# Roofs in Viseu: granite, frost, lusa tile and the Viseu Habita programme > Roofs in Viseu, with sources: IPMA climate, the historic-centre tiles, the safeguard regulation and the Viseu Habita programme. - Page: https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/roofs-viseu - Language: English - Updated: 2026-11-02 ## The roofs of Viseu Viseu has 37,758 buildings in the 2021 Census. 12.7% date from before 1961 and 78.2% were built by 2000. 4.7% need deep repair, against 4.6% nationally. A University of Coimbra dissertation studied 74 buildings in four blocks of the historic centre (Praça Dom Duarte). Pitched roofs with two slopes predominate, with canudo or Marselha tile, an external gutter and a simple eave course. For covering, lusa tile appears in 50% of cases, Marselha in 25% and canudo in 16%. Lusa tile was the most used in repairs. It is a sample from one neighbourhood, not the whole town. The 2010 Guide to the rehabilitation of the Historic Centre of Viseu describes traditional Beira Alta construction: granite and a tile roof on a timber structure, with eaves projecting over the street, suited to a rainy region. We read a copy hosted on a third-party site. ## Buildings (INE Census 2021) - 37758 buildings counted in Viseu - 12.7% built before 1961; 78.2% built up to 2000 - 4.7% with deep repair needs (whole building, not only the roof) - Antes de 1919: 817 (2.2%) - 1919-1945: 1705 (4.5%) - 1946-1960: 2278 (6.0%) - 1961-1980: 9573 (25.4%) - 1981-1990: 7086 (18.8%) - 1991-2000: 8066 (21.4%) - 2001-2005: 4062 (10.8%) - 2006-2010: 2754 (7.3%) - 2011-2015: 631 (1.7%) - 2016-2021: 786 (2.1%) Source: INE, Census 2021, indicator 0011482, updated 2022-11-12. CC BY. ## Rain, wind and sun At the IPMA station in Viseu (1991-2020; altitude 644 m) average rainfall is 1,257.7 mm a year, with peaks from October to January, and the mean temperature is 13.9 °C. There are 101.7 days a year with 1 mm of rain or more, 41.6 with 10 mm or more and 10.0 with 30 mm or more. The heaviest daily fall was 114.7 mm, on 16 September 2015. Viseu has frost: 9.2 days a year with a minimum below 0 °C (3.0 in January and 3.1 in February), and -6.8 °C on 1 March 2005. It is the only municipality on this list above 600 metres. Heavy rain, ice and eaves that project over the street come together here. ## Houses and roofs - In the historic centre two-slope roofs with lusa, Marselha or canudo tile predominate, according to a sample of 74 buildings. A safeguard regulation exists which, according to a 2018 thesis, admits only red clay canudo or aba-canudo tile. - In granite houses the eaves project over the street. With 9 frost days a year, the chosen tile must stand ice, and the timber of the eaves should be checked when the tile is lifted. ## Rules and permits According to a 2018 dissertation, the Regulation for the Safeguard and Revitalisation of the Historic Centre of Viseu (Edital 368/2002), article 13, allows only red clay canudo or aba-canudo tile, bans fibre-cement, plastic and concrete tile, and requires painted metal gutters and downpipes of round section. We did not read the official text and do not know whether it is in force. We did not read Viseu's PDM or the rules of the Núcleo Histórico Central rehabilitation area. In the historic centre, check with the council what applies to your building before ordering tile. https://estudogeral.uc.pt/handle/10316/98047 ## Viseu Habita and the 2026 storms The Viseu Habita programme (regulation of September 2024) gives non-repayable grants to families in need for buildings over 40 years old. Repairing or replacing the roof with materials of the same nature, with gutters and downpipes, gets a contribution of up to 6 times the IAS (7 times with an energy-efficiency improvement). Applications run from 15 January to 15 March each year, unless the council decides otherwise: the 2026 window has closed. It pays 30% after approval and 70% after the final inspection. Natural disasters are a priority case. Viseu is not among the 22 additional municipalities of Despacho 2389-A/2026 on storm Kristin, nor in the table of eligible municipalities we consulted. We found no official source on roof damage. ## Sources - [IPMA, normal Viseu](https://www.ipma.pt/bin/file.data/climate-normal/cn_91-20_VISEU.pdf) - [University of Coimbra, dissertation on the historic centre](https://estudogeral.sib.uc.pt/handle/10316/98047) - [Viseu council, Viseu Habita regulation](https://cm-viseu.pt/fotos/documentos_ficheiros/regulamento_viseu_habita_5set2024_203358162166d9f15e90de5.pdf) - [Guide to the rehabilitation of the Viseu Historic Centre (2010)](https://jbaganha.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/01_guia_reabilitacao_centrohistorico_brochura.pdf) - [INE, Census 2021 (0011482)](https://www.ine.pt/ine/json_indicador/pindica.jsp?op=2&varcd=0011482&lang=EN) ## FAQ ### Does the Viseu Habita programme pay for the roof? Yes, for families in need in buildings over 40 years old: repairing or replacing the roof gets a contribution of up to 6 times the IAS, and up to 7 with an energy improvement. Applications run from 15 January to 15 March, unless the council decides otherwise, and the 2026 one has closed. ### How many frost days does Viseu have? At the Viseu station (IPMA, 1991-2020) there are 9.2 days a year with a minimum below 0 °C, and the lowest recorded was -6.8 °C on 1 March 2005. ### What tile is on the historic centre of Viseu? In a sample of 74 buildings at Praça Dom Duarte, lusa tile appears in 50%, Marselha in 25% and canudo in 16%. It is a study of one area, not a rule for all. ### May I fit concrete or fibre-cement tile in the historic centre of Viseu? According to a 2018 dissertation, the safeguard regulation (art. 13) bans fibre-cement, plastic and concrete tile and admits only red clay canudo or aba-canudo tile. We did not confirm the official text or that it is in force. Ask the council first. --- Source: https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/roofs-viseu. Independent information, not legal or tax advice.