Questions covered in this guide
Local considerations
A San Diego reroof bid should state how concealed deck findings will be measured and escalated. Keep the property-specific review answer with that procedure rather than relying on a general statement that reroofing is exempt.
The proposed change-order sequence makes concealed work an explicit decision with evidence, a price and responsibility. It avoids substituting a generic contingency percentage for a plan to evaluate actual deck conditions.
Explore the national planning guideIdentify the decision beneath the covering
San Diego's Bulletin 123 distinguishes covering renewal from structural work. Its damaged-deck exception allows limited in-kind replacement, up to 25 percent of roof surface, for specified homes; designated historic properties and historic districts always require a roof-renewal permit. Ask the contractor to confirm how the current bulletin applies to your property before assuming a reroof is exempt.
Request a concealed-work plan
Ask what can be assessed before removal and what may remain unknown. Put the proposed covering in one section of the quote and the process for handling damaged decking in another. Request a description of the evidence you will receive if additional work is proposed, such as labeled photographs and measured quantities. The contractor should gather this information; the homeowner does not need to access the roof.
Agree on a change-order sequence
Write down who will notify you, who will explain the proposed repair and how the additional price will be presented. Include a question about when newly discovered conditions require the permitting route to be reassessed. Have the contractor explain how the building will be protected while an unresolved decision is addressed. Avoid a blank authorization for whatever work is found beneath the covering.
Compare bids using the same unknowns
Give each bidder the same starting scope and ask each to describe its assumptions about the deck. Compare included work, conditional work and exclusions separately. Confirm jurisdiction using the property address rather than assuming every San Diego postal address follows city rules. The roofing calculator is a national planning reference and does not inspect decking, apply a local price multiplier or decide whether your scope meets a permit exception. Use the documented repair process to obtain a proposal you can understand before the covering comes off.
Sources and supported claims
San Diego Bulletin 123 permits limited in-kind damaged-deck replacement without a permit for single-family homes, duplexes and townhouses, up to 25 percent of roof surface, subject to its conditions.
Source ↗ · place · Checked 2026-10-12
Bulletin 123 requires a roof-renewal permit for designated historical resources and adopted historic districts.
Source ↗ · place · Checked 2026-10-12