Choosing A Roof For Your Historic Home - Pacific Coast Roofing Service

Your beautiful bay area home is in need of a new roof, but how do you go about that without sacrificing its beautiful, architectural design? The good news for you is that innovative roofing materials make it possible to re-roof an 18th or 19th century home without taking away from its place in history.

Water intrusion, moisture control, existing mold/mildew issues and rot are all serious and common problems found when we begin inspecting historic roofs. Time is of the essence to make sure we can preserve as much original material as we can while protecting the rest under a new – perfectly selected – roof.

3 Tips To Select Roofing Materials For Historical Homes

Here are three tips to guide your selection process as you select roofing materials that protect your home, improve energy efficiency, and still support the historical value of your home’s original design and aesthetic.

Choose a roofing contractor with historical home experience

Replacing any elements of a historic home is a labor of love, above and beyond the black-and-white construction process. Homes built in the 19th and 20th centuries were constructed differently from 20th and 21st century homes. You want to preserve what can remain, while replacing any failing or rotted elements with great care – and with materials that reflect the home’s original design.

To honor the history and the need for a functional and attractive roof, you need a roofer who has experience with replacing a historical roof. We recommend visiting our page, Questions to Ask When Choosing Your Roofing Contractor. Add questions of your own the pertain to your situation, such as:

How many historic home roofs have you replaced?
Do you have before/after pictures of recent historic home roofing projects?
Can you provide recent referrals so I can speak to previous clients?
What recommendations do you have for replacing or repairing our roof?

Make sure you connect with at least three to five different roofers and then select one that has experience repairing and replacing historic roofs and that you feel you can trust.

Check in with your HOA or local historical societies

An experienced roofing contractor is your greatest ally, but you can certainly seek information from those who have experience with historical homes. If your home is part of an HOA or similar community, revisit the CC&Rs or connect with the HOA board. You may find there are already specific documents with rules or strong recommendations about which materials are allowed and which aren’t, which ones do the best job of honoring a particular period in time or architectural style, and so on.

Resources about historical architecture in the Bay Area include:

The individuals who work for these institutions are passionate about preserving Bay Area history and architecture. If they don’t have specific answers about your roofing materials questions, they’ll be able to refer you to experts who can.

Shingles, tile, or slate (or replicas…)

If your home was built in the 1800s or the first half of the 1900s, the odds are roofing materials were made from wood shingles or clay tiles. While these materials are still available to you, you may find it makes more sense to use contemporary versions engineered to look like wood shingles or clay tiles. Modern innovations in roofing materials give us access to manufactured products that replicate a particular look but have better energy efficiency and longevity – while also requiring less maintenance.

We can always replace wood shingles with wood shingles, but they are not fire-resistant and have greater maintenance needs. Instead, compare those materials with metal or other rubber options that look like wood or tile but have fire resistance on their side.

To start getting an idea of your options, take a look at our posts:

The Pacific Coast Roofing team is here to guide your historic roof material selection. Our family-owned business has spent the past 20 years inspecting, assessing, repairing, renovating, and replacing Bay Area roofs – including some of the most beautiful historical testaments to the past.

Contact us to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. (510) 912-5454. We’re happy to answer all of your questions, show examples of projects similar to yours, or provide you with recent referrals, so you get an objective opinion on who we are, how we operate, and the quality of our craftsmanship.

Eva Tucker

2022-11-11

After a storm, I asked Pacific coast roofing service to inspect our roof for any damage or leak. Brian was very responsive and provided an honest evaluation of the roof. My roof required minimal work, which was provided by their company. I highly recommend them to anyone here in El Sobrante who needs their roof to be inspected/repaired.

P Herron

2022-11-04

I reviewed Pacific Coast a few years ago when they installed our new roof. They did excellent work then and still do. We had a disastrous exterior fire in September most likely due to PG&E equipment. Our local fire department chopped a hole in our roof to make sure there was no heat or flames inside the house. We weren’t on the schedule but Brian promised to work us in and get the job done before the winter rains. He kept his promise sending his carpenter to replace the charred fascia and roofers to patch the hole. I will always enthusiastically recommend Pacific Coast Roofing without reservation!

Hariett Davis

2022-10-29

I tried two previous times to get my roof repaired with other companies without success. Pacific Coast Roofing was able to work very fast with my insurance and the inspector to get the roof repair approved. Scheduling the work was easy and fast after. The crew came in promptly as scheduled and worked quickly and thoroughly. They made sure all my requests were met.

Jonathan Morton

2022-10-11

The experience with Pacific Coast Roofing was nothing less than exceptional! We worked with Brian who was perfectly attentive throughout the entire process. He came out personally to check and they made temporary repairs until we could have the entire roof replaced. The crew performing the replacement was extremely fast. Very professional experience at a very reasonable price. We highly recommend them! Thank you, Brian and team!

Adriana Hammond

2022-09-27

We hired Pacific Coast Roofing to handle a large job with a mix of flat and shingled roofing on an old building. Brian was incredible. He worked around our schedule and finished in a timely manner. Very happy with the finished product. They were upfront with their pricing and kept in touch when additional repairs were needed. I would highly recommend this company for any roofing needs.

Bruce Gill

2022-09-14

Pacific Coast Roofing and Brian were great. They were very communicative and they even helped me file the insurance claim. In addition, Brian was present during the whole process of repairs. I love the roof they installed on my house and would recommend them to others. The install crew was timely, professional and did a great job of cleaning up afterwards. Overall, I had a 5/5 experience and will definitely go back to them for future repairs, if needed.

Sylvia Dominguez

2022-08-23

I cannot express enough how wonderful Brian and Pacific Coast Roofing were to work with. They offered exceptional service in the installation and repairs while coordinating with our insurance company for the claim following a storm. Brian went above and beyond for any queries or problems we had. If you're looking for a roofing contractor in El Sobrante, I'd strongly recommend them, esp. Brian.

Davian Cook

2022-07-23

I cannot say enough about the dedication that Brian put in to inspect our roof. He had several adversities to make his appointment with us, but he still made the effort to go out of his way just to help us. He exceeded our expectations. He was very personable and polite. His knowledge about the industry is superb and his personality is remarkable.

Catherine Smith

2022-07-11

Brian of Pacific Coast Roofing was positively wonderful to work with and he made sure everything was completed to perfection every step of the way. He helped me choose the best roofing material, shingle color, gutter color, provided subcontractors to paint and repair the interior damage, replace chimney caps, and everything that needed to be done to restore my home in excellent condition after suffering damage. I would recommend them to anyone. They exude integrity and honesty in their dealings, both with the homeowner and insurance company. They made an otherwise frustrating situation into a positive experience, and I know they will stand by the work they performed.

steve taugner

2022-06-07

I rarely leave reviews but I have nothing but good things to say about Brian and this company. If there is anything negative at all its you cant reach them by phone. The work looks great and they were prompt, courteous and did a good clean up. I will use them again.