How long do concrete roof tiles last?
Concrete tiles commonly remain serviceable for several decades, but the roof system includes more than the tiles themselves. Fixings, battens, underlay, flashing and installation quality can become limiting factors before the tile material itself has completely failed.
How concrete tiles age
Concrete tiles typically weather at the surface first, losing their original finish and becoming rougher and more absorbent. That change in itself is normal and not a defect.
What matters is whether they are still shedding water, whether they are holding moss and moisture, and whether individual units are cracking or breaking up.
The components underneath
On many older tiled roofs the tiles outlast the underlay, battens and nails beneath them. Sagging underlay visible from the loft, or nail fatigue causing units to slip, points to the roof as a system reaching the end of its service life.
That is why an assessment should include the roof space, not just the outside surface.