Roofing in Malibu.
Roofing in Malibu is the hardest combination in Los Angeles: ocean salt and marine damp on one side, severe wildfire terrain on the other — and a roof here has to answer both.
What Malibu roofs are up against.
Few places test a roof like Malibu. Along the coast, salt air and marine humidity corrode flashing and fasteners and keep low-slope roofs damp; up the canyons and hillsides, the city sits in some of the most severe wildfire terrain in California, where Class A assemblies and ember-resistant detailing are essential. The Santa Ana winds that drive Malibu's fires also hammer exposed ridgelines and lift tile, and PCH-adjacent homes take the brunt of onshore storms. Homes range from modern beachfront boxes with flat roofs to canyon and hillside houses on steep lots. A Malibu roof has to be built for salt, wind, sun, and fire at once — there is no single easy answer, and shortcuts do not survive here.
What we work on in Malibu.
- Flat and low-slope — TPO and modified bitumen — on beachfront and modern homes
- Class A tile and assemblies on canyon and hillside homes
- Standing-seam and metal on contemporary builds
The repairs Malibu homeowners call us about.
- Salt-corroded flashing and fasteners on coastal roofs
- Fire-hardening gaps on canyon and hillside homes
- Wind uplift and lifted tile on exposed ridgelines
- Ponding and seam failure on beachfront flat roofs
What a Malibu roof job looks like with us.
In Malibu we match the roof to the hazard: corrosion-resistant flashing and Polyglass low-slope membranes on the coastal homes, Class A assemblies with ember-resistant detailing on the canyon and hillside homes, and wind-rated edges on everything exposed. Every job is drone-documented, before, during, and after.
We're a family-owned, licensed C-39 contractor (CSLB #1137536), Owens Corning Preferred and Polyglass certified, owner-run by a roofer with nearly a decade of hands-on Los Angeles experience. Our work is backed by a 10-year workmanship warranty and a perfect 5.0 rating across 113 verified reviews.
Common questions from Malibu homeowners.
My Malibu home faces both fire and salt air — can one roof handle both?
Yes, but it has to be built deliberately for each. On coastal homes we use corrosion-resistant flashing and low-slope membranes made for salt and damp; on canyon and hillside homes we build Class A assemblies with ember-resistant detailing. We will tell you exactly which your home needs.
Do you do fire-zone roofing in the Malibu canyons?
Yes. The canyon and hillside areas are severe fire terrain, and we build Class A assemblies with hardened eaves, vents, and valleys so wind-driven embers cannot catch. It is some of the most important work we do anywhere.
Do you install flat roofs on beachfront homes?
Yes — the modern beachfront homes need low-slope systems with flawless waterproofing and drainage, plus corrosion-resistant flashing for the salt air. As a Polyglass-certified contractor we build them for the coast.
Get a free Malibu roof estimate.
We come out, walk the roof, take drone photos, and send a written, itemized assessment within 48 hours. No pressure, no theater.
Roofing codes & requirements in Malibu
Energy / cool roof (Title 24)
Malibu sits in California Energy Commission Climate Zone 6. Under Title 24, Part 6, a low-slope or flat roof here must use a cool-roof product (aged solar reflectance of at least 0.63 and thermal emittance of at least 0.75 — roughly SRI 75) when you replace 50% or more of the roof or about 1,000 sq ft or more. Steep-slope (pitched) residential roofs in Climate Zone 6 are exempt from the cool-roof requirement, so standard shingle or tile is fine. Small like-for-like repairs generally don't trigger it. See the California Energy Commission standards and the CRRC directory for rated products.
Fire — Class A required citywide
Every parcel in Malibu is designated a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (City Ordinance No. 299), so the building code requires a Class A roof assembly and ember-resistant construction, and wood-shake and wood-shingle roofs are prohibited citywide. A Malibu re-roof may also require a Coastal Development Permit. You can check any parcel on the CAL FIRE hazard-zone viewer.
Decking / sheathing
Many older Malibu homes were built with spaced 1×6 “skip” sheathing under the original roof. For a modern shingle or tile system — and for a Class A assembly — that decking often has to be overlaid with solid sheathing, and any rotted boards replaced. We confirm exactly what your roof needs with a deck inspection at tear-off, not a guess.
Color & materials
Roof color isn't regulated by code. Where a cool roof is required you need a CRRC-rated product that meets the SRI — and those come in a wide range of colors, not just white. In Malibu, coastal design standards can also apply.
Source: the City of Malibu Building Safety, the California Energy Commission, and CAL FIRE. Roofing codes change and are parcel-specific — confirm with the City of Malibu Building Safety before your project, or call us at (866) 685-3889 and we'll confirm it for you.
Common Malibu roofing-code questions
Does my Malibu roof need to be Title 24 cool-roof compliant?
Only on flat or low-slope sections. Malibu is in Climate Zone 6, so Title 24 requires a cool roof (about SRI 75) when you replace 50%+ of a low-slope roof, but steep-slope shingle and tile roofs are exempt here.
Is Malibu in a fire zone that requires a Class A roof?
Yes — all of Malibu is a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, so every roof must be a Class A assembly and wood shake is prohibited citywide.
Will my old spaced sheathing need to be re-decked?
Sometimes. Older Malibu homes often have spaced 1×6 sheathing; a modern shingle or tile system (and a Class A assembly) may need solid sheathing over it. A deck inspection at tear-off tells us for sure.
Financing available for qualified Malibu homeowners
You don't have to pay for a roof all at once: financing is available for qualified homeowners, subject to qualification — written itemized pricing first, financing second, never any pressure. And because Title 24 cool-roof products are qualifying energy improvements, a Malibu re-roof that needs one may also qualify for PACE-style energy financing — ask us and we'll confirm what applies to your property. How roof financing works in Los Angeles →