What roof-repair Includes
A repair starts with a roof inspection — not a sales pitch. We walk the rooftop, check the attic side of the roof deck, and map every problem before quoting. You get a written roof estimate with a clear scope of work.
- Locate the leak source, which is often uphill from the stain
- Replace failed flashing: pipe flashing, step flashing, chimney flashing, counterflashing
- Swap broken or missing shingle, tile, or wood shake
- Re-seal penetrations with roof cement and mastic
- Replace rotted fascia, soffit, or sheathing
- Tarp an active leak before the next storm
- Haul all debris to a dumpster and magnet-sweep the yard for nails
Quality & Materials Standards
Material choice follows the roof, not a catalog. A Craftsman with visible wood shake may stay wood shake; a mid-century low-slope section often wants membrane — tpo, epdm, or pvc membrane — rather than shingle. Steep pitches take asphalt shingle, standing-seam panel, or tile. Flat and parapet sections get modified bitumen or a built-up roof.
Under everything sits the real work: synthetic underlayment, roofing felt or tar paper, and ice-and-water shield at valleys and eaves. On the coast-facing hills, an ice dam is rare but wind-driven water backing under shingles is not, so drip edge and eave protection matter. Every fastener — nail, screw, anchor — is chosen for the substrate below it.
Decking tells the truth. Once we strip old roofing, we find plywood or osb that has swelled, a joist or ridge beam softened by years of leaks, or a truss that needs sistering. We replace what's rotted, then rebuild: new substrate, new underlayment, new flashing, and a ridge cap or ridge vent for ventilation. Building code in Berkeley sets the minimum; we build to it and document it.
Coatings are a separate conversation. An elastomeric coating, acrylic coating, silicone coating, or polyurethane coating can extend a flat roof's life, but only after the surface is clean and the ponding water is solved. Reflective products help in summer heat. Cure time and coverage rate vary by product, so we follow the spec sheet, not a guess.
Honest claims matter. If damage came from a storm, we help with the insurance claim: meeting the adjuster, documenting wind damage or hail damage, and preparing claim documentation. You pay your deductible; depreciation and replacement cost get sorted through the policy coverage. When a scope is short, we file a supplement with proof of loss. Mitigation — tarping and stopping water now — protects the interior before anything else.
Local Service Areas
North Berkeley
Craftsman bungalows from the early 1900s dominate here, and their wood shake roofs are reaching the end of their service life.
- Split, curling cedar shake that lets water past the felt
- Dry rot at rafters and sheathing under long-neglected eaves
- Failing chimney flashing and counter-flashing at brick stacks
- Moss growth on shaded north slopes after fog season
- Gutters and downspouts clogged with shake grit and debris
South Berkeley
A tight mix of Victorians and older flats, where steep pitches and small lots make access the first problem.
- Slate and clay tile sections that crack and slip after decades
- Dormer and valley flashing that has rusted through
- Original tar paper underlayment that has dried and torn
- Sagging rooflines from softened rafters and joists
- Tight setbacks that require ladders and harness work, not a lift
Elmwood
Tree-lined and full of 1910s homes, this neighborhood sees constant leaf litter and shade that never fully dries.
- Wood shake and three-tab shingle holding moisture under canopy
- Soffit and fascia rot from trapped damp air
- Clogged gutters feeding water behind the drip edge
- Failed pipe boots and vent boots at plumbing stacks
- Granulated shingles shedding into the yard, a sign of age
Rockridge
Craftsman and period homes with complex rooflines — hips, gables, and dormers that multiply the flashing details.
- Step flashing and apron flashing failures at every wall junction
- Ridge and hip caps eroded by sun and wind exposure
- Skylight seals that have shrunk and pulled away
- Blistering on older modified bitumen over porches
- Loose ridge cap and missing shingle after winter storms
Claremont
Larger Edwardian and Victorian homes sit on hillside lots, where pitch, access, and drainage all compound.
- Steep rake and verge details that demand scaffold and safety harness work
- Slate and concrete tile needing careful repair, not replacement
- Chimney and parapet coping that has cracked and let water in
- Hillside runoff overwhelming valleys and scuppers
- Wind damage lifting ridge and field shingles in exposed spots
West Berkeley
Mid-century modern homes and flats from the 1950s–60s, many with low-slope or flat sections and parapets.
- Ponding water on flat roofs with failed drains
- Blistered and seam-split modified bitumen and built-up roof sections
- Aging tpo and epdm membrane at the seams
- Rusted metal panel and corrugated panel on sheds and awnings
- Poor attic ventilation, so we add soffit vent and attic fan coverage
Whether it's a tarp on a leaking valley tonight or a full replacement estimate this spring, waterproofing starts with someone who knows Berkeley's roofs. Call [PHONE] or send photos through the [CONTACT FORM] and we'll schedule a roof inspection.
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