Roofing Contractor
in San Mateo, CA
Keith Roofing Company drives up from San Jose to repair, re-roof and maintain San Mateo houses and storefront buildings, including the Peninsula's fog-soaked tile homes. Family-owned since 1952. BBB A+ Accredited. California Licensed #1118418.
San Mateo's Trusted
Roofing Contractor
Walk through Baywood or San Mateo Park and you will see why we enjoy working in this city. Spanish Revival, Tudor and storybook houses from the 1920s and 1930s line those streets, plenty of them under their original clay or concrete tile and with trim and chimneys worth protecting. South of downtown, Hillsdale and its neighbors filled in after the war and are now on their second or third roof, and newer, denser buildings near Bay Meadows and Shoreview bring a fair amount of low-slope work.
Why does the age of those older homes matter so much? Because many of those tile roofs still have very old felt underneath, and that felt is the part that stops water. The tile can look perfect from the street while the paper below it has gone brittle and split. We see this so often in San Mateo that we now expect it, and in most cases the cure is relaying the existing tile on new underlayment, not tearing everything off.
What this means for you: If you own one of San Mateo's period homes, look for a roofer who can find old tile shapes, work carefully around original detailing, and explain clearly whether your roof needs a relay or truly needs replacing. Owners in Baywood and San Mateo Park tend to call us for exactly that reason.
What We See on
San Mateo Roofs
Fog, mature trees and a wide range of building ages mean San Mateo roofs wear out in some predictable ways.
Compared with the South Bay, a lot more San Mateo homes are tiled, mostly in Baywood, San Mateo Park and the older blocks near downtown. Hillsdale and Shoreview are largely architectural shingle. Along El Camino Real and B Street, aging tar-and-gravel and modified bitumen roofs on shops and offices are ready either for a restorative coating or a new single-ply membrane.
Original Underlayment Under Century-Old Tile
Our most frequent serious finding in San Mateo. Tile that looks fine sits over felt that has quietly failed, and water gets in a little at a time. Relaying the same tile over new underlayment fixes it for much less than a new roof.
Discontinued Tile Profiles
Some tile on 1920s houses has not been manufactured in decades. Finding a close match, or moving original tile to the street-facing slopes, decides whether a repair blends in or stands out every time you pull into the driveway.
Moss on Shaded North Slopes
Between the marine layer and the big oaks and redwoods, shaded slopes here can stay wet most of the day. Moss pries up shingle edges, holds water against the roof and grows under tile. It has to be removed gently and kept from returning; a pressure washer does more harm than the moss.
Under-Ventilated Post-War Attics
Lots of homes from the Hillsdale building boom have less attic venting than shingle makers now call for, which wears shingles out sooner and can affect the warranty. We check venting on every replacement quote, not as an optional extra.
Period Tile Roofing and the Lift-and-Relay Alternative
Why This Works Here
Tile takes up a big share of our San Mateo calendar because of Baywood and San Mateo Park. When a 1920s house there starts dripping, owners tend to assume the roof is done. Usually the tile still has decades in it; it is the underlayment that has run out, and the right repair keeps the tile that gives the house its look.
Technical Installation Approach
Here is how we handle a lift-and-relay on a San Mateo period roof. Tiles come off one at a time and are stacked and protected. The worn felt is stripped to the sheathing, damaged boards are replaced, and a modern underlayment goes down with self-adhering membrane at the valleys, eaves and penetrations. Flashing is replaced throughout, and the original tile is relaid on new battens and fasteners. Old tile breaks during handling, so we locate matching replacements at the planning stage.
When the tile really is finished, we put on new concrete or clay chosen to match the original profile and color as closely as current production allows. Several San Mateo Park houses are moving off old wood shake; for those we often suggest a heavy designer shingle such as CertainTeed Presidential in a weathered-wood color, which keeps the look and earns a Class A fire rating.
