New Roof Installation
Built Right From the Roof Deck Up

A Blank Slate Is a Rare Gift

We showed up at a new-build custom home in the Danville hills last spring where the framer had just finished decking and the roof plan called for a 9:12 main pitch with three dormers and a standing-seam transition above the garage. On a replacement job, we'd be inheriting somebody else's mistakes: undersized decking, dead-end valleys, a chimney chase that was never flashed correctly. On this one, we got to do everything right the first time. Ice & Water Shield ran 6 feet up every eave, the valleys got double coverage, the dormer sidewalls got kick-out flashings we bent on-site, and the ridge ventilation was sized to the attic volume instead of being an afterthought.

That's the point of new installation. It's the one chance in a building's life to make the roof system right from the deck up. We've been doing new construction roofing across the East Bay since 1988 — custom builds, spec homes, additions, ADUs, commercial ground-ups — and when a GC hands us a clean deck, we know the roof will outlast everyone on the job site.

What New Roof Installation Actually Involves

New construction roofing is different from replacement in several ways that matter to budget and schedule. There's no tear-off. There's no decking repair. But there's structural coordination with the framing crew, plan review with the architect, Title 24 compliance sign-off, and a dried-in inspection before the building inspector will let drywall start inside. Our scope on a new build typically includes:

• Deck verification — walking the sheathing after the framer signs off, confirming nailing pattern, span, and fastener spec matches the engineered plans.
• Underlayment system — Ice & Water Shield at eaves and valleys, synthetic underlayment (GAF FeltBuster, CertainTeed RoofRunner, or Malarkey Secure Start) across the field.
• Drip edge and starter course — aluminum drip edge at eaves and rakes, matching starter strip with sealant bead.
• Main field install — shingles, tile, or metal installed to manufacturer spec with correct offset, nailing pattern, and exposure.
• Flashings — step flashing at walls, counter flashing at chimneys, kick-out flashings at roof-to-wall terminations, custom-bent pieces for anything the standard kit doesn't cover.
• Ventilation — ridge vent, soffit intake, gable vents if the plan calls for them, all sized to meet the 1-to-150 net free area ratio required by code.
• Pipe boots and penetrations — Oatey Perma-Boot or Master Flash for each plumbing vent, factory-matched caps for electrical and HVAC penetrations.
• Warranty registration — filed with GAF or CertainTeed before the job closes out.

A typical 30-square new-build roof runs 5 to 7 days for asphalt shingles, 7 to 10 days for tile or standing seam metal, longer if the geometry is complex.

When You Need New Installation (Versus Replacement)

The distinction is simple but worth being clear on:

• New custom home. Full ground-up build, you're the original owner, there's no existing roof. This is installation.
• Spec home or tract build. Same as above, just on the builder side.
• Room addition. You're adding square footage and the new section needs its own roof, tied into the existing one. Usually installation on the new section plus some repair work on the tie-in.
• Detached ADU or garage. New standalone structure. Installation.
• Commercial ground-up. Office, retail, multi-family, all fall under new installation.
• Replacing a roof that's already there. That's replacement, not installation, see our roof replacement page.

Most of our installation volume comes through East Bay general contractors and custom home builders we've worked with for years, plus direct homeowner projects when someone's building their own custom home. Architects sometimes spec us directly on high-end builds in Blackhawk, Alamo, Orinda, and the Oakland and Berkeley hills.

Our Installation Process

Pre-construction review. We review the roof plan with the architect or GC before framing starts, flag any details that'll give us trouble, and confirm the material selection fits the structural load the framer is designing to. On tile jobs, this matters a lot, concrete tile runs 900-1,200 pounds per square versus 240 pounds for asphalt, and the trusses have to be designed for it.

Deck readiness check. Once the framer is done, we walk the deck with the site super, verify everything's sound, and schedule our start.

Dry-in. First day, sometimes day two, we cover the entire deck with underlayment and drip edge so the interior can be protected from weather. Building inspector can sign off on the dry-in inspection at that point, which lets drywall start inside.

Material install. Shingles, tile, or metal go on per manufacturer spec. We use the six-nail pattern on GAF Timberline HDZ in any wind-exposed area and hand-seal ridge cap tabs on anything above 8:12 pitch.

Flashing and penetrations. Everything gets flashed as we work — no "we'll come back for that." Chimneys, skylights, plumbing vents, wall intersections, HVAC penetrations.

Ventilation and finish. Ridge vent, ridge caps, final pipe boots, and any specialty items (solar-ready penetrations, snow guards, cricket structures).

Final inspection. We schedule the final roof inspection with the jurisdiction and walk it with the inspector ourselves.

Warranty registration. Filed with GAF or CertainTeed, confirmation emailed to you and the GC.

Materials and Brands We Install

Same product lines as our replacement work, but on new construction we have more flexibility because there's no existing material to match.

