Laguna Beach, CA
Replacing a roof in Laguna Beach: what it takes
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.
Or call (949) 730-0369Describe the replacement job
Three questions, then the address. Up to three Laguna Beach contractors who do this work.
Your request is in.
We are matching it now against roofing contractors working in Laguna Beach 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
- Who pulls the permit, and what the inspection schedule looks like
- Which underlayment, and whether ice-and-water goes on the eaves and valleys
- Ventilation: what is there now, what it should be
Insist on knowing what happens to decking that turns out to be rotten. The good answer is a per-sheet price agreed in writing before the job starts.
Two quotes at the same price can be very different roofs. Compare the layers, not the brand name on the shingle.
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.
Locally
The failure that leads here is old houses carrying more layers, and more surprises, than the estimate assumed. Cottages from the 1920s to the 1950s have usually been re-roofed over rather than stripped. What is under the top layer decides the real price, and nobody knows what that is until the tear-off starts.
About replacement here
Why do quotes vary so much on a hillside lot?
Steep drives, no turning space and a roof three storeys above the downhill side all cost time. Ask each contractor how they plan to load and remove material — the answers explain the spread.
Are the contractors licensed and insured?
Contractors have to give us their state licence number and proof of liability and workers compensation cover before they can receive requests. You should still ask to see current certificates yourself before work starts — a licence can lapse between checks.
Will my insurance pay for a new roof?
If the damage came from a covered event — hail, wind, a fallen tree — often yes, subject to your deductible and whether the policy pays replacement cost or actual cash value. Wear and tear is never covered.
How quickly will someone call?
Usually within the hour during working hours. If you marked the job as an emergency it goes to the front of the queue and is normally picked up faster than that.
Ready for a real number?
Three questions, about a minute, and up to three Laguna Beach contractors come back to you.