Tile Roofs in Del Mar

Del Mar is small. It has 2,550 housing units and a median home value over $2 million, which is a Census top code. It also has the oldest median build year of the six cities on this site, 1971. That mix of age, value and fire exposure makes the roof file worth reading.

Housing snapshot

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year, place table.

Three of every four homes were built before 1980. Roofs on homes of that age are often on their second or third cover. If a home has tile, the underlayment may be much younger than the house, or much older than the tile. Fixr cites about ten years as a typical underlayment life, so the date of the last re-roof matters more than the age of the home.

Tile in Del Mar

Mediterranean and Spanish revival homes are common in coastal San Diego County, and tile may be found on them. Older clay S tile and barrel tile may sit beside newer concrete tile. We do not have a count of tile roofs in the city. Use the photo library to name your profile.

Fire exposure

CAL FIRE maps show 40.1% of Del Mar in a very high fire hazard severity zone, and 64.9% in any mapped zone. The very high zone covers about 441 acres (CAL FIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zones, by jurisdiction acres). The rest is outside or in a lower tier.

This is a mapped hazard, not a forecast. For a roof, it means the assembly may need a fire rating. The Solana Beach re-roofing sheet asks for a Class A assembly listing and says work follows the listing, including deck, underlayment and covering. Del Mar's page does not state a rule on this point, so ask the city which assembly your address needs.

Check your parcel on the CAL FIRE map. One street can fall on either side of a line.

Climate

Del Mar is in climate zone 7. The rain station is Cardiff by the Sea, 7.1 km away, at 12.09 inches a year (NOAA 1991-2020 normals). Rain is modest. Water that does arrive hits a roof built to shed it, and the underlayment carries the load during wind driven storms.

The California Energy Commission's 2022 cool roof sheet says requirements for alterations, which include re-roofs, apply in additional climate zones beyond those listed for new homes. Ask the building department which cool roof values apply to your re-roof.

Price context

Fixr (Jan 31, 2025) lists clay at $9 to $20 and concrete at $3 to $20 per square foot for the tile (Fixr does not say consistently whether labor is included), and underlayment material at $0.50 to $2. These are national estimates. We found no Del Mar quotes.

On a small coastal lot, expect bidders to price in:

• Limited staging space and street access.
• Possible framing work if the tile is heavier than the old cover. Fixr says reinforcement runs $1,000 to $10,000.
• A fire rated assembly, if your parcel needs one.

See the cost guide for full tables.

Permits

The City of Del Mar's building page. It says:

• Building services are electronic only. Paper applications and plan sets are not accepted.
• As of April 2023, the eTRAKiT portal takes re-roof permits along with mechanical, electrical and plumbing permits.
• To start a building permit application or plan check, you email [email protected] or call (858) 755-9313. Plans are reviewed by Planning first.
• Inspections are requested at (858) 375-9528. Calls before 4:00 p.m. book the next day.
• General building questions go to [email protected] or (858) 375-9514.

The page does not list re-roof fees, timing or a checklist, so we do not state any. Ask the city whether your job is a simple re-roof online filing or needs planning review.

Before you sign

• Get three written bids on the same scope.
• Check the license at cslb.ca.gov.
• Ask who files the permit and who pays the fee.
• Ask which roof assembly rating applies to your parcel.
• Keep the inspection record for resale.

Numbers here are city wide. Your home may differ.