Free roof inspection with deck photos before we talk money - GAF and Owens Corning certified installation
Fast, Reliable Roofing Company Across Kensington
Roof replacement in Kensington costs more than roofing in the flatlands, and the reason is written into the hillsides: a near-total designation as a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, unincorporated Contra Costa County jurisdiction, and a housing stock dominated by 1920s-1950s roofs that were never designed for today’s code. Most full replacements on Kensington homes run $14,000-$28,000, with repairs typically landing between $450 and $1,800 depending on what’s failing. Tilehurst Roofing answers the phone 24 hours a day, and our crews know the Kensington hills, the permit path through Martinez, and what a county inspector will flag before you spend a dollar. Call (945) 303-9821 for a written, line-item estimate before any work starts.
Why Tilehurst Roofing Is Kensington’s Preferred Roofing Company Company
Kensington homeowners call us after another contractor has already let them down. Sometimes it’s a no-show. Sometimes it’s a bid that changed when the tear-off exposed rotted decking. Sometimes it’s a repair that failed in the first marine-layer storm of November. Our Roofing Company team operates with a written price in your hands before any work begins, a written guarantee on every repair we leave, and a 365-Day Done Right Promise that holds for a full year after the job. If a repair fails inside that window, we return at no charge. That’s not marketing language. It’s the Kingswell Way, the operating standard every Tilehurst location runs on since the family of companies was founded in 2000.
Greg Holloway leads the Kensington-area team, and he’ll tell you the same thing on the phone that our crews tell homeowners at the kitchen table: Kensington is harder to roof than Berkeley or El Cerrito, and the shortcuts that work at sea level fail up here. Steep pitches, skip-sheathing, moss on north-facing planes, county inspections through Martinez, and a Class A fire-rated requirement on most re-roofs. If the contractor quoting you doesn’t mention all four of those, that’s your first red flag.
Roofing Contractor in Kensington
A Roofing Contractor in Kensington handles the full scope: tear-off, decking assessment, underlayment, flashing, shingles or tile or metal, ridge cap, and the county sign-off that follows. What makes the job different here is what’s underneath. Pre-1955 framing, original skip-sheathing, and early three-tab composition that predates modern underlayment standards are common on the Craftsman bungalows and Tudor revivals that climb the hills off Arlington Avenue. A contractor who quotes a like-for-like resurface without opening the roof is guessing. We don’t guess.
What the Kensington job actually involves
First we inspect. Then we price. The written estimate includes an allowance for what we expect to find, spelled out in plain English. If the tear-off exposes decking that won’t accept a Class A assembly, you’ll see the dollar change in writing before we proceed. No surprise at final. The county inspector from Martinez’s Hazardous Materials and Building Inspection division signs off before the job closes.
When you need us, and what it costs
Signs you need a roofing contractor in Kensington: curling or missing shingles after a wind-driven fog event, granule loss in the gutters, water staining on second-floor ceilings, or moss that has worked under the shingle edges on north and west planes. Repairs run $450-$1,800 depending on scope. A standard architectural asphalt replacement on a 1,800-square-foot Kensington home typically lands between $16,000 and $24,000.
Roof Inspection in Kensington
A Roof Inspection in Kensington is different from one in the flatlands because what looks fine from the street can be failing underneath, and because the county’s fire-safety requirements mean the inspector’s checklist is longer here. We inspect from the deck and inside the attic, documenting with photos what we find: flashing corrosion, decking rot, moss intrusion, underlayment delamination, and fastener pull-out. A written inspection report with photos runs $250-$450 in Kensington, and that fee is credited toward any repair or replacement you hire us to complete.
What our inspectors look for on Kensington roofs
We’re checking more than surface condition. We look for original skip-sheathing gaps that violate current Class A assembly standards, rusting flashing at dormer and valley transitions, and whether the existing assembly was ever permitted through Contra Costa County. Those details matter at inspection, and they matter more when it’s time to file.
Inspection report, not a sales pitch
You get photos, a condition summary, and a prioritized list of what’s urgent versus what can wait. We’ll also tell you if your roof currently meets VHFHSZ requirements, because many Kensington homes with original shake or early composition don’t, and that affects insurance and resale. Call (945) 303-9821 to schedule an inspection.
Trusted Brands We Service in Kensington
We install and repair roofing systems from seven major manufacturers: GAF, CertainTeed, Owens Corning, IKO, Atlas, Tamko, and Boral. That means you get a genuine choice of material, warranty structure, and price point, not whatever happens to be in the truck that week. For Kensington’s VHFHSZ requirements, we’re often specifying GAF’s Timberline HDZ or CertainTeed’s Landmark architectural lines, both Class A fire-rated, paired with the right underlayment for hillside moisture and wind exposure. Parts and materials for Kensington jobs are stocked locally, so repairs don’t wait on a distributor across the bay.
Common Roofing Company Problems We See in Kensington Homes
- Moss and lichen colonization on north and west planes. The marine layer funneling through the Golden Gate deposits persistent moisture on hillside roofs, and Kensington’s elevation means shingle edges stay wet longer than roofs in El Cerrito or Albany below. We remove moss, inspect for shingle lift, and recommend the right treatments and underlayment to slow recurrence.
