Roof work on leased land
At Stanford, you often own the house but not the ground beneath it. Campus homes are held under ground leases, only eligible persons can hold them, and the university must approve transfers in writing. Improvements go through the Faculty/Staff Housing office before they reach the county.
That order matters. Stanford's own rules say Santa Clara County will not accept plans for a building permit without the Housing office's approval stamp, and lessees still have to meet every county and state building requirement. A roof estimate here should name each step in writing.
Who issues what
The academic campus is mostly in unincorporated Santa Clara County, so the county, not a city, handles building permits for work outside the incorporated parts. For a leasehold home that means two offices: Stanford Faculty/Staff Housing for the lease, then the county for the permit.
The estimate states who pulls the permit. Ask Housing whether it has requirements for contractors, and read your lease on exterior changes. A like-for-like roof is the easier request to get approved.
Roofing services for Stanford homes
- Roof Repair
A leak on a leasehold home still gets a repair plan, and we confirm up front whether Housing review applies. Whether a repair needs Housing review is that office's call, so we ask it with you.
- Roof Replacement
A new roof needs university approval before the county permit, so the estimate should name each step. The order is Stanford Housing first, then the county, and we lay that sequence out in writing.
- Skylights
Skylights leak at the curb, and one Alameda job resealed three skylights rather than replacing them. Oak litter packs the curb, and a flashing reseal is often enough before you pay for a new unit.
- Emergency Roof Repair
A temporary seal on an active leak comes first, with timing subject to crew availability and the drive. Ask the Housing office what it allows as an emergency measure before the crew arrives.
- Roof Inspection
A written inspection with photos gives Faculty/Staff Housing something concrete to review: roof age, layers, flashing and decking condition. The same document supports an insurance claim if damage is involved.
- Historic Home Roofing
Stanford's guidance sends exterior changes on homes more than 50 years old to Housing first. Matching existing pitch, profile and color is the simplest request, and we price that option beside any change.
- Roof Maintenance
Campus homes sit under big oaks. A scheduled clearing visit removes litter from valleys, skylight curbs and gutters, and flags flashing wear early so repairs stay small.
Skylights and mature oaks
Many campus homes sit under big oaks, and skylights are common. Oak litter packs curbs and valleys, and leaks tend to show up at skylights first. A reseal is often right: one Alameda customer had flashing resealed on three skylights, and another was told to repair, not replace.
Leave tree work to the right people. A limb over the roof is a question for an arborist and for Housing, not something to settle on a roof day.
Mechanics' liens, scope and the paperwork Housing sees
Stanford requires Faculty/Staff Housing approval before any home improvement starts, and one reason it gives is protection against mechanics' liens. That puts a premium on a clear written scope. A roof estimate for a campus home should list the tear-off, the underlayment, the flashing, the material and the color, so Housing can review what will actually be built.
Bring that document to the Housing office with photos of the existing roof, then to the county if a building permit is needed. A like-for-like roof is the easiest request. The estimate states who pulls the permit, and you confirm it with both offices before you sign.
From Alameda
You get a written estimate with photos, and updates by text or email through the job. Palo Alto borders the campus, and Los Altos Hills, Mountain View and Atherton are near it. Each is a separate permit authority.
The drive is long, so we ask for a window, not a time.
