Slate roofs in Central Texas, explained

Slate is a fine grained metamorphic rock, quarried, split and cut into tiles of different grades, thicknesses and colors. Natural color varies through grays, greens, purples, reds and blacks, in standard cut, random width or graduated layouts.

Slate is often found on high end and historic homes.

• Heat and fire Slate is natural stone. It does not burn, it resists mold and insects, and it holds up in hot, cold and wet climates.
• Hail Tiles can crack or slip. After a storm, a slate roof is worth an inspection by someone who knows slate.
• Weight and soil Slate is heavy, and the roof structure may need reinforcement before it goes on. Brazos Valley soils include expansive clay, which swells when it takes on water and shrinks as it dries out. A slab that moves takes the structure with it. Ask how the framing and the foundation have held up before adding that weight.
• Repairs Slate work calls for experience with slate specifically.

Texas does not issue a state license for roofing contractors. The Roofing Contractors Association of Texas runs a voluntary program as a trade association, not a government agency, so ask for the things you can check.

• Slate experience How many slate roofs they have installed or worked on, and where you can see one.
• The structure Whether the framing has been checked for the weight, and what reinforcement is proposed, in writing.
• A workmanship warranty in writing The term, what it excludes, and the name of the company that honors it.
• Proof of insurance from the source A certificate of insurance sent to you directly by the agent or carrier, showing general liability and workers compensation.
• What the scope says What comes off, what goes on, how penetrations and flashings are handled, and what happens if the decking underneath is compromised.

If you have this kind of roof or are weighing one, call (979) 406-5431, every day except major holidays, 7:00am to 6:00pm. A roof inspection from us comes as a written report with photographs and no price.

This page explains a roofing material for Texas homeowners. It is a guide, not a list of services.