Funny thing, I’ve actually swapped out “big name” tiles for budget ones more times than I can count, just because the install was botched the first time. You can have the fanciest tile in the world, but if the flashing and underlayment aren’t dialed in, you’re still gonna get leaks. I’m with you on synthetic underlayment—it’s saved a couple of my clients during those freak hailstorms we get out here.
About birdstops...yeah, it’s wild what ends up living under loose tiles. Found a possum once—don’t recommend. Mesh is decent for critters, but like you said, raccoons are basically furry lockpicks.
On brands: Eagle and Boral seem to hold up pretty well in my area (I’m in Texas), but again, it really comes down to who’s putting them on. I’ve seen off-brand stuff last 30 years when the crew knew their stuff. Definitely read that warranty fine print—some of those “lifetime” warranties only cover materials if you squint at the details.
Best advice? Ask your installer what roofs they’ve done locally and go look at them—weather tells the real story over time.
You can have the fanciest tile in the world, but if the flashing and underlayment aren’t dialed in, you’re still gonna get leaks.
Couldn’t agree more. I went with a “fancy” brand on my last house thinking it’d be set for life... Fast forward to the first Texas thunderstorm and I had buckets in my living room. Ended up replacing half the roof with cheaper tiles, but a much better crew. Honestly, the install made all the difference—no leaks since, and I saved enough to finally get that backyard grill. If I had to do it again, I’d spend more time vetting the crew than picking a brand.
Honestly, the install made all the difference—no leaks since, and I saved enough to finally get that backyard grill.
I hear you on the crew making or breaking a roof, but I’ve seen some “budget” tiles just crumble after a couple hailstorms. Maybe it’s a Texas thing, but the brand still matters for longevity, especially with our weather swings. Had a neighbor go cheap on both install and tile—looked fine for a year, then started cracking everywhere. I’d say it’s a balance: solid crew, but don’t skimp too much on the tile itself if you want it to last.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve seen even the higher-end tiles fail when the underlayment or flashing wasn’t done right. In my area (Colorado), we get wild hail too, and sometimes it’s more about how the layers underneath are prepped than just the tile brand. Not saying go cheap, but I wouldn’t put all my eggs in the “premium tile” basket either. A solid install really does most of the heavy lifting, at least in my experience.
Yeah, I’ve seen the same thing—doesn’t matter how fancy the tile is if the underlayment or flashing is sloppy. Out here in Texas, we get those wild storms too, and honestly, the install crew makes or breaks it. When I manage a reroof, I always check that they’re using ice & water shield in the valleys and double-check the flashing around chimneys and vents. Good tile brands like Ludowici or Eagle are solid, but if the prep’s off, you’ll still end up with leaks or blow-offs. Learned that one the hard way a few years back...
