Tile Lift-and-Relay Cost: What's in the Price
A lift-and-relay, or tile reset, prices the labor of taking the tile off and putting it back, plus what goes under it: the old underlayment off and new on, the flashings at walls, chimneys, skylights and valleys renewed, any rotted deck replaced, the edges fastened and closed, and replacement tile for what's cracked or breaks. The 2025 Cost vs. Value report, which gives Los Angeles figures for shingle and metal re-roofs, doesn't price tile work. What moves a reset's price is mostly how much tile has to be replaced and whether it can be matched, the underlayment, how many flashings the roof has, and the deck. In the City of Los Angeles, a reset takes an express permit as its own item and doesn't have to meet the cool-roof rule. LADBS records show 168 to 236 such permits a year for houses since 2023, and from 2021 through 2024 the ones that closed took a median 35 days from issue to final, against 24 days for other house re-roofs. This page sets out the lines as of October 2026.
Whether a roof needs a reset at all is decided in tile roof repair, lift-and-relay or replacement, and how a reset compares with new tile on cost in tile roof replacement cost in Los Angeles.
What a reset includes, line by line
A reset quote should name each of these, because each one is priced.
| Line | What's done | What to look for in the quote |
|---|---|---|
| Tile off | Lifted, sorted and stacked | Where the tile is kept and how it's protected |
| Old underlayment | Removed to the deck and hauled away | Disposal included |
| Deck | Checked while it's bare; rotted boards or panels replaced | A price per sheet and a written change order |
| New underlayment | Laid by slope: a double layer from 2½:12 to 4:12 (CRC R905.3.2) | The product named and the layers stated |
| Battens | Where the tile hangs on battens | New or reused |
| Flashings | Walls, chimneys, skylights, valleys and pipes | Each one listed, new or reused |
| Replacement tile | For cracked or broken pieces, which can't go back on (R908.5) | How many pieces are included, and from where |
| Edges and ridges | Edge tiles fastened to current rules (R905.3.7, R905.3.8); eave closures; hips and ridges reset | Fastening and closures named |
| Permit | LADBS express permit, item 23 | Who pulls it and calls the final inspection |
| Solar | The array off and back, if there is one | Its own line |
How rotted decking is papered is in rotted roof decking and your estimate, and the underlayment choices in when to replace tile underlayment.
What moves the price from roof to roof
- Replacement tile and matching. Cracked and broken tile can't be reinstalled, and some breaks in handling. If the profile is still made, current production fills the gaps; if it isn't, salvage or a blend set on the least visible slopes, as described in Spanish tile roof care. On our 2026 Canoga Park reset, replacement tile, ridge cap and rake were ordered in advance and matched from physical samples.
- Size and shape. The squares of roof, and the hips, valleys and walls where tile is cut and flashed.
- The underlayment. The product and the number of layers the slope calls for.
- The deck. What turns up once the old underlayment is off; if it needs new sheathing, the permit is rewritten.
- A fire zone. Whether a relay counts as replacing the covering under the fire rules, which can add a cap sheet, bird stops and mortared caps on S and barrel tile, is a question for the building department before the job is priced.
- Solar on the roof. The array comes off and goes back, with tile hooks or replacement flashings at each mount.
The permit, and what LADBS records show
In the City of Los Angeles, removing roof tiles, applying new underlayment and resetting them is item 23 on LADBS's express-permit list, issued without plan check, and the bulletin states that cool roof compliance isn't required for it. A new tile roof is a different case: tile that weighs 6 pounds per square foot or more is off the express list, and replacing more than half the roof brings in the city's own cool-roof rule anywhere in the City of Los Angeles (LAMC 99.04.106.5; a re-roof where solar is being installed is exempt from it), and the state's rule in much of the region.
| Year | Permits |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 28 |
| 2022 | 90 |
| 2023 | 209 |
| 2024 | 236 |
| 2025 | 168 |
From 2021 through 2024, the tile resets whose permits reached a final inspection took a median 35 days from issue to final, and a quarter took more than 70. Other house re-roof permits issued in the same years took a median 24 days, a quarter more than 50. The counts are from our analysis of LADBS re-roof permits; the days are our arithmetic on the same records, downloaded October 5, 2026.
A reset next to new tile
A reset reuses the tile, so apart from replacement pieces there's no new tile to buy, and in the City of Los Angeles it's an express permit without the cool-roof rule. Whether it costs less than new tile on a given roof depends on how much tile is cracked, whether it can be matched and what the deck needs, which is why we priced a full re-roof and a reset side by side on our 2026 Canoga Park job before choosing the reset.
Our resets
- Canoga Park, 2026. 26 squares of flat concrete tile taken off, new underlayment laid and the same tile put back, with the roofing permit issued February 10 and the building department release on March 5; along the way, an inspection correction was answered with a re-inspection request the same day, and a supplemental permit made the permit's work description match the work on the roof (the case).
- Burbank, 2023. About 300 square feet of tile lifted and stacked, the underlayment and flashings under it replaced, and the same tile set back; we inspected the leaking section on August 31 and finished on September 27 (the case).
Frequently asked
How much does a tile lift-and-relay cost in Los Angeles?
Is a lift-and-relay cheaper than a new tile roof?
How much tile breaks in a lift-and-relay?
Does a tile reset need a permit in Los Angeles?
How long does a tile reset take from permit to final?
Related reading
Sources & methodology
Code sections, rules and figures on this page come from the primary sources below. Codes, local requirements and product terms change; each was verified October 14, 2026.
- Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, Express Permits (No Plan Check Required), Information Bulletin P/GI 2026-003, effective January 1,…
- LADBS, Building and Safety: Building Permits Issued from 2020 to Present (Los Angeles Open Data, dataset pi9x-tg5x), downloaded October 5, 2026
- California Residential Code 2025, Chapter 9, Roof Assemblies (R905.3.2, R905.3.7, R905.3.8, R908.5)
- Journal of Light Construction, 2025 Cost vs. Value Report, Los Angeles, California
- Los Angeles Municipal Code, Section 99.04.106.5, Cool Roof for Reduction of Heat Island Effect (as amended by Ordinance 187,208)
We price the reset line by line
Call (323) 844-7777. We lift tiles where there's a reason to look, count what's cracked, check the underlayment and the deck, and write the reset as line items, from replacement tile to flashings, next to the price of new tile. Have ready the address and photos of the roof.
Prepared by Cali Energy, October 14, 2026. This article is for general educational purposes only and is not legal, tax, financial, engineering, or utility advice. Rates, incentives, codes, permit requirements, equipment specifications, prices, and program terms may change; figures and timelines are estimates, not guarantees. Confirm current requirements with the applicable utility, AHJ, program administrator, manufacturer, or a licensed professional. See our Content Disclaimer. Cali Energy · 19201 Parthenia St, Unit E, Northridge, CA 91324 · CSLB #1032379 (B, C-10, C-39)