosing wood, since some jurisdictions restrict roof coverings by fire rating.
The short version
- New roof per ft² installed: clay $8–$22, concrete $7–$19, natural slate $15–$30, synthetic slate $9–$15, cedar shake $5.50–$13.50.
- Leaking tile roof with sound tiles: price a lift-and-relay first, $3–$5 per ft².
- Cracked tile $25–$50 each; slate $50–$200 each.
- Moving to slate or tile from asphalt needs a structural check.
- Add removal and permit lines when comparing quotes.
Where these numbers come from
- Clay, concrete and slate installed per ft² (This Old House figures), underlayment material and lifespans for clay, concrete and slate: This Old House, tile roof cost, updated April 10, 2026.
- Natural and synthetic slate per ft², slate weight, slate removal and reinforcement: Fixr, slate roof cost, updated January 21, 2026.
- Clay tile removal, permits and minimum slope: Fixr, clay tile roof cost, updated August 29, 2025.
- Lift-and-relay cost, breakage allowance and underlayment replacement interval: Fixr, roof underlayment replacement cost, updated January 31, 2025.
- Tile repair and cracked tile prices: Fixr, tile roof repair cost, updated January 31, 2025.
- Slate repair, per-slate and flashing prices: Fixr, slate roof repair cost, updated January 31, 2025.
- Cedar shake and cedar shingle prices, labor and lifespan: Fixr, cedar shake roof cost, updated January 31, 2025.
- Totals for 25 squares: calculated from the per-ft² ranges above.