This review is for people who, like me, didn't understand the importance of proper drainage as it relates to roofing. I met Gilbert and his great crew when they were replacing the neighbor's roof. I asked him if he could inspect our roof for any issues, and he readily agreed. He sent me pictures of some very minor issues and said he would fix them. I asked him how much it would cost and he said, "just send something in for the guys." So I did. Fast forward a few months when I noticed some sagging in our kitchen ceiling as well as serious dry rot on our small light well roof. I called Gilbert and he came out to do an estimate. With respect to the flat roof at the back of our house, he gave me a choice of fixing vs. replacing. A fix would have saved us thousands of dollars. Given that the flat roof was 22 years old, I went with replacing. As for scheduling, Gilbert was extremely accommodating. He actually postponed a job so that he could fit our project in between out of town travel to tend to elderly family members. I very much appreciated that. As home improvement projects usually go, we had a surprise when it came to our small light well roof. When Gilbert's crew removed the existing roof, they discovered that there was another layer of roofing that needed to be removed. Gilbert handled the surprise at what I thought was a reasonable cost. When our light well roof was done in 2003 as part of a major remodel, it was done to code at the time, which required three separate drains. A center drain, as well as a drain on each side, which was what the left and right downspouts were connected to. I now know from the plumber who did the original work that the drainage was done this way so that ALL the rainwater from the south side of our house drained to three different places, rather than one. If it went to one drain, and that drain were to clog or fail, that could lead to a very expensive disaster. When Gilbert inspected the light well roof for the estimate, he was rather perplexed as to why the left and right downspouts each had their own drain. From a roofing perspective, that didn't seem efficient. So Gilbert decided to make the left and right downspouts go to the center drain. He also attached a reducer to the center drain, meaning the top of the drain started at three inches, but attached to a two inch pipe in the crawlspace. Gilbert told me now that the left and right downspout drains were "cancelled", I could get a plumber to remove them from the crawlspace. When I called our plumber and explained what Gilbert had done and what told me to do with respect to the "cancelled" drains, he came over right away. He explained that the light well roof drainage was done to code at the time, as well as the reason rainwater from the south side of the house should not go into a single two inch drainage pipe. He got to work removing the cast iron drainage pipes from the crawlspace and a bedroom closet, removing the reducer, and switching back to three inch drain pipes. He said the fix wasn't ideal, but that it would work. Gilbert may know roofing, but he is not a licensed plumber. Unfortunately, his desire for roofing efficiency cost us almost $1300 in plumbing fixes, and a to-be-determined amount to replace drywall from the "cancelled" left downspout drain that routed through a bedroom closet. Our new roofing hasn't been put to the test of heavy rainfall. We are keeping our fingers crossed that everything will hold up. read more

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I do not recommend Gilbert and his company. I had high hopes based on the high Yelp reviews by others but no. I contacted his office to make an appointment y based on his request to do so in his response to my Yelp inquiry. Making those Yelp inquiries is time consuming. You get a lot of calls to filter through and lots of discussions and responses back and forth. Anyway I talked to 3 companies and set up appointments. Each call takes time because they ask you a bunch of questions, etc. I spoke with the company and set up an appointment for Monday 3/4/24 at 2pm for an estimate. They said it would be between 1pm and 2pm arrival. I told them I had to leave shortly after 2pm and they said no problem. Gilbert's original response said that date too. I waited until 2:15pm and then called to ask if Gilbert was on his way. He said he was running late and was just leaving Stockton. Not impressed. He said do I want to reschedule? I said yes, anytime Thursday or Friday. He said uhhhhhh how about next week? That's when I said forget it. If you're running late you really should have let me know in the first place. I would not trust future obligations would be met on a timely basis based on this experience. I'll go with one of the other companies. read more

Gilbert and Alfredo re roofed the awning area of my backyard in earlier this year. The side of the awning was rotting from the storms. I wanted to give it some time before writing my review. The sales process was very smooth. Gilbert was very honest in his evaluation. His quote was also competitive and it didn't feel like he was trying to lowball or highball me, but gave me a fair price. He also provided options. He was also accommodating in adding detail in the contract for my comfort. Gilbert did the initial sales and Alfredo did the roofing. Alfredo was awesome and open to my questions. He explained the process when I asked. One complication we had was a bit of rain overnight. It was totally unexpected. Gilbert had the team replace all the affected insulation just to be sure. One thing I've started to notice is some discharge between the layering of the torch material. It's a little grayish brown. If it gets worse, I might reach out to Empire. Also to note there is a warranty as part of the agreement. Overall a great experience. I could tell Gilbert lived and breathed roofing which is what made me ultimately go with him. I would happily recommend him for those who need roofing around the Bay Area. read more

Empire Roofing - Roofing Near Me

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Gilbert and his crew did a great job with a leak on our roof after a big storm. He was responsive over tax, punctual, and their quote was competitive with the others I received -- and they were prompt on fixing the leak, and flexible on making some final changes to the scope. read more

