How Many Roof Tiles for a Roof?
Quick Answer
You need approximately 500–600 tiles for a 50m² roof
Based on: standard interlocking concrete tiles at ~10 tiles per m², including 5–10% wastage
How We Calculated This
Roof tile quantity depends on the tile type, roof area, and pitch. The basic formula is:
- Roof area: 50m² (measured on the slope, not the floor plan)
- Coverage rate: ~10 interlocking concrete tiles per m²
- Base tiles: 50 × 10 = 500 tiles
- With 10% wastage: 500 × 1.1 = 550 tiles
Coverage Rates by Tile Type
- Interlocking concrete tiles: ~10 per m² (e.g., Marley Modern, Redland 49)
- Plain concrete tiles: ~60 per m² (smaller tiles, double-lapped)
- Plain clay tiles: ~60 per m²
- Interlocking clay tiles: ~10–12 per m²
- Slate (600 × 300mm): ~20 per m²
- Large format concrete: ~8 per m²
Measuring Your Roof Area
You must measure the slope area, not the floor-plan footprint. For a simple gable roof, measure the rafter length from ridge to eaves and multiply by the length of the building. For hipped roofs, break each face into rectangles and triangles and sum the areas.
Don’t Forget Accessories
As well as field tiles, you will need:
- Ridge tiles: typically 3 per linear metre of ridge
- Hip tiles: 3 per linear metre of hip
- Verge tiles or dry verge units: for gable ends
- Eaves/starter tiles: one per tile width along the eaves
- Tile and a half tiles: for alternate courses at verges
Wastage Allowance
For a simple gable roof, allow 5% wastage. For complex roofs with hips, valleys, dormers, or rooflights, allow 10–15%to account for cutting and breakages.
Typical UK Costs
- Interlocking concrete tiles: £0.80–£1.50 each
- Plain concrete tiles: £0.40–£0.80 each
- Clay tiles: £1.00–£3.00 each
- Natural slate: £1.50–£5.00 each
Last updated: April 2026