Veteran-built.
Roof leaks
Tile roofs in San Diego rarely leak through the tile. The underlayment underneath wears out, and pipe boots, flashing and valleys fail first.
What to look for
Warning signs
- Ceiling stains
- Drips only in heavy rain or wind
- Cracked or slipped tiles
- Rusted flashing
- Daylight in the attic
Do it yourself
- Fly a drone or use binoculars to inspect from the ground.
- Clean valleys and gutters.
- Seal cracked pipe boots and exposed nail heads (shingle roofs).
- Tarp a leak in an emergency, weighted, not nailed.
Supplies for the DIY fix
Roof sealant
Pipe boot flashing
Heavy-duty tarp
Roof underlayment
Drone for inspections
Tools
Roofing nailer
Extension ladder
Fall protection kit
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What this looks like on a real job
Broken roof tile
Tile repair materials on the roof
New underlayment
Tile roof repairGood, better, best contractor options
Repair and seal
$
Replace boots, seal flashing, swap broken tiles.
Tile lift and relay
$$
Tiles come off, new underlayment and flashing go down, the same tiles go back. Common for 20 to 30 year-old tile roofs.
Full reroof
$$$
New roof system with a permit. Ask for a Class A fire rating and ember-resistant vents.
$ under about $500 · $$ about $500 to $5,000 · $$$ over about $5,000. Rough guide only; every house is different. Get three written bids from licensed contractors.
Get a licensed pro referral
Tell us what you are seeing. We will walk the property, tell you honestly if it is a DIY job, and refer licensed partners for the rest.
Jobs that require a contractor's license under California law are referred to CSLB-licensed contractors.
Broker, not a contractor. David Thomas Mejia is a California real estate broker (CA DRE #01448424), not a licensed contractor. Work that needs a California contractor's license should be done by a CSLB-licensed contractor; check any license at cslb.ca.gov. Cost ranges on this page are general estimates, not bids.