We’re in the middle of building a small office building in our back garden and have just had the roof tiles put on. I’m no expert but to my eyes it looks pretty ropey, but I don’t know what specifically I should be complaining about other than just gesturing in the roof’s general direction. I mean I’m pretty sure they should all lay flat and interlock with each other, and I can’t see silicone sealant being industry standard. I would be grateful if someone could cast an eye over the photos and give me a list to go back to the roofer with.

Im not a roofer but have a fair few barns with pan tiles, and fixed them over the years….

Are those clay? Or some plastic/resin?

I end up with that effect when either a. the tiles arent the identical same sizes or b. the spacing isnt quite right.

However from the photo (i havent done a new roof – only ‘old’ roofs with clay pan tiles – reclaimed or otherwise). The tiles look plastic? and look like they dont have the individual weight to interlock together. Deformed tiles perhaps causing the edges to ‘curl up’?

As for the sealant, seems to be the rage these days, seem to use it everywhere even to stick down occasional loose slate tiles IMHO. However, the should maybe be using it to make watertight places where ingress is possible. Your roof looks like theyre using it to stick down deformities

I’d agree. On first glance it looks ok but those tiles with the vertical gaps at the side are crap, wind will pick them up. Silicone shouldn’t be anywhere near a roof.

If the roof structure is new I can’t see any excuse for the tiles not laying flat. Some of those cut pieces of tile around the sloping valley look well dodgy. What’s the valley lined with? I would expect lead (ideally), zinc or grp. That looks like felt.

Those gaps don’t look too bad really. I have much larger gaps in places in a very exposed location and they don’t lift. But on a new roof I wouldn’t be happy.

Silicone, just no.

And some of those tiny triangle bits look like they could fall out. Is that what the silicone is for, to hold the little bits in?

It’s a brand new roof, tiles are allegedly brand new Sandtoft Neo Plus clay pantiles so not the cheapest, the ones on the edge of the eaves and the ridge are plastic. They have at least used lead for the valley…

And why have they had to cut such a short strip on the gable end, surely you start from there with a new row. Edit, oh I see that is the straight section, you have to start at one end.

Man I hate pan tiles. I’ve just done a planning application for a modern extension on a listed building. Incidental to the extension I included some roof repairs. The only thing the planners have picked up so far is obsessing over replacement pan tiles.