Most of us ignore our roof until there are signs of an issue, and this will often occur when it starts raining. Once the water starts dripping from the ceiling, you know there’s a problem. Regardless of whether your roof is already leaking or you’re planning ahead, the first thing homeowners usually want to know is the roof replacement cost in Los Angeles or Southern California.
Here at GreatBuildz, a free service that connects homeowners in Los Angeles, Orange County, Ventura & San Diego with reliable roofing contractors, we get inquiries every day about roofing costs in the area– here are some key points you need to know.
What is the cost to replace a roof in Los Angeles?
The average cost of a new roof in Los Angeles is $8,000 to $30,000. This is a big range of pricing, and your cost could be higher or lower depending on a number of variables. The first thing to consider is counter-intuitive: roof replacement costs on a larger house will often be less than on a smaller house. Let me explain: If you have a single-story house, the size of your roof is often bigger than on a two-story house (which only has one roof that covers both stories).
With that being said, a second or third-story roof is obviously higher and might be harder to access, so labor costs could increase to some extent. Also, roofs with a steeper pitch could require extra safety precautions for the roofer, adding to the cost. Finally, homes with complicated roofs would be more expensive as they require more labor and materials to deal with items like multiple chimneys, skylights, dormers or protruding bay windows, extra flashing or valleys/gutters, etc.
When a roofer gives you an estimate to replace a roof, it will generally encompass all aspects of the job including labor, materials, demolition, waste removal, and any other supplies they may use. And when it comes to measuring the size of your roof, they usually calculate it using a measurement called “roofing squares” which equates to 100sf or 10ft x 10ft sections. If you have a 1000sf roof, a roofing company should give you a price for 10 roofing squares.
How Does Roofing Material Affect the Average Roof Replacement Cost in Los Angeles?
Roof replacement cost in Los Angeles largely depends on the roofing materials on your current roof. Although there are a number of materials used for roofing including slate, metal, clay tile, and shake, the most common roofs locally are concrete tile and asphalt shingle. The cost to replace a roof with an asphalt shingle will be lower than with concrete tile. More likely than not, you will be using the same or similar materials as your current roof.
With asphalt shingles, the roofer will remove your current roofing material down to the plywood; and then install new shingles. On the other hand, with concrete tile, the roofer will remove your roof tiles, replace the worn felt underlayment (roofing paper), and put those same tiles back. So, with concrete tile roofs, the cost of material is less since the tiles are re-used, but the amount/cost of labor is significantly higher.
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What Other Items Affect the Roof Replacement Cost?
First and foremost, the size of your roof will dictate the cost to replace a roof in Los Angeles. Next, is the difficulty of your specific roof, both in height, pitch, and in complexity. If you choose a unique roofing material, that will obviously increase the cost, or if you choose underlayment that is of higher quality.
In addition, once the roofer has removed the roofing material, they will be able to see if there are other portions of the roof that need repair or replacement. For example, if your roof has been leaking, the roofer might find there is rotted, decayed, or damaged plywood on the roof which needs replacement. Also due to wind, water, or termite damage, they could also recommend the repair or replacement of fascia boards, gutters, flashings, etc. Just make sure you acknowledge that these surprises can increase your roof replacement cost.
When researching “roofing cost near me”, make sure that you’re looking at roofing pricing for Los Angeles or Southern California, as these areas will be more expensive than other parts of the country. And keep in mind that replacing your roof during ‘the rainy season’ could cost more because roofing companies are especially busy during this time of the year. Ideally, you might want to re-roof during the summer months.
When do I need to replace my roof?
If you haven’t replaced or repaired your roof in 20+ years, it’s time to start thinking about getting it inspected by a local roofer, even if you’ve had no leaks. Most roofs in SoCal will likely last for 15-30 years, depending on the roofing shingle material. It’s obviously easy for an experienced roofer in Los Angeles to take a quick peek at your roof and give you an assessment. For a tile roof, they would actually lift off a few easily accessible tiles and look at the condition of the roofing paper underneath. If they find that it’s getting brittle (baked by the sun/heat), that’s probably a sign that it’s nearing its useful life.