The Hillsdale and Shoreview houses are simpler: algae-resistant architectural shingle, better attic venting where it is short, and new flashing instead of old.
Expected Longevity & Value
Typical life spans on the Peninsula: new underlayment under relaid tile gives roughly 25 to 30 more years while sound tile keeps going; new concrete and clay tile 50 years and up; designer shingle 40 to 50; architectural shingle 25 to 30; commercial single-ply 20 to 30. On an older tile roof, ask how old the underlayment is. Few owners have ever been told.
San Mateo's Climate
and Your Roof
San Mateo sits in the Peninsula fog belt, and damp is the main thing its weather does to roofs.
Summer Heat & UV
Summer days are usually mild, around 70 to 80°F, with fog often burning off late. Heat is less of a problem than it is inland, but on clear afternoons the unshaded south and west faces still take the most sun damage.
Winter Rainfall
Expect roughly 20 to 24 inches of rain a year, most of it from November to March in groups of storms. Roofs here stay wet for longer than in San Jose, and that slow soaking is what reveals failed felt under older tile.
Fog, Moss & Marine Exposure
Fog and shade keep north slopes damp for long stretches, so moss and algae grow fast, lifting shingles and working under tile. Near the bay in Shoreview and Bay Meadows, salty air also corrodes ordinary flashing and fasteners sooner than expected.
Practical Implications
In San Mateo that means algae-resistant shingles, trimmed branches and clean valleys on shaded slopes, no pressure washing, a venting check on older houses, and an underlayment inspection on any old tile roof before you decide it is fine.
Where We Work
in San Mateo
Baywood & San Mateo Park
1920s–30s Spanish Revival, Tudor and period-revival homes, heavily tile — prime lift-and-relay territory.
Downtown & Central
Older residential mixed with small-commercial low-slope buildings along B Street and El Camino Real.
Hillsdale
Post-war and mid-century residential, predominantly architectural shingle re-roof work.
Shoreview & North Shoreview
Bayfront-adjacent post-war housing with added salt exposure on metal components.
Bay Meadows & Hayward Park
Newer higher-density construction with low-slope and mixed-slope roofs.
Aragon & Beresford
Mid-century homes on larger lots, mixed shingle and tile.
How We Handle Roofing
in San Mateo
San Mateo Permit Path
Re-roof permits for homes inside city limits go through the City of San Mateo Building Division, and we take care of the application and inspections. Some nearby pockets are unincorporated San Mateo County, so we confirm which office your parcel falls under first.
Roof, Attic and Gutters Checked
We go up on the roof, into the attic when we can, and look at gutters and downspouts. On period homes we bring sample tiles and shingles so you can compare them against your trim and stucco in daylight.
Fixed Price Before Work Begins
You receive a written scope and a fixed price before work begins. It spells out how we will price any rotten sheathing found after tear-off, which is common under old tile.
Planned Around Narrow Streets
Many Baywood and San Mateo Park streets are narrow and lined with parked cars, so we plan tile staging and the dumpster spot with you ahead of time. Key details are photographed before they are covered, and the yard is swept with a magnet at the end of every job.
Why San Mateo Property Owners
Choose Us
Genuine Tile and Lift-and-Relay Expertise
The older homes here call for someone who can locate legacy tile, reuse originals where they matter most, and judge honestly whether to relay or replace. That kind of work is a big part of our week.
Second Opinions Welcome
If someone has told you that your San Mateo roof needs replacing, we are glad to take a look. When repairs will give you good years, our written report will say exactly that.
Peninsula-Appropriate Specifications
Fog, moss and bay air change what belongs on a roof here. We choose materials for Peninsula conditions rather than copying the specification we would use in hot, dry South County.
Here for the Long Run
Family-owned since 1952, licensed under CSLB #1118418, fully insured and BBB A+ accredited. The company that signs your contract is the company you will call if anything needs attention later.
What We Do
for San Mateo Homes & Businesses
Recent Keith Roofing
Projects
