Get Quotes from Top Roofing Contractors in San Diego, CA

Are You Licensed to Practice as a Roofing Contractor in San Diego?

Roofers that wish to offer services worth $500 or more to residents of San Diego must obtain an appropriate contractor license from the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) before doing so. Note that this figure includes the cost of labor and materials required for the service in question. Roofers that violate this licensing requirement are considered guilty of committing a misdemeanor offense, which carries a potential sentence of up to six months of jail time, $500 in fines, or a combination of both. Violators can also receive separate administrative fines of up to $15,000.

Roofers that wish to obtain contractor licenses from the CSLB must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• They must be at least 18 years old
• They must complete and submit an Application for Original Contractor License and a non-refundable application fee.
• They must submit verifiable proof that they have attained at least four years of acceptable roofing work experience. This work experience must have been obtained at no lower than the journeyman level and must have been attained within 10 years before the application is submitted.
• They must pass a CSLB-administered licensing examination. However, the trade portion of this examination may be waived for roofers who hold current roofing licenses issued by appropriate state licensing agencies in Arizona, Nevada, and Louisiana.
• They must provide proof of compliance with the CSLB's bonding and insurance requirements.

Note that the CSLB may require additional documentation at the time of the license application. Queries concerning the board's contractor licensing requirements and procedures for San Diego roofers can be directed to (800) 321-2752.

You should always confirm that any roofer you intend to hire in San Diego has been properly licensed by the CSLB before they commence any work on your home. You can do this by calling the board at (800) 321-2752 or by utilizing the online license verification platform that it maintains for this purpose.

How Much Do You Charge Compared to Other Roofers in the City?

You should always know how much you will be expected to pay for your required roofing services before any roofing work commences on your home to avoid misunderstandings with your roofer down the line. The cost of roofing services in San Diego is largely dependent on several factors, some of which include:

• Your location within the city
• The size of your roof
• The extent of damage to the roof
• The type of roofing material to be used
• The roof design and the presence of components like skylights and chimneys
• The amount of labor required to execute the job properly

It is advisable to get and compare estimates from several roofers in the city before selecting one to handle your project. When comparing these estimates, look out for roofers with significantly higher or lower prices than the other submitted estimates. Significant price variances usually indicate possible fraudulent behavior, and you should never hire any roofer who cannot satisfactorily provide a reason for the noticeable difference in their submitted estimates.

Roofers in San Diego earn an average wage of $55,790 annually. The average hourly wages of roofers in San Diego and those of roofers in other areas of California, as well as other major cities in the country, are compared below:

Will You Get the Roofing Permits Required as per the San Diego Building Code?

A building permit is usually required for roofing installation, replacement, alteration, and modification projects in San Diego. However, permit exemptions may be made for certain types of projects, such as:

• Removing and replacing damaged roof sheathing or decking in single-family homes, duplexes, and townhouses with in-kind roofing material, provided that the affected area is not more than 25 percent of the entire roof surface area
• Roof covering renewals on buildings permitted by the California Building Code and the California Residential Code provided that the existing roof structure, including the roof diaphragm, is not altered.
• Projects where existing spaced skip sheathing is not altered, and it serves as a substrate for new plywood or oriented-strand board placed over it, provided that the weight of this new material is not more than six pounds per square foot.

The San Diego Development Services Department (DSD) oversees the city's building permit issuance process, and interested parties that wish to obtain permits from this department may do so online via the department's OpenDSD platform. Note that applicants who wish to utilize this platform will be required to create a user account before they can do so. To this end, the DSD provides a user guide that can be used to glean information on navigating its online permitting platform. Permit applications can also be made by completing and submitting a General Application Form DS-3032 to the department at:

Building permits are typically issued within 27 business days. However, the specific timeline for obtaining your permit will depend on factors like the nature and complexity of your project, the department's current workload, and the correctness of your submitted application. Note that, depending on the nature of your roofing project, the submission of additional forms and documents like building and construction plans may be required before requested permits can be issued. This additional documentation must be validated before the permit application is made and submitted in a DSD-approved format. Also, all permitted roofing projects in San Diego are subject to inspections by officials of the DSD at different stages to ensure that the work is being done in compliance with the city's building codes and regulations.

You can contact the DSD in person at the office mentioned above or via phone at (619) 446-5000 to inquire about the permitting and inspection process and requirements for roofing projects in San Diego.

What Kind of Roofing Services Do You Offer?

Your intended roofer's area of specialization is an important aspect to look out for when searching for qualified roofing contractors in San Diego. Ensuring that the roofer you hire is qualified to provide services geared toward your specific roof design and material is necessary to ensure that you receive satisfactory services at the end of the day. Many professional roofers in the city are adept at handling several common types of roofing materials, such as tile roofing, asphalt roofing, metal roofing, slate roofing, wood roofing, and synthetic roofing. Likewise, these professionals typically offer a wide array of roofing services, such as:

• Roof inspections
• Damaged roof repairs
• Roof maintenance
• Roof restorations
• Roof installations and replacements
• Leakage repairs and waterproofing
• Gutter cleaning and repairs

Regardless, you should always confirm that your preferred roofer has the proper tools and experience to provide the specific types of services you need before you conclude any hiring agreements with them. It is equally important to agree on the cost of this roofer's services before they commence any work.

Cost estimates for some roofing services that are commonly requested in San Diego are listed below. It should be noted that the actual costs of these services will be affected by variables like the specific nature and scope of the job, your location within the city, and the reputation and experience of your preferred roofing contractor:

Estimates based on task:

Estimates based on roof pitch (per square feet):

Estimates for roof repair/replacement based on roofing material (per square feet):

Estimates for roof repair/replacement based on shape (per square feet):

Do You Carry the Necessary Insurance Policy for Roofing Companies in San Diego?

On-the-job injuries in California's construction, repair, and maintenance industry accounted for over 26 percent of all work-related fatalities recorded in the state in 2020. Roofers in this industry face several job-specific hazards, such as falls from heights, exposure to UV radiation, burns, and cuts from sharp roof edges and tools. As such, you must confirm your intended roofer's insurance status before finalizing any hiring arrangements with them. Failing to do this can make you liable for any injuries and property damages that occur while they provide your requested roofing services.

Per the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) requirements, roofers who wish to operate in San Diego must post and maintain a surety bond of $15,000 and carry workers' compensation insurance where applicable. Also, while these roofers are not mandated to carry commercial general liability insurance, they are statutorily required to disclose their liability insurance status to consumers.

Request copies of your intended roofer's bond and insurance certificates and validate these certificates with the appropriate organization. Note that even though roofers do not have to carry liability insurance, it is always in your best interest to hire a roofer who does so, as this insurance covers third-party bodily injury and accidental property damage. Inquiries and additional information related to the bonding and insurance requirements for San Diego roofers can be directed to the CSLB at (800) 321-2752.