San Clemente, CA
A new roof in San Clemente, priced honestly
The price gap between the cheapest and the most expensive quote on the same roof is routinely forty per cent. That gap is not always quality, and it is never obvious from the paperwork.
Describe the replacement job
Three questions, then the address. Up to three San Clemente contractors who do this work.
Your request is in.
We are matching it now against roofing contractors working in San Clemente and the surrounding area.
- Today, usually within the hour. The first contractor calls or texts the number you gave us. ASAP requests go out first.
- Up to three of them, no more. We cap it at three so you can compare without your phone melting.
- They come and look. Estimates are given after somebody has been on the roof, not over the phone.
- You decide, or you do not. There is nothing to cancel and nothing to pay us.
If you do not hear anything today, check your voicemail and spam folder — contractors often call from a mobile number.
Before you let anybody on the roof
The things worth pinning down on a replacement job. A contractor who has not raised them has not looked properly.
- A written per-sheet price for replacing bad decking
- Tear-off or overlay, and what the local code allows
- Ventilation: what is there now, what it should be
- Which underlayment, and whether ice-and-water goes on the eaves and valleys
- Who pulls the permit, and what the inspection schedule looks like
A proper replacement is a tear-off, not an overlay. Going over the top of the old roof saves money on day one and costs it back at the next replacement, when there are two layers to remove and no way to inspect the deck.
Warranties come in two halves that get deliberately confused. The manufacturer covers the material, and only if it was installed to specification. The contractor covers the workmanship, and only for as long as they stay in business.
The covering is the part you can see and the part everybody quotes on. The parts that decide whether the roof lasts are underlayment, ventilation, drip edge and how the valleys are handled.
Locally
The thing roofers see most often in this market is salt and onshore wind working on the metal long before the covering wears out. Close to the water, fasteners, valley metal, vent collars and gutter hangers corrode years ahead of the tile or shingle they hold down. Wind then finds whatever the corrosion loosened.
About replacement here
I rent. Can I use this?
Only the owner can approve roofing work. If you are renting, the fastest route is to send this to your landlord or property manager rather than gathering quotes nobody can act on.
Can I stay in the house while it is done?
Yes, though it is loud, and things will fall off shelves in the garage. Move cars out of the driveway and take anything fragile off the walls of the top floor.
How long does a re-roof take?
A straightforward asphalt roof on an average house is one to three days. Tile, slate and complex rooflines take longer, and weather stops work more often than anything else.
What wind rating do I need?
Ratings assume correct nailing, correct starter course and correct edge metal. Most wind failures are installation failures. Ask how the perimeter is detailed.