Find a roofing contractor for a leak, repair or new roof

Is it a repair or a new roof?

Most calls start with a leak, and most leaks do not mean the whole roof is finished. A repair fits when the damage is in one place: a few blown-off shingles, a cracked tile, a lifted flashing at a chimney or a vent pipe, a worn seal around a skylight. Replacement comes up when the problem is everywhere at once: shingles that curl or shed their granules across every slope, soft spots in the deck, or leaks that come back in new places after each repair.

Nobody can honestly tell which one you need from a phone call alone. A roofer needs to see the roof, the attic side of the deck if it can be reached, and where the water shows up inside. That is why we never quote a roof over the phone, and why you should be careful with anyone who does.

Which license does a roofer need in California?

Roofing is its own license classification at the Contractors State License Board (CSLB): C-39, Roofing. A contractor with a B, General Building license may also take a roof as part of a larger job that involves more than two unrelated trades, such as an addition with a new roof, walls and windows. For a roof on its own, look for the C-39.

The license matters as soon as the job is real money. Under California law, work of $1,000 or more in labor and materials together, or any work that needs a building permit, needs a licensed contractor. You can check any license, its classification, its bond and whether it carries workers' compensation on CSLB's free Check A License page.

Does a new roof need a permit?

In most California cities, yes. A full re-roof or replacing the roof deck almost always needs a building permit and a final inspection, and small patch repairs often do not. Cities set their own lines, so the safe answer is to ask the city's building department, or to have the contractor pull the permit as part of the contract. In Bay Area cities it is each city's own building or permit center.

Texas is different on the license side. A 2025 House bill analysis notes that Texas does not currently require a state-issued license for reroofing contractors, and the bill that would have created one did not pass. In Fort Worth, though, the roofer who pulls the building permit must hold a city contractor registration. Our Texas checklist covers what to verify instead.

California's energy code also has rules for roofs. When most of a roof is replaced on many homes, the new roofing has to meet "cool roof" requirements in some climate zones. A roofer who works in your area knows which apply to your house, and it is a fair question to ask before you sign.

What to have ready before you call

• Where the water shows inside: which room, how big the stain is, and whether it drips only in heavy rain or every time it rains.
• What the roof is made of, if you know it: asphalt shingles, clay or concrete tile, wood shake, or a flat roof with a membrane.
• How many stories the house has, and whether there is a steep slope or a hard-to-reach section.
• Photos from the ground or from a window, never from the roof itself. Please do not climb up on a wet or steep roof.
• Whether gutters overflow, pull away from the fascia, or empty next to the foundation.
• If a storm or a fallen branch caused it, the date it happened. An insurance claim, if you open one, will ask for it.

Gutters and downspouts

A lot of "roof leaks" are really gutter problems. A clogged gutter fills, water backs up under the first row of shingles, and it shows up as a stain on the ceiling near an outside wall. Gutters that sag, leak at the seams, or empty right at the foundation can also wet a crawl space or a slab over time. Cleaning, re-pitching, sealing and new downspout routing are often a small job, and it is worth asking about them whenever a roofer is on site.

Questions to ask any roofer

• What is your CSLB license number, and is it a C-39 or a B license?
• Will you pull the permit, and is the final inspection part of the job?
• What exactly is in the price: tear-off of the old layers, deck repair if you find rot, underlayment, flashing, vents, cleanup and haul-away?
• What happens to the price if the deck is damaged once the old roof is off?
• What warranty comes from the manufacturer, and what covers your own workmanship? Get both in writing.

California also protects you on the contract itself. A home improvement contract over $500 has to be in writing, the down payment can be no more than 10 percent of the price or $1,000, whichever is less, and you can cancel within three days of signing. CSLB's page on contracts and binding agreements lists what the contract must include.

What we do, and what we don't

We take your request for free and call or email you back to talk about the roof, what kind of contractor it needs and what to ask them. We are not a roofing contractor, we do not hold a contractor's license, and we do not do the work. We do not quote prices, promise dates or vouch for anyone you hire. Check every contractor's license yourself before you sign anything.

Sources: CSLB, What Type of Contractor Do I Need?; CSLB, AB 2622 minor work exemption bulletin (2024); CSLB, Contracts and Binding Agreements; California Energy Commission, Building Energy Efficiency Standards.