How do I match old roof tiles for a repair or extension?

Matching starts with facts, not colour. Is the tile clay or concrete? Is it plain, a flat rectangle that overlaps in a staggered pattern, or interlocking, with a rolled edge that locks into its neighbour, or a pantile with a curved S profile? Measure its length and width, and check how it is fixed to the batten, by nibs, nails or clips. Lift one carefully, or look at a spare in the garage or loft, and note the thickness, edges and any maker's mark on the back.

Colour comes second, and it is the part that misleads. A tile that has weathered for decades is a different shade from the same tile new, and colour varies within a single batch of handmade clay. Send us clear photos of the front, back and edge of the tile, along with a ruler for scale, and we can usually name the type, or at least narrow it down, before anyone climbs on the roof.

For older roofs, reclaimed stock is often the best match. Salvage dealers sell tiles lifted from demolished buildings, already weathered to a colour no new tile has. Clay is the happy case, because good clay tiles outlast the buildings they sit on and are worth reusing. The Building Conservation Directory notes that clay tiles are often said to have a limited life of around 60 years, yet some peg-tiled roofs are hundreds of years old, so reclaimed clay can serve for many more years.

Reclaimed concrete tiles are less reliable, since they age differently and can be more brittle. Check each batch, and buy a few more than you need, because some always break on handling and during fitting. We would sort them on the ground by condition and shade before they go up, then mix them across the repair area so no one patch looks bright against its surroundings.

When the profile is no longer made and a reclaimed supply is thin, a neat answer is to move tiles around. Sound tiles can be lifted from a slope that is out of sight, such as the back of a rear extension, a lean-to or the inner side of a porch, and relaid where the street can see them. The hidden slope is then re-covered with a good modern match, where colour differences will not show.

This works because the repair stays on the same roof, and it keeps the main elevation looking consistent. It does cost an extra bit of labour, and the quote will reflect that. Compared with re-covering the whole house in a new tile, that is frequently less work, and it makes good use of the materials you already own. Keep the lifted tiles stacked on edge on a firm, level surface until they are relaid, and sort out any that are chipped before the repair begins, so a cracked tile does not go back up where a good one is needed. Check the battens before you reuse the tiles, as rotten timber under a hidden slope is common. Our page on rotten roof battens explains what to look for.

Manufacturers retire ranges, and a repair on a roof that is thirty years old can run into this. If no one stocks your tile, you have four main choices. Hunt for reclaimed stock. Use the nearest current profile on one slope and keep the other slope as it is. Change the whole roof to one new tile so the join does not show. Or, in some cases, change to a different material entirely, such as the route in our page on changing tile to slate.

Changing the covering has consequences. A heavier covering may need checks, and the Planning Portal says Building Regulations approval is required where a new covering raises the roof's weight by 15 per cent or more. Approved Document A speaks of more than 15 per cent. Either way, ask your building control body. Pitch also limits which tiles can replace which, and our page on plain versus interlocking tiles covers how the two families differ.

An extension roof is the usual place to meet this question. You can match the main roof if the pitch allows it, or use a tile suited to the extension's pitch and accept a visible difference. Councils often have views, and a new roof on an extension may be a condition of planning permission, so read the decision notice.

Swapping like for like normally stays outside planning control. A listed building is the exception: listed building consent is needed for changes that touch its character, and a conservation area may bring a council preference for one particular material. Before ordering anything, ask Swindon Borough Council's planning team, or whichever council covers your address.

Pitch also shapes an extension decision. A low lean-to behind a steep house may sit below the minimum for the main roof's tile, which makes a matching tile impossible even when it is in production. In that case a different tile in a similar colour, or a sheet covering out of sight, is a sensible compromise to discuss at survey.

We identify the tile from your photos and from the roof itself, tell you what can be had, and say so plainly when no good match exists. Our survey hands you pictures of your slopes, the price comes in writing, and we guarantee the workmanship for 10 years. Send your tile photos to 01793 626096 on WhatsApp, or browse the pitched roofing hub for related questions.