What should Hillsborough homeowners know before replacing a roof?

What's the lay of the land in Hillsborough?

Hillsborough is a residential town in the hills above Burlingame and San Mateo, with large lots, winding roads and heavy tree cover. Almost every home is owner-occupied: about 93% of occupied homes.

How old are homes in Hillsborough?

With a median build year of 1970, at typical shingle lifespans a house that age may be on its second or third roof. Hillsborough has roughly 3,375 owner-occupied homes (93% of occupied units), and 99% of its homes are detached houses, according to the Census Bureau's 2024 5-year estimates (Census Reporter).

Do Title 24 cool-roof rules apply in Hillsborough?

Hillsborough falls in climate zone 3 on the Energy Commission's map (CEC climate zones). Prescriptive cool-roof rules cover steep-slope reroofs only in zones 4 and 8 to 15 and low-slope reroofs in zones 4 and 6 to 15, so they don't apply here. A lighter, reflective product is still an option (CEC).

Do Hillsborough's trees affect my roof?

Mature oaks and pines mean needles in valleys and gutters, and limbs over roofs. A good bid includes how the roofer will protect landscaping and where staging goes on a sloped, wooded lot.

Does Hillsborough need a Class A roof?

The highest rating inside Hillsborough on CAL FIRE's 2025 recommended Local Responsibility Area map is High, based on our overlay with Census boundaries. That's below the Very High trigger for the state's mandatory Class A reroof rule (HSC 13132.7), though a Class A roof still helps with insurance. Check your exact address on CAL FIRE's hazard map; boundaries can split a street.

Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Hillsborough?

Your roofer should pull the permit from the Hillsborough building department (Town of Hillsborough Building Division) and schedule the inspections. A bid that leaves the permit out, or asks you to pull it as an owner-builder, is a red flag.

How does Hillsborough's weather wear on a roof?

Title 24 assigns Hillsborough to climate zone 3, the cool coastal zone (CEC climate zones by ZIP). At the San Francisco International Airport station, NOAA's 1991-2020 normals come to about 19.6 inches of rain a year; 61% of it falls in the three winter months. It rarely gets hot: about 4 days a year reach 90 degrees, so moisture, not heat, is what ages roofs. (NOAA normals)

How do Hillsborough's seasons affect scheduling?

In Hillsborough, the dry season does most of the scheduling for you: summer rainfall at the San Francisco International Airport station totals roughly 0.18 inches across June, July and August (NOAA normals). If your roof is leaking now, a temporary repair can carry it to the dry months, but don't wait until the first fall storm to call.

What kinds of roofs are common in Hillsborough?

Big, complex roofs are normal here, including slate, clay tile and wood shake on older estates. Those materials can't be overlaid, and switching material, especially to tile, should start with a structural check and a call to the town about design review.

How do I get a written estimate in Hillsborough?

For your actual price, request a free written estimate: a licensed roofer measures the roof and prices your exact scope. Before you compare bids, read what drives roof replacement cost and our page on the Peninsula roofing contractors. Nearby town guides: Millbrae, Burlingame, San Mateo, Foster City.