---
title: "How to Choose Roofing Materials for a Replacement | NEMA Roofing"
description: "How to choose roofing materials for a replacement: slope, weight, fire and cool-roof rules, coast vs valley vs hills, life-cycle cost, and the right installer."
url: "https://nemaroofing.com/roofing-replacement/roofing-replacement-guide-choosing-the-best-materials-and-contractors/"
updated: "2026-09-30"
---

**To choose roofing materials for a replacement, start with what the roof allows (its slope and how much weight the framing carries), then what your address requires (fire class, cool-roof values, design review), then how long you plan to stay and how you want the house to look. Only after those filters does price per square make sense, and the contractor should be one who installs that material to its manufacturer’s rules.** To talk through the options for your roof, call NEMA Roofing at [866-631-3366](tel:866-631-3366).

## Which questions narrow the choice first?

1. **How steep is the roof?** Shingles, tile and most metal panels need a sloped roof. Nearly flat sections, such as patio covers, additions and many commercial-style homes, need a membrane or coating system instead.
2. **Can the framing carry it?** Clay and concrete tile weigh far more than shingles or metal. Going from a light roof to tile calls for a structural check; in unincorporated Riverside County, for example, a reroof permit that swaps a lightweight covering for concrete or clay tile cannot be processed by mail and needs roof framing plans.
3. **Is the address in a fire hazard severity zone?** In the zones covered by California’s Wildland-Urban Interface Code, a replacement must be Class A.
4. **Which climate zone?** Title 24 sets cool-roof values for a steep-slope reroof inland (zones 4 and 8 to 15) but not on the coast in zone 6, and for low-slope reroofs in both.
5. **Who else approves it?** An HOA, a design review board such as Montecito’s, or a historic overlay can limit material and color.
6. **How long will you own the house?** A material that outlasts your ownership is worth more to you if you stay; less if you sell soon.

## How do the main roofing materials compare?

| Material | Strengths | Watch-outs |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Asphalt shingles (dimensional) | Lowest first cost of the steep-slope options; light; many colors, including rated cool colors; simple to repair | Shortest service life of the group (about 20 years in the National Association of Home Builders’ life-expectancy study); heat ages them |
| Concrete tile | Long life (the same study puts clay and concrete roofs at over 50 years); flat and curved profiles | Heavy; the underlayment beneath carries much of the waterproofing and is renewed when it ages, often long before the tile |
| Clay tile | Long life; color through the tile; suits Spanish and Mediterranean houses; sound tile can be reinstalled | Heavy; brittle under foot traffic; broken tile may not be reused |
| Standing seam metal | Light; hidden fasteners; can be installed over some existing roofs as a separate system where the code allows; factory cool finishes | Higher first cost; coated steel is a weaker choice in direct salt spray, where aluminum may be better |
| Low-slope membrane (modified bitumen, TPO, PVC) or coating | The right tool for flat sections; white surfaces meet the low-slope cool-roof values | Needs good drainage; ponding water shortens its life |

For side-by-side detail, see [metal roofing vs shingles](https://nemaroofing.com/metal-roofing/metal-roofing-vs-traditional-shingles-which-one-is-right-for-you/) and [how long tile roofs last](https://nemaroofing.com/tile-roofing/how-long-do-tile-roofs-last/).

## Does it matter where in Southern California you live?

Yes, and the service area we cover shows the range.

- **On the coast** (Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Oxnard): marine air and salt. The U.S. Department of Defense roofing criteria note that aluminum-zinc coated steel does less well in direct salt spray and that aluminum may be the better choice there. Exposed fasteners and dissimilar metals deserve attention.
- **In the inland valleys** (the west San Fernando Valley, Ojai): heat. The NOAA station at Pierce College in Woodland Hills averages 115 days a year at 90°F or above, and Ojai about 75 (1991 to 2020 normals). Heat-rated underlayment, attic ventilation and a cool-rated color pay off here, and in zone 9 the energy code requires a rated color when more than half of a steep roof is replaced, unless an exception applies.
- **In the hills** (Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, Montecito, the hillside parts of Tarzana and Woodland Hills): fire. Large shares of these areas are mapped Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, so Class A assemblies and ember-resistant vents lead the choice.

## How do you compare cost over the life of the roof?

Compare what the roof costs per year of service, not only on day one. A material that lasts twice as long but costs less than twice as much is the better value for an owner who stays. Add the upkeep each one needs: tile underlayment renewal, sealant and fastener checks on exposed-fastener metal, coating renewal on some flat roofs. Then weigh the costs that come with the choice: structural work for tile, the cool-roof requirement, and the fire class. Our guide to [roof replacement cost](https://nemaroofing.com/roofing-replacement/the-cost-of-roofing-replacement-what-homeowners-need-to-know/) explains what moves the price.

## How do you match the contractor to the material?

- **License.** Look the roofer up on the Contractors State License Board site before you sign: the license should be active and include the C-39 roofing classification.
- **Manufacturer standing.** Some of the strongest manufacturer warranties are sold only through contractors the manufacturer has certified; GAF’s Golden Pledge, for example, is available only through GAF Master Elite contractors. Ask which programs the roofer holds for the exact product you are buying.
- **Experience with the system.** Tile, standing seam and flat membranes each use different flashing methods. Ask to see finished jobs in the same material.
- **A written scope** that names the product line, underlayment, fire class, color rating and flashing.

Our checklist on [how to choose a roofing contractor](https://nemaroofing.com/roof-repair-near-me/affordable-roofing-repair-near-me-what-to-look-for-in-a-contractor/) goes step by step.

## Choosing a material with NEMA Roofing

We install shingle, tile, metal and flat roofing, and a [roof replacement](https://nemaroofing.com/our-services/roofing-replacement/) with us starts from the roof’s slope, structure and the rules for your address. NEMA Roofing Solutions holds CSLB license #1083283 in the C-39 roofing and B general building classifications, and appears in GAF’s directory as a Master Elite contractor, in Owens Corning’s as a Preferred Contractor and in Polyglass’s as a Preferred Contractor. Five NEMA locations (Santa Barbara, Woodland Hills, Oxnard, Downey and Tarzana) cover the coast, the valleys and the hills alike, across Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties; start with our [San Bernardino County](https://nemaroofing.com/service-areas/san-bernardino-county/) or [Ventura County](https://nemaroofing.com/service-areas/ventura-county/) area pages. Call [866-631-3366](tel:866-631-3366) for a material recommendation for your roof.