Key numbers
77 verified hail storms with stones of 1.75 inches or larger reached Travis County, which includes Austin, from 1984 to 2025 in the storm records we keep; the largest measured 5 inches (softball size) on May 20, 2011 (NOAA NCEI).
| Hail storms by decade, 1984 to 2025 | 1980s: 8, 1990s: 16, 2000s: 24, 2010s: 13, 2020s: 16 Source: NOAA NCEI |
|---|---|
| Largest hail | 5 in. (softball), May 20, 2011 Source: NOAA NCEI |
| Costliest hail storm | $160 million insured losses (2006 dollars), April 20, 2006 Source: Insurance Journal |
| 4.89 million | Ceramic or clay tile was the main roofing material on 4.89 million U.S. homes in 2020, and concrete tile on 2.14 million. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2020 |
| Over 50 | NAHB's 2007 study says slate, copper and clay/concrete tile roofs have the longest life expectancy, over 50 years. Source: National Association of Home Builders / Bank of America Home Equity, 2007 |
A storm counts when NOAA lists a report in Travis County. Each hail size is the storm's largest report in the seven Austin-area counties, which may have fallen in a neighboring county, and insured losses cover every area the storm hit.
A tile roof in Austin is a clay, concrete or synthetic tile laid over a waterproof underlayment, and the first question is not color but weight: clay and concrete tile are far heavier than shingles, so the framing has to carry them. Tile handles Central Texas sun and heat well, lasts for decades, and suits the Spanish, Mediterranean and Hill Country homes common around Austin. Inside City of Austin limits, a re-roof that does not change the roof structure is generally exempt from a building permit, but a homeowner in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) area replacing half or more of the roof is not.
Clay, concrete or synthetic
| Tile | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Clay | Kiln-fired clay in barrel (S) or flat profiles. Color is baked in and does not fade. | The classic look on Spanish and Mediterranean homes, when the framing was built for tile. |
| Concrete | Cast concrete in barrel, flat and shake-like profiles. Heavier than clay and less expensive. | Value per square foot on homes already framed for tile. |
| Synthetic | Polymer tile shaped like clay or concrete, at a fraction of the weight. | Getting the tile look on a home framed for shingles. |
The three things that decide a tile project here
- Weight and framing. Moving from shingles to clay or concrete adds thousands of pounds. Austin’s permit exemption covers a new covering only when it does not adversely affect the roof structure, so a switch to heavy tile needs a structural look before it is priced. Synthetic tile usually avoids the question.
- Underlayment under the heat. The tile is rarely what fails. Long summers bake the underlayment beneath it, and leaks start at valleys, walls and penetrations. A tile bid should say which underlayment is used and how valleys and walls are flashed.
- WUI rules on the west side. If your home is in a WUI proximity zone (Zone A within 50 feet of wildland, Zone B from 50 to 150 feet, Zone C out to 1.5 miles from 750 acres or more of wildland), Austin requires a Class A roof assembly, and replacing 50% or more of the roof means replacing all of it. Check your address on the city’s interactive WUI map before you plan a partial job.
Outside Austin the rules change by city. Georgetown requires a permit for every re-roof and requires an existing clay or cement tile roof to be removed before a new covering goes on, and Lakeway requires a permit when a re-roof changes the roof’s material, design or slope.
Repairing an existing tile roof
Cracked or slipped tiles after a hailstorm or a careless satellite install are usually a repair, not a new roof. Matching older clay or concrete profiles can take time, so we photograph the tile and confirm a match before quoting. When the underlayment has failed across the roof, the economical fix is often to lift the tile, replace the underlayment and flashing, and relay the sound tile. If hail cracked many tiles, see Austin storm damage repair.
Cost and comparisons
Tile costs more than shingles and is a long-term choice; see how much a new tile roof costs in Austin. Comparing looks? Slate and metal are the other long-life options, and synthetic cedar suits Hill Country styles. Financing is available if you want to spread the cost.
We are veteran-owned, family-run since 1990, an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor, and have 650+ Google reviews. Call our Austin office at (512) 610-5897 or book a free Austin roof inspection; we reply the same business day.
Sources: City of Austin, Work Exempt from Building Permits; City of Austin, Wildland-Urban Interface Code; City of Georgetown, Re-Roofing Permits; City of Lakeway Code, Section 24.02.081.
