A single cracked concrete tile can let 5+ gallons through during
a single 1.5" monsoon storm. The leak point isn't always
obvious — water spreads laterally under the tile until it finds
the underlayment + then the deck.
When you can DIY (and when you can't)
DIY safe IF:
- Pitch is 4/12 or shallower (gentle slope)
- You're swapping ONE tile, no surrounding damage
- You have a replacement tile on hand
- Weather is dry, day is mild
- You can stand on a ladder, not on the tile itself
Call a pro IF:
- Pitch is 6/12+ (steep)
- Multiple adjacent tiles cracked
- Tile color discontinued (need pro to source matching)
- You'd be standing ON the tile to do the work
- Mortar bedded ridges involved
The 60-minute procedure (single tile, low pitch)
Materials: replacement tile, slate ripper or pry bar, gloves,
safety glasses.
- Lift surrounding tiles. Use slate ripper to gently lift
the tiles ABOVE the cracked one to expose the nail/clip
holding the cracked tile.
- Remove the cracked tile. Pull straight up. Don't twist.
- Inspect underlayment. If wet/damaged, you need a pro.
- Slide replacement into place. Make sure it sits flat,
overlapping correctly with neighbors.
- Re-secure with original-style fastener (clip, nail, or
mortar bed depending on roof type).
- Re-set surrounding tiles. Should drop into place if you
didn't disturb them too much.
Total time: 30-60 minutes for a moderately experienced DIYer.
What goes wrong
- Cracking adjacent tiles while removing the broken one (most
common; doubles your work)
- Disturbing underlayment — small tears compound; if you see
damaged underlayment, stop + call pro
- Wrong replacement tile — concrete vs clay, wrong color/
profile
Cost comparison
| Option | Cost |
|--------|------|
| DIY single tile (you have a spare) | $0-$25 |
| Pro single tile replacement | $250-$400 |
| Multiple-tile + underlayment repair | $800-$1,800 |