Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
Fast, Reliable Roofing Across Los Altos
Roof replacement in Los Altos typically runs $8,000 to $20,000 for a standard composition shingle roof on a single-story ranch, while a standing seam metal roof usually lands between $15,000 and $40,000 depending on pitch and decking condition. Most repairs, from flashing fixes to localized leak patches, fall in the $400 to $1,800 range. We scope every job in writing before work starts, and we pull permits through the Los Altos building department on every eligible roof. Call (877) 610-1318 to schedule your free estimate.
Barrett & Sons Construction has been Roofing for Los Altos homeowners since Tom Barrett founded the company in 1998. We know the neighborhoods, we know the building department, and we know which questions to ask before you sign anything. When you call, a live person answers. When we quote, you get numbers you can hold us to.
Why Barrett & Sons Construction Is Los Altos’s Preferred Roofing Company
We’re owner-operated, and Tom Barrett’s name, address, and license number are published for anyone to verify. His sons run the crews. That’s not a marketing line; it’s how a 29-year-old family company works. When a Los Altos homeowner calls with a question about a roof we installed three years ago, we don’t route them to a call center in another state. Tom picks up the phone.
Every price change on a Los Altos roof arrives as a written change order before work proceeds. That’s not a policy we adopted after a lawsuit. It’s the way Tom has run jobs since the 1990s, because he learned early that an allowance that isn’t on paper is a surprise waiting for a date. You’ll know the scope, the material allowances, the permit status, and the inspection schedule before the first nail moves.
Los Altos homeowners between 50 and 70 have told us the same story for decades: a national outfit quoted one number on the phone, and the final invoice looked nothing like it. We don’t run our business that way. We pull permits and get inspections signed on every eligible job because the permit inspector works for you, not for me. That’s why I like him. Look up our license number yourself. Ask anyone on your street who’s used us.
Our Roofing Services in Los Altos
Roof Replacement & Installation
Full roof replacement in Los Altos is the most common job we take on, and it’s almost never a simple like-for-like shingle swap. The post-WWII ranch and split-level homes that dominate the 94022, 94023, and 94024 zip codes were built with shallow pitches and original tongue-and-groove or skip sheathing. A competent replacement starts with a structural assessment of the decking. We scope redecking with plywood where the original sheathing has sagged between rafters, and we add rigid insulation above living space on older homes where attic insulation is thin or settled. If you’re planning to stay in the house for a decade or more, we’ll walk you through the long-term economics of composition versus standing seam metal.

Standing Seam Metal Roof
Standing seam metal is a smart choice for Los Altos ranch homes with low-slope roof planes. The interlocking panels handle the wet winters far better than shingles on shallow pitches, and they carry a lifespan that outlasts most homeowners’ intended tenure. We install standing seam to match the mid-century profile of older Los Altos homes, and we spec the underlayment and insulation to handle the seasonal temperature swings between Los Altos’s hot dry summers and cool damp Decembers. Metal roof installation in Los Altos typically runs $15,000 to $40,000 depending on roof square footage, pitch, and whether we’re replacing damaged decking.

Roof Leak Repair
Leaks in Los Altos homes rarely announce themselves politely. By the time you see water staining on a ceiling, the problem has usually been working for months. We trace leaks to their source rather than patching over symptoms: failed flashing at chimney penetrations and parapet intersections, cracked tile valleys, or nail pops through worn composition shingles. On Los Altos ranch homes, we pay particular attention to chimney counterflashing because seasonal movement in the Adobe clay soils under these older foundations cracks masonry and opens gaps that let water in. Roof repair in Los Altos runs $400 to $1,800 for most jobs.

Tile Roofing
Barrel tile and flat concrete tile roofs are common on the higher-end custom homes that have replaced older ranch stock across Los Altos, particularly in neighborhoods east of Foothill Expressway. We repair cracked and slipped tiles, rebuild valleys, replace degraded underlayment beneath tile, and match profiles and colors where possible. Tile roof repair in Los Altos runs $600 to $2,500 for typical localized work. When a tile roof is beyond economical repair, we’ll give you an honest assessment before you spend another dime on piecemeal fixes.

