New roof curb appeal comes from three choices: the material’s profile (flat shingle, dimensional shingle, barrel or flat tile, standing seam), its color, and the trim at the edges. In Southern California each of those choices also has to pass safety and energy rules, so the best-looking roof is the one you pick with the fire rating, the cool-roof requirement and the roof’s structure in view from the start. For samples and a scope for your house, call NEMA Roofing at 866-631-3366.
Which roof materials change the look of a house most?
The roof is one of the largest surfaces seen from the street, so a change of material changes the whole house. The main options, with the safety point that goes with each:
| Material | How it looks | Safety point to check |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensional (architectural) asphalt shingles | Layered, shadowed texture; suits ranch, craftsman and traditional houses | Fire class and wind rating come from the product listing and the installation method |
| Concrete tile, flat or curved | Flat profiles read clean and modern; curved profiles read Mediterranean | Much heavier than shingles: the framing must be checked when switching from a light roof |
| Clay tile | The traditional Spanish and Mission look; color runs through the tile | Heavy; sound tiles can be reused, cracked ones may not go back on |
| Standing seam metal | Long, straight vertical lines; suits modern and farmhouse styles | Class A depends on the tested assembly over a wood deck; finish color sets its reflectance |
| Low-slope (flat) membrane | Mostly hidden behind parapets; matters for views from above | Low-slope cool-roof values are stricter than steep-slope ones |
For a closer look at each material’s trade-offs, see our tile roofing and metal roof designs pages.
How does the fire rule limit style choices?
Wherever the California Wildland-Urban Interface Code applies (mapped fire hazard severity zones; the 2025 code took effect January 1, 2026), replacing a roof, or 50 percent or more of it within 12 months, means the new covering must be Class A. CAL FIRE maps put almost none of Oxnard or Carpinteria in a zone, but mark about 60 to 71 percent of the land in Ojai, Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village as Very High (a grid estimate from the 2024 and 2025 maps); the map viewer shows your address.
- Metal and clay or concrete tile are treated as Class A without testing only on a noncombustible deck. Most houses have a plywood or board deck, so the rating comes from the tested assembly, underlayment included. Ask for the listing.
- Wood shakes and wood shingles are the look most affected. Los Angeles County’s building code manual on reroofing, which covers unincorporated areas and contract cities such as Westlake Village, prohibits them as a reroofing material. Shake-look alternatives in other materials exist; check that the exact product carries the rating you need.
- Homeowners associations cannot require a roof that breaks the state fire-roofing law, and in a Very High zone their rules must allow at least one compliant covering (Health and Safety Code 13132.7(l)).
Can you pick any color for a new roof?
Not everywhere. Title 24, California’s energy code, sets cool-roof values when more than half of a roof is replaced, and whether they apply depends on the climate zone and the slope.
- Coastal zone 6 (Goleta, Carpinteria, Montecito, Oxnard, Camarillo): Title 24 sets no cool-roof value for a steep-slope reroof of a house, so dark shingle and tile colors stay open, subject to design review and HOA rules.
- Inland zone 9 (Ojai, Santa Paula, Westlake Village, Woodland Hills, Tarzana, Encino and part of Thousand Oaks): a steep-slope reroof needs an aged solar reflectance of at least 0.20 and emittance of at least 0.75, or an SRI of 16, unless the attic qualifies for an exception. Rated colors are not only white; check the aged value of the exact color.
- City of Los Angeles: LADBS asks for a Cool Roof Rating Council certified product when more than 50 percent of a house roof is replaced.
- Flat roofs in zones 6 through 15 need a far higher reflectance (aged 0.63 or SRI 75, with an insulation trade-off in some cases), which in practice means white or very light surfaces.
The Cool Roof Rating Council rates products after three years of outdoor weathering; its directory shows the aged value of each color. Our page on cool roof colors for the Santa Barbara sun goes deeper on color choice.
Who else may have a say in the look?
- Design review boards. In Montecito, the Board of Architectural Review considers the colors and types of building materials, and reroofing is not on its exemption list, so a change of roof material or color goes through review.
- Historic districts. In the City of Los Angeles, Historic Preservation Overlay Zone boards review alterations to the roofs of contributing buildings.
- HOAs. Many publish approved roof colors and materials; get approval in writing before ordering.
Which details make a new roof look finished?
- Edge metal and flashing in a color that matches the roof or the trim, instead of mill-finish metal.
- Ridge and hip caps made for the product line, so the ridges read as one clean line.
- Vents kept to the back slopes where airflow allows, and painted to match.
- Gutters and fascia replaced or painted at the same time, since a new roof makes tired trim stand out.
How do you preview a roof before you commit?
- Hold full-size samples against the house in morning and afternoon light; small chips look darker indoors.
- Look at the same product on finished homes near you.
- Check the color’s aged rating if your zone or city requires one.
- Confirm the fire class of the whole assembly if your address is in a hazard zone.
- Get design review or HOA approval before the material is ordered.
Planning a replacement with NEMA Roofing
Before a replacement, we check the fire, cool-roof and structural requirements for your address and write them into the scope of your roof replacement. NEMA Roofing Solutions (CSLB license #1083283) is a GAF Master Elite and Owens Corning Preferred contractor. Our Tarzana, Woodland Hills, Downey, Oxnard and Santa Barbara locations serve homeowners across Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, including every town on our Ventura County service area page. To talk through materials and colors for your house, call 866-631-3366.