With an asphalt shingle roof, you might be able to see issues just by looking at the roof. If you see any cracking, deformation, or ‘waviness’ in the roofing material, that’s a sign it’s starting to wear out. Also, once the little ‘sand-like’ granules that make up the shingle start coming off (or the shingle starts to look bare), that’s another sign it won’t last much longer.
Another clue that you might need a roof replacement soon is when you start seeing your neighbors replacing their roofs, as most communities were built around the same time. Or if your neighbors start complaining or leaks after a rainstorm. Of course, if you see any damage to your roof shingles, flashing, etc. after a windstorm or rainstorm, that’s another sign that you’ll need some roof repair.
If you’re thinking about installing solar panels on your roof, it’s a good idea to find out if your roof is getting old. The last thing you want to do is install solar panels on top of an old roof and have it start leaking shortly thereafter. Then you’d be required to remove the solar panels in order to replace the roof; a major headache.
Do I need a roofing permit in Los Angeles and Southern California?
Most cities require a permit to re-roof your home, so make certain that the roofing contractor you choose will secure and pay for this permit in their scope of work and cost estimate. The city building department inspector will also come back after the work is complete to sign off (or “final) on the completed job if it is completed according to the building code. Make sure to ask your roofer for a copy of this final sign-off before paying their final invoice.
Which roofing shingles do I choose?
Firstly, remember that if you live in an HOA (homeowners association), your community probably has CC&Rs (design guidelines), and you, therefore, have to abide by their requirements for roof material, color, shape, etc. You may even need to get HOA approval before replacing your roof, so start by inquiring with your association or property management company.
Equally as important is the look and style of the roofs in your neighborhood. Unless you desire to stick out like a sore thumb, you’ll want to go with similar materials as the homes in your neighborhood. If you go with a strange-looking material (or color) as compared to their neighbors, that could adversely affect your home’s resale value.
How do I choose a good roofer in Los Angeles?
Requesting referrals from trusted acquaintances, neighbors, or coworkers is a good place to start when looking for a quality roofing company. If you’re looking for recommendations on social media, you should only consider the comments of “real-life” friends. People you do not know tend to be biased; for example, they may promote their brother’s roofing company.
Consider working with a firm like GreatBuildz that performs extensive roofer screening and gives customized introductions to reputable Los Angeles and SoCal roofing contractors. It is not advisable to choose a roofer at random from an advertisement in your junk mail or a national contractor directory. Roofing costs in Los Angeles are significant and you don’t want to have someone do a shoddy job.
Questions to ask a Los Angeles roofer about roof replacement costs:
- Is this roof repairable or does it need to be replaced?
- How old do you think this roof is and how much life does it have left?
- Can you please break down your roofing cost estimate into labor and materials?
- Will you be in charge of getting a permit and final inspection from the city?
- Can you give me some references for some recent roof clients?
- How long is your workmanship guarantee? How long is the roofing material guarantee from the manufacturer?
- How long will it take to re-roof my house?
- Will you be working every day until you’re done?
- Will you cover/tarp my roof if there is any chance of rain?
- What will you do if you break any concrete tiles while working on my roof?
- What are your safety procedures?
- Do you have both liability and workers’ compensation insurance?
Pro-tip: NEVER hire a roofing company without liability and workers’ compensation insurance. Roofing is a very dangerous profession, and if there is an accident on your job, you could be liable if the contractor doesn’t have adequate insurance.
Related: Never Make These Renovation Mistakes
When it comes to finding the best roofer for your project – GreatBuildz is simplifying the contractor search. GreatBuildz is a free service that connects homeowners in Los Angeles, Orange County, Ventura & San Diego with reliable, thoroughly screened contractors and provides project support from start to finish.
Call now (818.317.3567) to chat with a real person about your next renovation project or visit our website for more information: www.greatbuildz.com
