What should Unincorporated San Mateo County homeowners know before replacing a roof?

What's the lay of the land in unincorporated San Mateo County?

Unincorporated areas, from the Midcoast towns of Montara, Moss Beach and El Granada to bayside pockets such as Emerald Lake Hills and North Fair Oaks, get their permits from San Mateo County rather than a city. The Midcoast sits right on the ocean, below Montara Mountain.

Do I need a permit to replace a roof in unincorporated San Mateo County?

Reroof permits for unincorporated San Mateo County addresses come from San Mateo County's building department (San Mateo County Planning: building). In most cases the roofer applies in the company's name, books the inspections and lists the permit on the estimate.

How old are homes in unincorporated San Mateo County?

Source: Census ACS 2024 5-year, tables B25035 and B25003 (Census Reporter). Small communities carry wide margins of error, so treat these as rough.

Does salt air affect Unincorporated San Mateo County roofs?

Midcoast homes take fog, salt and wind straight off the Pacific. Corrosion-resistant fasteners and flashing and good attic ventilation are worth more here than an upgraded shingle.

What do wildfire maps mean for an Unincorporated San Mateo County roof?

On the Midcoast, much of the land is State Responsibility Area. Intersecting CAL FIRE's maps with Census boundaries, about 40% of Montara and El Granada is mapped Very High in the State Responsibility Area, mostly on the slopes behind town. In State Responsibility Areas, the state's wildland-urban interface building rules apply in all three hazard classes, and a Class A roof satisfies any of them. (CAL FIRE hazard zones, HSC 13132.7)

What climate zone is unincorporated San Mateo County in?

The California Energy Commission puts unincorporated San Mateo County in climate zone 3, the cool coastal zone (CEC climate zones). The nearest long-record NOAA station, Half Moon Bay, averages 26.0 inches a year on the 1991-2020 normals, with 57% arriving in December through February. It rarely gets hot: about 0 days a year reach 90 degrees, so moisture, not heat, is what ages roofs. (NOAA normals)

How do unincorporated San Mateo County's seasons affect scheduling?

Most Unincorporated San Mateo County reroofs happen between May and October, when the Half Moon Bay station's normals show almost no rain (about 0.73 inches over the three summer months, NOAA). The trade-off is demand: book early, and ask how the roofer protects an open roof if an off-season storm arrives.

How do I get a written estimate in unincorporated San Mateo County?

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: Woodside, Portola Valley.