Roofing Contractor in Loyola, CA

A Los Altos address with a County permit

Homeowners here sometimes call the City of Los Altos for a reroof permit and learn their parcel is not in the city. Loyola is unincorporated, so the County's Planning and Development Department issues and inspects building permits, including reroofs. County rules for unincorporated urban areas can differ from the neighboring cities' rules on submittals and inspections, so check with the County early.

Our steps stay consistent: a roof inspection with photos, a free itemized estimate, County permit filing for work that needs it, installation with daily cleanup, and the County's final inspection.

1950s custom homes near Loyola Corners

Unlike the tract neighborhoods in the valley, many Loyola houses were individually designed in the 1950s, which makes each roof a little different. We often find:

• Original wood shake or a first replacement: older shake roofs on these lots are past their life and are commonly replaced with Class A composition or synthetic shake.
• Skip sheathing: spaced boards under old wood roofs need solid decking before most new materials go on.
• Shallow attics with little venting: heat and moisture build up; see our attic ventilation page.
• Overhanging oaks and pines: gutters fill quickly, and limbs fall onto roofs in winter wind; our gutters page covers guards and cleaning.

Age and setting compound each other here. Tall canopy over large lots means roofs dry slowly after winter storms, and north faces grow moss that lifts shingle edges. Brick chimneys on these houses rode out the 1989 Loma Prieta quake, and many carry patched crowns and old counterflashing that should be rebuilt rather than reused at reroof time. Decades of remodeling also leave roofs with several generations of material meeting at odd angles, and those seams are where we look first when a ceiling stains.

A Jesuit college that never was, a rail depot and a golf course

Loyola's name comes from a plan that did not happen. In 1904 the Jesuits of Santa Clara bought 650 acres of the old Hale Ranch for a college to be named after St. Ignatius of Loyola, then sold the land in 1923 to developers who laid out the Los Altos Golf & Country Club on Country Club Drive. The Southern Pacific line that is now Foothill Expressway had a depot nearby called Loyola Corners, and the small commercial district that kept the name is governed today by a City of Los Altos specific plan.

The Depression stalled building until after the war, which is why so much of the housing here dates from the 1940s and 1950s. The census-designated place had 3,491 residents in 2020. Fremont Avenue and Foothill Expressway are the main roads, with Magdalena Avenue linking to I-280 on the hill side. As unincorporated County land, Loyola is part of the Silicon Valley Clean Energy service area, the same as most of its neighbors.

Plain facts about our coverage between Los Altos and Los Altos Hills

We do not have Loyola projects or reviews from Loyola homeowners to share. We do have a route that already runs through neighboring Los Altos and Los Altos Hills, a drive of about 25 minutes, and a habit of photographing every problem so you see it before you decide.

Remodel timing and roof replacement

Loyola homes are frequently expanded rather than replaced. If you are planning an addition, consider replacing the existing roof at the same time so materials and ages match, which avoids a second permit and a second tear-off later. Our roof replacement page outlines the options.