Replacement & Installation
Roof replacement in San Jose, permitted and inspected
A new roof is a permit, a tear-off, a deck you have not seen in thirty years and a shingle that has to pass Title 24. We write it all down before the first bundle arrives.
What we treat
- Concrete and clay tile
- Composition shingle
- Flat, torch-down and TPO
- Spray foam
- Standing seam metal
Quick answer. Roof replacement in San Jose means a full tear-off to the deck, replacement of any rotted sheathing, new synthetic underlayment, flashing and vents, and a Class A composition shingle system in a cool-roof rated color where Title 24 requires it, all under a city reroof permit with a final inspection.
Updated September 2026
The job
When a re-roof is the honest answer, and what it includes
A roof gets replaced when the covering is brittle, granules are gone, the underlayment is failing across whole slopes, or it is on its second overlay and the deck underneath can no longer be trusted. One leak is a repair. Six leaks on a 25-year-old roof is not.
The scope lists the material by manufacturer and line, the underlayment, ice-and-water at valleys and eaves, new flashing at every wall and chimney, ridge and intake venting, and the decking allowance. Overlays are rarely recommended; they hide rot and add weight.
Your options
Shingle, tile or metal for the new roof?
Most San Jose homes stay with shingle.
| Question | Composition shingle | Concrete tile | Standing seam metal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical service life | 25 to 30 years | 40 plus years, underlayment sooner | 40 to 70 years |
| Weight | Light, no engineering | Heavy, often needs engineering | Lightest |
| Fire zone fit | Class A assembly available | Class A | Class A |
| Cool roof options | Rated light colors | Rated colors common | Reflective finishes |
| Relative cost | Lowest | Higher | Highest |
Jobs this page covers
Composition shingle re-roof
Architectural laminated shingles are the standard re-roof here: GAF Timberline, Owens Corning Duration and Malarkey Vista are the lines we install most, with matching ridge caps and starter strips from the same system so the manufacturer warranty holds. The tear-off goes to the deck, every sheet is checked, and the new underlayment is a synthetic that will not tear in the wind that arrives between storms. Nailing pattern and exposure follow the printed spec, which is what the inspector checks.
Class A fire-rated shingle systems
A Class A rating belongs to the whole assembly, not just the shingle: the underlayment and the deck matter too. Most laminated shingles reach Class A over the right underlayment, which is what the city requires on re-roofs inside a mapped Fire Hazard Severity Zone. Ember-resistant vents finish the assembly, and the vent count is on the scope. We confirm your parcel's zone before the scope is written, so the material list is right the first time and the final inspection does not stall.
Cool-roof rated colors for Title 24
Title 24 sets minimum solar reflectance and thermal emittance for most permitted re-roofs. Cool-rated shingles carry a CRRC listing, and the lighter grays, tans and weathered woods usually qualify while deep charcoal often does not. We hand you the rated color deck with the listing numbers, put those numbers on the permit, and if you want a dark color anyway we explain the performance trade-off path, what the energy consultant's calculation costs, and how long it adds to the permit.
Overlay versus tear-off
A second layer over the first saves the tear-off and haul, and that is where the savings end. It hides rotted decking, adds weight, telegraphs every hump in the old layer through the new one, and shortens the new shingle's life. San Jose also caps roofing weight before an engineering review is required. We quote overlays only on a single-layer roof with a sound deck and no active leaks, and we say plainly when a tear-off is the better spend.
Cost
What sets the price of a new roof here
Published 2026 Bay Area cost guides put a typical Santa Clara County asphalt replacement at roughly $14,500 to $28,000, a planning range only; your written scope is the real number.
- Roof size and pitch Priced by the square; steep and cut-up roofs take longer.
- Decking replacement Rotted sheathing is priced per sheet on top of the allowance.
- Shingle line and color Cool-rated and Class A lines cost more per square than basic three-tab.
- Layers to remove Two old layers double the tear-off and haul.
- Flashing and venting New chimney flashing, skylights and ridge vents add scope.
- Permit and inspection City permit fees vary; engineering is extra if the weight limit is crossed.
What we see on San Jose roofs
A re-roof in San Jose needs a city permit whenever 25 percent or more of the roof is replaced in a 12-month window, and the application has to show Title 24 compliant, CRRC-rated material when more than half the roof is being covered. If the finished assembly pushes past 7 pounds per square foot, the city also wants an engineering analysis of the framing, which is why we weigh a shingle-to-tile change before quoting it.
Scope
What a full replacement includes
Every item is on the written scope; if a quote omits one, ask why.
- Tear-off to the deck and haul-away
- Deck inspection with a per-sheet replacement allowance
- Synthetic underlayment plus ice-and-water at valleys and eaves
- New drip edge, step and counterflashing at walls and chimneys
- Ridge vent and intake venting sized to the attic
- Shingle system with matching starter and ridge caps
- City permit, final inspection and magnet sweep
What happens after you call
How a San Jose re-roof runs, day by day
- 1
Roof and attic walk
Photos, measurements, decking check from below.
- 2
Written scope
Material by line and color, underlayment, flashing, venting, decking allowance.
- 3
Permit
Filed through SJPermits with the cool-roof and fire-class documentation.
- 4
Tear-off and deck
Old layers off, sheathing checked sheet by sheet, rot replaced.
- 5
Dry-in and install
Underlayment, flashing and vents, then the shingle system to spec.
- 6
Inspection and cleanup
City final, magnet sweep for nails, paperwork handed over.
Brands we install and service
FAQ
Questions we get asked
Two to four working days for a typical single-family home once the permit issues, weather permitting.
Yes, when 25 percent or more of the roof is replaced. We file it through SJPermits and attend the final.
Often not. Cool-rated lighter colors pass outright; a dark color usually needs the performance trade-off calculation.
Only on a single-layer roof with a sound deck and no leaks.
GAF, Owens Corning, CertainTeed and Malarkey systems, matched with their own underlayment and caps.
Same category
Related roofing work
Tile Roof Replacement
Concrete and clay tile re-roofs, including lift-and-relay with new underlayment.
Learn moreFlat Roof Replacement
TPO, PVC and torch-down systems with tapered drainage for low-slope roofs.
Learn moreMetal Roof Installation
Standing seam and stone-coated steel, including over existing shingles.
Learn moreSpray Foam Roofing
New foam roofs and recoats for Eichler and other low-slope homes.
Learn moreGet a written scope for the new roof
We walk the roof and attic, then send a line-item scope with material, color options and the permit plan.