Gilbert & his guys are the best. We were looking to get two skylights installed so we submitted a Yelp inquiry and got bombarded by roofing contractors. Gilbert happened to be the first person who we met with (he got here within an hour) and we hit it off right out of the gates. We still met with three other contractors but Gilbert by far made the best impression & gave us the most transparent & competitive quote. Super knowledgable & funny which made the whole process very enjoyable for my wife & I. Search no more-- Empire is the move. read more

Empire Roofing - Game changer. - Roofing Near Me

Gilbert and the crew were so easy to work with. They were extremely responsive and professional. Gilbert was always available to answer questions via telephone, email and text. We needed to replace our roof to qualify for insurance. We had a very short timeframe and Empire was able to accommodate. Gilbert was able to get us aerial pictures which the insurance company appreciated. To the crew - job well done! The roof looks great. Thanks! read more

We had no idea there was a hole in our roof until it rained and leaked through the ceiling. I used yelp to get quotes and got 3 different roofers who were able to meet me that day. I really liked Gilberto from Empire from the moment I met him. He was both friendly and professional. He told me if i decide to go with him he would come back the next day and put on a temporary patch at no charge. This was super important as this was going to be the last clear day before the start of the historic storms that started on 12/31/22. True to his word, Gilberto came back and put the patch on. Sure enough that patched held up through the 2 weeks of historic rains. I can only imagine how busy he must have been after that. He gave me a tentative date of 2/2 to come back and replace the roof on that part of the house but I was pleasantly surprised when he said he could start a few days earlier. I had an excellent experience working with Gilberto. He is very responsive in all forms of communication (phone, text and email). He will even facetime with you if there is something he needs to show you. And he sends you pictures of different stages of the job. He does what he says he is going to do and he is reasonably priced. I highly recommend him. read more

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Always professional, dependable, fair pricing, quality craftsmanship!! Highly recommend!! D.Perry read more

They repaired tile roof and did a great job. They also sent me pictures so I could see the repairs. There were some scheduling changes but the owner was very easy to reach and responded promptly when I had questions. read more

Sprang a leak as many did January 2023 storm. Gilberto was able to find and do a temp patch on one areas of roof ( grateful). Three weeks later roof maintenance was performed (who even knows about this term?) the areas need the attention for leak we're repaired. The workers cleaned up the mess from roof and gutters!!! read more

Empire Roofing - Roof Maintenance - Roofing Near Me

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These guys may be good on small jobs but for full roofing jobs leave that to others. The estimator wrote in the bid that all of the 1/2" plywood on the house needed to be replaced "up to code ". I have been in construction for over 30 years and have never seen a home that ALL OF THE ROOF PLYWOOD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. If ever you have questions regarding a bid that adds extra work due to "bringing it up to code" call the city or county building department for clarification. Get three bids from contractors who have been in business for many years who will not steer you wrong. We used Dependable Roofing...did a great job for less than Empire Roofing. read more

My roof is leaking and I've been looking for contractor to fix it for couple days, finally Found Gilberto. He contacted me back with reasonable price. Job is done promptly and he explained the problem. read more

Had an open vent pipe that needed to be closed. Was working with another company previously and they were triple the price and extremely unresponsive. Gilberto set an appointment quickly and fixed the issue the same day within a couple of hours. Would highly recommend! read more

We originally needed an estimate to have a gutter leak fixed. My expectation was the gutter leak to be fixed along with the soffit siding as well. However, I didn't set the expectation clearly, and I assumed that the work to fix the soffit will be part of the overall estimate. I was wrong. However, I'm partly to blame for it, hence I'm still giving a 5-star review on his work. Along the way, we decided to also perform a few roof maintenance work, since our roof was about 8 years old, and why not. Overall, his quality of work and attention to detail was great. His workers were talented and responsible. They did a good job on the roof and the leak. The price was reasonable. I compared 2 more contractors before I hired him. I'd hire them again for more future roof work. If you are looking for a trustworthy Roof guy who offers quality work and at a reasonable price, look no further. read more

Empire recently did my Barbershop & I highly recommend them because they are very honest and efficient. Very knowledgeable of their craft and very kind. They are very attentive and shows real concern. Inspected my roof, gave me an estimate and upon approval they were quick to repair my roof within a few days. Gilberto is very professional and courteous and he is very helpful! Empire Roofing does a very good job, and is very willing to work with you also as far as financial matter is concern. Gilbert is very nice and caring in working out the payment arrangement. I am very satisfied of their work! | Highly recommend them to all my family and friends. read more

Had a leak in our ceiling above our bed that filled up several buckets with the recent rain. Empire roofing came out right away and assessed our leak and came back fixing it in a few days later. Great service and no more leak! Thank you!! read more

The company was very responsive, quickly assessed my roof leak issue and provided a repair scope and quote, and then scheduled the work at my house in Pittsburg within a day. Gilberto was very easy to work with, is knowledgeable about roofing and did an excellent job completing the project at a fair price. I highly recommend Empire Roofing. read more

