Craftsman and tile roofing in Belmont Heights, Long Beach

Belmont Heights rises just inland from Belmont Shore, close enough to the ocean to feel the marine layer most mornings. The neighborhood grew in the 1910s and 1920s, and much of it is a designated historic district. Front porches, exposed rafter tails, wide eaves and tile-roofed Spanish homes are part of what owners here want to protect.

That shapes how we work. On a Belmont Heights house we look for repairs that keep the street-facing roof looking the way it should, we salvage good tile, and we pay close attention to old wood at the eaves. When a full re-roof is needed, we plan material choices with the historic review in mind before anything is ordered.

Bungalows, Spanish homes and what sits on top of them

The Craftsman bungalows here usually carry composition shingle now, often over the original spaced plank decking. Their low gables and deep overhangs look simple, but exposed rafter tails and barge boards are some of the first wood to rot when water runs off the roof edge for decades.

Spanish Revival homes have clay barrel tile on pitched sections and flat roofs hidden behind parapet walls. Those parapets and their scuppers are a common leak point: the cap cracks, the flashing pulls loose, and water runs inside the wall. Duplexes and courtyard apartments from the same era share many of these details.

Roof problems we see most in Belmont Heights

Historic district rules and roofing in Belmont Heights

Because Belmont Heights is a historic district, visible changes to roofing material can need extra review before a City of Long Beach re-roof permit is issued. Replacing like with like is usually simpler than switching materials, so we talk through options with you before ordering. The building permit itself is required for any re-roof, and we handle it.

Streets here are narrower than in the post-war tracts, and many lots have alley access, which we use for dumpsters and deliveries when we can. The neighborhood is close to the water, so we use corrosion-resistant fasteners and flashing. Our downtown office is only a few minutes west, which helps when a storm leak needs attention fast.