What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
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A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Trusted Brands We Service in Los Altos
We install GAF composition shingles and standing seam metal systems with full manufacturer warranties, plus tile profiles matched to existing Los Altos roofs. We stock common GAF accessories locally so we’re not waiting on freight for a ridge vent or a bundle of matching hip-and-ridge shingles. For Los Altos homeowners, that means shorter lead times when a repair can’t wait. Every material we quote is named in the contract: brand, product line, color, and warranty term. You can look up exactly what you’re paying for before you sign.
Common Roofing Problems We See in Los Altos Homes
- Sagging skip sheathing on 1950s and 1960s ranches. Original 1×6 boards spaced apart between rafters simply weren’t designed for 60 years of rain and heat. A shingle-over without redecking saves money up front and leaks within a few winters. We check decking condition before we quote, not after tear-off.
- Chimney and parapet cracking from Adobe clay soil movement. Los Altos sits on expansive clay that swells in wet winters and shrinks in summer. That movement travels up through masonry and opens gaps at flashing seams. We inspect flashing and counterflashing before quoting any replacement so you don’t get hit with a masonry change order mid-job.
- Heritage oak dripline conflicts. Los Altos’s tree-preservation ordinance is among the strictest in Santa Clara County. Protected native and heritage oaks require arborist reports and canopy-protection fencing before any work can begin. Out-of-area roofers who stage materials or park equipment inside a dripline trigger stop-work orders and arborist fees. We handle this paperwork before we haul a single bundle onto your lot.
- Low-pitch roof planes that trap water. Many Los Altos ranch homes have roof slopes below 4:12, which is the practical minimum for composition shingles to shed water reliably. Long-term fixes involve standing seam metal or modified underlayment systems. We’ll tell you if your roof pitch is pushing you toward a material change that actually solves the problem.
Pricing for Roofing in Los Altos, CA
Here’s what Los Altos homeowners should budget for roof work. These ranges reflect what we’ve seen across Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, and Mountain View in recent years. Your final number depends on decking condition, pitch, access, and the material you choose, and we’ll put that number in writing before you commit.
| Service | Typical Los Altos Price Range |
|---|---|
| Roof Replacement | $8,000 - $20,000 |
| Roof Repair | $400 - $1,800 |
| Metal Roof Installation | $15,000 - $40,000 |
| Tile Roof Repair | $600 - $2,500 |
What moves the price in Los Altos specifically? Three things. First, decking condition on 1950s and 1960s ranches: if the original skip sheathing needs full plywood redecking, that’s a line item you want to see spelled out before tear-off, not after. Second, heritage oak proximity: canopy-protection fencing and arborist sign-off add cost and time on many Los Altos lots. Third, soil movement: cracked chimneys and parapets that need masonry work before flashing can be replaced are common here. We scope these in writing so the quote you approve is the quote you pay. Call (877) 610-1318 for a free estimate, and consider our Free Second Opinion on any written estimate you’ve received from another contractor.
We Also Serve Cities Near Los Altos
Our crews work across the South Bay. If you’re in Los Altos Hills, Mountain View, Stanford, or Sunnyvale, the same written-scope and change-order discipline applies. Roofing in Los Altos doesn’t stop at the city line, and neither do our crews. We know the permitting differences between jurisdictions, and we plan for them from the first site visit.
Serving Los Altos, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Los Altos area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs - Roofing in Los Altos
Yes, Los Altos requires a building permit for roof replacement even when you’re matching the existing material, and a final inspection is part of the process. We pull permits on every eligible job, and the inspection sign-off happens before we call the job done. Anyone telling you permits are optional is putting their convenience ahead of your liability. Call (877) 610-1318 and we’ll walk you through what the city will ask for on your specific roof.
If a protected native or heritage oak stands on or near your lot, Los Altos may require an arborist report and canopy-protection fencing before any roof work starts. Staging materials or parking equipment inside the tree’s dripline can trigger a stop-work order and arborist fees that out-of-area roofers never budget for. We identify these trees during the estimate, not after the crew arrives. If you have a large oak near your house, call (877) 610-1318 before you sign any roofing contract.
Most Los Altos ranch homes were built between 1950 and 1975 with original skip sheathing and shallow-pitch roofs. Those two facts mean localized repairs often don’t hold: the decking is compromised across entire roof planes, and the pitch is too low for patched shingles to shed water reliably. A full replacement with redecking addresses the structural core rather than chasing leaks one season at a time. Roof replacement in Los Altos runs $8,000 to $20,000 for most ranch homes. Call (877) 610-1318 and we’ll give you a straight answer on whether repair makes sense.
Yes, standing seam metal is actually the better choice for low-pitch roofs, since interlocking panels shed water more reliably than composition shingles below a 4:12 slope. On a ranch in the Country Club neighborhood, we replaced a failing 1960s composition roof where original 1×6 skip sheathing had sagged between rafters. We scoped a full redeck with plywood, added rigid insulation above the living space, and installed standing seam metal to match the home’s mid-century profile. The permit inspection sign-off happened the same week we finished the punch list, before the winter rains. Metal roof installation in Los Altos runs $15,000 to $40,000. Call (877) 610-1318 for a site-specific quote.
Check that the final inspection has been signed by the city of Los Altos, that any heritage oak canopy-protection fencing has been removed properly, that all scope changes were documented in written change orders, and that the material brands and colors match what’s in your contract. We walk every Los Altos customer through the punch list in person, and our 90-Day Done Right Promise is written on the contract: if it’s not done right, one call brings Tom back. Your satisfaction shouldn’t rest on a handshake. If you want an exact quote, call (877) 610-1318.
For a free estimate on any roof repair, replacement, or standing seam metal installation in Los Altos, call (877) 610-1318. Tom Barrett and his sons serve Los Altos directly, with written scopes, pulled permits, and a 90-Day Done Right Promise on every job.
Written by Tom Barrett, Owner at Barrett & Sons Construction, serving Los Altos since 1998.







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