Roof Repair in Los Angeles
Roof leak and roof repair in Los Angeles. We trace the leak to its source and repair shingles, tile, flashing or flat roofs.
Family owned Los Angeles, CA
Licensed · Bonded · Insured
California license #1045592
01 / Roof repair
A small roof leak rarely stays small. Most of Los Angeles' rain arrives in a few heavy storms, so a worn spot that held up all summer can show up as a stain on your ceiling the first time the water has real volume behind it. Denali Builders CA repairs roofs across Los Angeles: we trace the leak to its source, fix what is actually failing, and tell you honestly when the better answer is a bigger job.
02 / What we do
What roof repair includes
- Replacing cracked, curled, lifted or missing shingles
- Resetting or replacing slipped, cracked or broken tile, and renewing the underlayment beneath it where it has worn out
- Re-sealing or replacing flashing around chimneys, skylights, vents, walls and valleys
- Patching and re-seaming flat and low-slope roofs, including around drains, parapet walls and rooftop equipment
- Repairing storm and wind damage such as lifted shingles, torn flashing and displaced tile
- Re-securing vent pipes, fan housings and other roof penetrations
03 / Warning signs
Signs your roof needs repair
- Brown or yellow stains on a ceiling or wall, or paint that bubbles or peels near the roofline
- Daylight, damp insulation or a musty smell in the attic
- Shingle granules collecting in your gutters, or shingles that are curled, cracked or missing
- Broken tile pieces in the yard or on lower roof sections
- Dried-out or cracked sealant and rust around flashing, chimneys and vents
- Water that sits on a flat roof for days after the rain stops
04 / Finding leaks
Why leaks are hard to find
Water almost never drips straight below the hole. It runs along rafters, roof decking and insulation, sometimes several feet, before it appears on a ceiling. That is why a patch placed over the stain so often fails. One customer described exactly this:
I have a flat roof with leaking in a few area the last three years I fixed that four or five times with different roofers and it didn’t work thank god Sam from Denali builders came and solve for me the problem
05 / Common repairs
Common repair jobs on Los Angeles roofs
Asphalt shingle roofs
Years of sun and heat break down the granules and sealant on shingles. Santa Ana winds then lift the tabs that have lost their grip. Spot repairs work when the rest of the roof is sound. If shingles are curling or shedding granules across the whole roof, repair is a short-term answer. Our shingle roofing page explains the difference.
Tile roofs
Tile itself lasts a long time, but the underlayment beneath it wears out first. A tile roof can look fine and still leak because the layer that actually keeps water out has aged. Tiles also crack when people walk on them, which is why broken tiles often turn up after solar, satellite or air conditioning work. See tile roof repair and replacement.
Flat and low-slope roofs
Ponding water, open seams, failed flashing at parapet walls and gaps around penetrations cause most flat roof leaks. See flat roof repair and installation.
06 / Repair or replace
Repair or replace?
Both can be the right answer. This is how we usually think about it:
| What we find | What it usually points to |
|---|---|
| Damage in one area, the rest of the roof in good shape | Repair |
| A few broken tiles or lifted shingles after a storm | Repair |
| A leak that returns after a repair | Look for the real entry point, then reconsider the roof as a whole |
| Leaks in several places, widespread curling, cracking or granule loss | Replacement |
| Roof deck that is soft or damp when opened up | Deck repair first, then partial or full replacement |
If replacement makes more sense, we will show you why. See roof replacement in Los Angeles for what that involves. An inspection settles the question before you commit to either: roof inspection in Los Angeles.
07 / Permits and code
Permits and code on repair work
In the City of Los Angeles the Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) issues roofing permits and inspects the work. Replacing a roof covering generally needs a permit. Small spot repairs often do not, and we tell you which one applies before we start. One City of Los Angeles rule is worth knowing: if more than half of a roof is replaced within a year, the whole roof has to meet current code, including its fire rating. If half or less is replaced, only the new section has to comply. That can change the repair-or-replace decision on an older roof. Other cities such as Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena run their own building departments with their own permit steps.
Shingle valley 
Shingles around a vent pipe 
Chimney flashing on tile
08 / How it works
How a repair visit works
You call or send a message and describe what you are seeing.
We look at the roof surface and the attic to trace where the water gets in.
We explain what we found in plain language and give you a written estimate.
We repair the problem with materials that match your roof, and we clean up after each day of work.
We check that the repair sheds water the way it should before we leave.
09 / Why Denali
Why homeowners call Denali Builders CA
Denali Builders CA is a licensed and insured roofing contractor with 150 Google reviews averaging 4.9. Customers talk about honest advice on what a roof needs, crews that clean up every day, and work that finishes when promised. Read more on our customer reviews page.
The roofers were great they stayed late on the night before the heavy rains so we would not have any leaks.
We had three leaks during the last few months storms in Southern Cal. [...] Very nice, NO more leak.
How much does a roof repair cost in Los Angeles?
It depends on what is failing, how much of the roof is affected, the material and how hard the spot is to reach. The same ceiling stain can come from a small flashing problem or from a worn-out section of roof, so we do not name a number before we have looked. After we inspect the roof you get a written estimate for the work.
Can you find a leak that other roofers could not fix?
Leaks that keep coming back were usually repaired where the water showed up, not where it got in. Water can run along a rafter or across the roof deck for several feet before it drips onto a ceiling. We start in the attic and on the roof surface, trace the water back to its entry point and repair that. Not every leak is simple, but that approach is what finds most of them.
Can a roof be repaired when it is raining?
Wet surfaces are unsafe to work on and many roofing materials will not seal properly when they are wet. We can look at the attic and the roof to find and document the problem, then schedule the repair for a dry window. Roofing is planned around the weather, and a roof should never be left open to rain.
Do I need a permit for a roof repair?
Replacing a roof covering generally needs a permit and a city inspection. Small spot repairs often do not. The rules differ by city, so we confirm what applies to your address before work starts. See our roofing questions page for how permits work in Los Angeles.
How long will a repair last?
A repair on a sound roof can last as long as the roof around it. A repair on a roof near the end of its life buys time but does not make the roof new. If we think the roof is past the point where repairs make sense, we will say so and explain what we saw.
11 / Keep exploring
More roofing help
- Roofing servicesEverything we do on a roof
- Roof replacementTear-off to final inspection
- Tile roofingClay and concrete tile
- Asphalt shingle roofingRepair and re-roofing
- Flat roofingLow-slope roofs and membranes
- Roof inspectionKnow what your roof needs
- Roofing questionsStraight answers for homeowners
- Areas we serveCities and permit offices
- Customer reviewsWhat customers say on Google
- Contact usCall or send a message
Los Angeles & surrounding communities
Santa Monica · Culver City · Burbank · PasadenaSanta Monica, Culver City, Burbank and Pasadena
See service areasFree consultation
Talk to a Los Angeles roofer about your roof
Describe what you are seeing and we will tell you what we think is going on and what the options are.
(855) 200-6550Prefer a conversation? Give us a call.