Tile Roofs in Solana Beach

Of the six cities on this site, Solana Beach is the one where we could read the most specific re-roof paperwork. The city publishes a one page information sheet. It tells you what a permit reviewer wants to see before they approve a tile job. Here is how it fits the housing data.

Numbers first

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024; CAL FIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zones; NOAA 1991-2020 normals (Cardiff by the Sea station, 4.1 km away). Home value is a Census top code, so the real median is above $2 million.

Reading the housing data

Only 12.7% of homes pre-date 1960, but 68.8% pre-date 1980. The bulk of the housing is mid-century to late 1970s. A roof on a home from that stretch has likely been replaced at least once. The tile on it, where there is tile, may be original, and the underlayment may not be.

At 67.7%, owner occupancy is above the 53% to 55% seen in the lowest owner share cities of this batch. Most roofing decisions here are made by the people who live under the roof.

Tile you may see

Homes from the 1970s may carry concrete tile, clay tile, or other covers. Tile is common in Spanish and Mediterranean styles. We have no count of tile roofs in the city. If you are not sure what you have, compare with the profiles in the photo library.

Fire and climate

CAL FIRE maps place 6.8% of the city, about 149 acres, in a very high zone, and 16.3% in any mapped zone. That is far lower than the inland city in this batch, but it is not zero. Parts of the city may carry stricter roof requirements than others, so check your parcel on the CAL FIRE map.

The city is in climate zone 7. Rain averages 12.09 inches a year. 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.

What the city's re-roof sheet asks for

The City of Solana Beach's Re-Roofing Information Sheet (2022 edition). It says the information must be given for city review before a permit is issued. The sheet asks for:

1. Street address and building occupancy.
2. Roof slope, as rise in 12 inches, and the roof area.
3. The new roof type, listing clay and concrete as options.
4. The trade name, manufacturer and any Cool Roof Rating Council product ID.
5. The new roof weight per square.
6. A Class A roof assembly approval, by ICC or UL number.
7. The existing roof type, and whether it will be removed.
8. Whether more than one existing roof is present.
9. Whether the existing structure can sustain the weight of the new roof.

It also says a State licensed general or roofing contractor may act as the pre-roofing special inspector, in place of a city inspector. The contractor certifies in writing that the substrate or existing roof is adequate before the new roof goes on.

Item 5 and item 9 matter most for tile. RoofingCalc (Oct 2024) lists concrete tile at 820 to 1,100 lb per square and clay at 600 to 650. A weight change from the old cover is exactly what the sheet asks you to address.

The sheet does not list fees or processing times, so we do not state any.

Cost context

Fixr (Jan 31, 2025) gives national estimates of $9 to $20 for clay and $3 to $20 for concrete per square foot for the tile (Fixr does not say consistently whether labor is included). Structural reinforcement can add $1,000 to $10,000. These are not Solana Beach quotes. See the cost guide.

Practical steps

• Ask each bidder to fill in the information sheet items in the bid.
• Ask for the Class A assembly listing number up front.
• Confirm the contractor's license at cslb.ca.gov.
• Ask the city whether any added review applies to your address.

Numbers above are city wide. Your parcel may differ.