- Original skip-sheathing under old composition. Homes built between 1920 and 1955 often have board gaps that predate modern underlayment and don’t meet current Class A assembly requirements. Once the tear-off exposes it, the decking has to be brought to code before the new system goes down.
- Wood shake roofs that must be replaced with Class A fire-rated systems. Kensington sits entirely within a designated Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. A shake tear-off legally forces a minimum Class A assembly, and the county in Martinez signs off on it. Contractors who pull permits through Berkeley or El Cerrito get stalled at inspection and leave homeowners with an unapproved roof.
- Wind-driven fog lifting fasteners on exposed planes. Kensington’s elevation and exposure mean north- and west-facing roof planes take lateral wind stress that flatland roofs rarely see. Fasteners pull, flashing flexes, and shingle seals break. We check fastener patterns and upgrade underlayment for wind resistance during every repair and replacement.
Pricing for Roofing Company in Kensington, CA
Kensington roof pricing runs higher than the flatlands for three reasons: steep hillside access, Class A fire-rated material requirements, and the county inspection process through Martinez. Here are honest ranges for typical Kensington homes. Repairs run $450-$1,800. A roof inspection with photos and a written report runs $250-$450. A full architectural asphalt replacement on a typical 1,600-2,200-square-foot Kensington home runs $14,000-$28,000. Metal roofing runs $22,000-$45,000. Tile roofing runs $25,000-$50,000. Flat or low-slope roofing runs $9,000-$18,000. Your written estimate includes exact line items and an allowance for what we expect to find under the old roof, so the price in your hand matches the price on the final invoice.
We Also Serve Cities Near Kensington
Our Kensington crews also serve the surrounding Bay Area when projects take us beyond the hills. You’ll find Tilehurst Roofing in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, and San Francisco, each location independently owned and operated under the same Kingswell Guarantee that backs every Kensington job. Scheduling and dispatch are coordinated from the brand’s San Francisco Bay Area office, and local crews serve Kensington directly.
Serving Kensington, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Kensington 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 About Roofing Company in Kensington
Yes. Kensington sits entirely inside a designated Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, so when you replace a wood shake roof or do a full tear-off, Contra Costa County requires a minimum Class A fire-rated assembly. The inspection and sign-off run through the county’s Hazardous Materials and Building Inspection division in Martinez, not through a city hall, because Kensington is unincorporated. If your contractor files through Berkeley or El Cerrito, the project stalls at inspection. Call (945) 303-9821 and we’ll walk you through the exact sequence for your street and roof type.
Because what’s underneath a 1940s Kensington roof is rarely code-compliant today. Original skip-sheathing, rotted decking, and the absence of modern underlayment mean the roof can’t accept a Class A assembly as-is, and the county inspector will require upgrades. We handle this by building an allowance into your written estimate, and pricing any change in writing before we touch it. On a steep Tudor revival off Arlington Avenue, our crew found skip-sheathing under failed three-tab, and the county required upgraded decking and synthetic underlayment before the new architectural shingles went down. The owner approved the revised dollar figure before the first square, not after. Estimates are free; call (945) 303-9821 for real numbers on your roof.
An inspection tells you condition and code status; a replacement quote prices the full tear-off, decking, underlayment, and new system. In Kensington they’re connected, because most inspections on pre-1955 homes uncover decking or Class A compliance issues that shape the eventual replacement cost. We charge $250-$450 for a documented inspection, offer a written quote as a separate step, and credit the inspection fee toward any work you hire us to complete. Call (945) 303-9821 to schedule yours.
Persistent marine-layer moisture deposits on north and west exposures, and Kensington’s elevation keeps those planes damp longer than flatland roofs below. That means more moss and lichen intrusion, faster flashing corrosion, and shingle lift under wind-driven fog events. We upgrade those planes with heavier underlayment and check fastener patterns specifically for lateral wind stress during every Kensington repair and replacement. For an exact diagnosis on your home, call (945) 303-9821.
Line by line, not square-by-square. Ask for the full written scope: decking condition assumptions, underlayment specification, Class A compliance, permit filing through Contra Costa County, and what happens to the price when the tear-off exposes what’s underneath. A bid that’s $4,000 lower but doesn’t include decking upgrades or Martinez inspection coordination isn’t lower; it’s incomplete. We give you a written, itemized estimate with allowances before work starts, and the guarantee in writing when the crew leaves. Call (945) 303-9821 to compare ours.
If you own a Kensington home built between 1920 and 1955, your roof was installed before modern underlayment, before Class A fire standards, and before the county required the inspection path we’ve described. Tilehurst Roofing will tell you the truth about what’s up there, put the price in writing, and stand behind every repair for a full year. Call (945) 303-9821 to schedule your free estimate.
Written by Greg Holloway, owner at Tilehurst Roofing, serving Kensington and the surrounding Bay Area hills under the Kingswell Guarantee.






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