Asphalt shingles:

• GAF Timberline HDZ — the default spec shingle for most new East Bay builds. 25+ year warranty, Golden Pledge available through our Master Elite registration.
• GAF Timberline UHDZ — thicker profile for premium builds. Same Golden Pledge coverage.
• GAF Timberline AS II — Class 4 impact rating, qualifies for insurance discounts from some California carriers.
• CertainTeed Landmark Pro and Presidential TL — Presidential is popular on luxury custom homes in Blackhawk and Alamo.
• Owens Corning Duration Storm and Duration Cool — SureNail strip for wind resistance; Duration Cool satisfies Title 24 cool roof and Berkeley's cool roof ordinance.
• Malarkey Vista AR — NEX polymer-modified, algae-resistant, high recycled content for the sustainability-focused builders.

Tile:

• Boral concrete tile — wide color and profile selection.
• Eagle Malibu and Capistrano — S-tile and flat concrete profiles.
• Clay barrel tile — through MCA or US Tile for Mediterranean architecture.

Metal:

• Decra stone-coated steel — looks like tile, installs faster, weighs one-seventh as much.
• Standing seam — 24-gauge Kynar-finished steel or aluminum, the preferred choice on modern architecture and hillside fire-zone builds.

Underlayment and accessories:

• GAF FeltBuster, CertainTeed RoofRunner, Malarkey Secure Start for synthetic underlayment.
• Grace Ice & Water Shield or GAF WeatherWatch for self-adhering membrane.
• VELUX and Fakro skylights where the plan calls for daylighting.

Code and Permit Requirements

New construction roofing sits inside the larger building permit your GC pulls. We don't pull a separate permit, but we do have to comply with everything in the California Residential Code and California Building Code:

• CRC Chapter 9 (Roof Assemblies) — covers decking, underlayment, ice barriers, fire classification, and installation specifications.
• CRC R803 — roof decking requirements, minimum 15/32" structural panel sheathing on standard rafter spacing.
• California Building Code Chapter 7A — mandatory for any property in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. This covers much of the hills above Oakland, Berkeley, Orinda, Moraga, Lafayette, Alamo, Danville, and parts of Martinez. Chapter 7A means a Class A fire-rated roofing assembly, ember-resistant vents (covered with 1/8" noncombustible mesh or rated ember-resistant products), and noncombustible gutters or gutter guards.
• California Title 24, Part 6 — energy code. Roof reflectance and thermal emittance requirements for steep-slope residential roofs. Berkeley adds its own cool roof ordinance on top.
• CRC Section R806 — attic ventilation, 1 square foot net free ventilation per 150 square feet of attic floor area, or 1 to 300 with proper balance and vapor barrier.
• Local amendments — every East Bay jurisdiction has its own quirks. Berkeley and Oakland are the strictest on energy code; Contra Costa County enforces Chapter 7A rigorously in the unincorporated hillside areas.

On custom homes we coordinate directly with the engineer of record on anything that touches the structural plan, heavy tile loads especially. The engineer provides the calcs, we install to the spec.

Pricing and Timeline

Installation pricing on new construction is usually quoted per square foot of roof area, which makes it easier to compare to other trade line items in the GC's bid package.

• Standard asphalt: $10 to $14 per square foot installed. GAF Timberline HDZ or CertainTeed Landmark with synthetic underlayment, drip edge, standard ventilation. Class A assembly. 25-year manufacturer warranty.
• Premium asphalt: $14 to $19 per square foot. Timberline UHDZ, Landmark Pro, Presidential, or Duration Storm with full Ice & Water Shield perimeter, enhanced ventilation design, Golden Pledge warranty registration.
• Tile and metal: $19 to $25 per square foot. Boral/Eagle concrete tile, clay tile, Decra, or standing seam metal. Includes coordination with the structural engineer.

Timeline by material, on a typical 30-square new home:

• Architectural asphalt: 5 to 6 days
• Impact-rated or premium asphalt: 5 to 7 days
• Concrete tile: 7 to 9 days
• Clay tile: 8 to 10 days
• Standing seam metal: 7 to 10 days

Complex geometry, high pitch, or limited staging area adds time. We build our schedule into the GC's critical path before we sign the subcontract.

Cities We Serve

We handle new construction roofing across the East Bay. Active project cities include Danville, Alamo, San Ramon, Walnut Creek, Concord, Orinda, Lafayette, Moraga, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Pleasanton, Dublin, Oakland, Berkeley, and Fremont.

Frequently Asked Questions

Let's Talk About Your Build

Call East Bay Roofers at (925) 722-4916 or request an installation estimate. We work directly with general contractors, architects, and owner-builders across the East Bay. GAF Master Elite certified, CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster, CA license #987654 (C-39), 4.9 out of 5 across 527 reviews. Founded in 1988, based at 2310 Bates Ave in Concord.