Gilbert showed up on time and explained the problem very thoroughly. He was very flexible with scheduling and prompt. The price was completed on time at a reasonable price. read more

Amazing business and the owner is awesome! I called empire roofing because my roof was due for service. When i called they were so helpful and came the same day for a quote. Every was done quick and perfect! read more

Gilberto and the team helped fix the leak in the roof of my house. They removed the rotten wood deck sheet, installed new underlayment, then put the tile back. They also cleaned up and hauled the debris away. Their charge is very reasonable. Would be happy to work with them again. read more

Gilberto, Alfredo, and their work crew at Empire Roofing Inc repaired our tile roof that was damaged in multiple areas after the recent storm. Damaged areas and scope of work clearly outlined with before and after pictures. Quality work at a reasonable price. Easy to communicate with via phone, text, and email. Responsive, cordial, and professional. Will use for future work and recommend highly. This is the roofing company you're looking for. read more

We noticed two water spots on the ceilings of our family room and entryway so decided to call a roofing company to inspect our roof for leaks. We fortunately chose Gilbert and his crew with Empire Roofing. After spending a considerable amount of time on the roof doing a thorough inspection, Gilbert met with us and showed us detailed photos of the issues on our roof causing the leaks and gave us an estimate to repair everything which was extremely reasonable. As they had a few repairs ahead of ours, he kept in touch with me regarding a date for our repairs. Due to a cancellation he was able to squeeze us in a short time later and had all the repairs completed in one day. He also made a trip to Home Depot to pick up paint that closely matched our roof and painted all replacement vents. And to top it all off he and his crew cleaned all of our gutters for us while they were up there. Being senior citizens that was such a blessing. I highly recommend this business! read more

I asked several roofing companies to estimate how much it would cost to replace a rotted board under the shingles and fix the flashing around the chimney. Of all the companies I asked, Empire gave me one of the best estimates. Gilberto also identified things that needed to be fixed, things that neither the roofing inspector nor other companies noticed. He noticed the flashing around the solar tube and a vent also needed to be fixed. I was so impressed with Gilberto's eye for details and friendly manner that I chose him. In retrospect, I made the right choice. He and Alfredo did a great job fixing each item. I would definitely hire Empire again for more roof repairs. read more

My mom needed a new torch down roof (for flat top) so her homeowners insurance company would not cancel her policy. After reaching out to several roofing companies with many of them not responding (or they did not do torch down roofs) Gilbert responded right away. He met me a few days later at the property and we discussed the scope of work (which included photos of the roof with detailed explanation from Gilbert that day). He understood the time sensitivity of the situation and emailed a quote soon after and we tentatively scheduled the work a few weeks later. Gilbert and his crew started the work on the Monday after Thanksgiving (he provided photos / video of the initial progress). The work was completed on Friday and, of course, Gilbert provided photos for me to give to the insurance company. Throughout the entire process, Gilbert was very responsive and in communication with me. By the way, the new roof, facia, and gutters look great and the insurance underwriter reinstated the policy. read more

Empire Roofing made my 25-year old roof look brand new by power washing it. The work area was cleaned up very well afterwards. Reliable, responsive, very friend and polite. What else can I ask for! Highly recommend! read more

Our roof was leaking and Gilbert came almost immediately and took care of our leaky roof. He was conscientious, nice, friendly, and very reasonable. He did a fantastic job and too card of it promptly. You won't be disappointed if you need a roofer. I recommend him to all my friends and family. He is the best !!! read more

Empire replaced the roof on my childhood home that had suffered many years of deferred maintenance while my parents aged. As I was coming from a distance, Gilberto adjusted his schedule to meet with me when I was in town. The next day, he provided me with a written quote that was clear and concise outlining the work that would be done. He answered my questions and explained the products that would be used. I especially appreciated that he respected the scope of my needs and did not try to sell me more roof than I wanted. After researching costs and getting 2 other bids, I selected Empire and they worked me into their schedule right away. They stayed on the job sun-up to sun-down until the work was complete (and did not disappear for hours at a time, dragging out the duration of the project, as I have experienced with other contractors.) I was delighted that they worked like crazy, finished it up, cleaned up and were gone in record time. There were no surprise charges after the fact. I paid the quoted price. Gilberto is honest and responsive, a pleasure to work with, and his crew is considerate and hard working. I can highly recommend Empire Roofing. read more

Empire Roofing installed a garage roof, a gutter and a silicone coating over a portion of flat roof. They were a pleasure to work with and reasonable in cost. In this day and age with such poor customer service in general from contractors, Gilbert and his crew were a pleasant surprise. read more

Gilberto was one of the fastest to help when we found a leak after the heavy rains last week. He quickly found the problem and had a thorough quote for us within 24 hours. He was also very patient with explaining what the problem was. His price was also much more reasonable than a different quote we got from another roofing company. Highly recommend him for being effective, honest and efficient. read more

Had a leak coming down from the bathroom ceiling and needed it repaired asap due putting house on the market. They were able to come out next day and made all repairs in quick professional manner. Would recommend. read more

Gilberto and his team just installed a new roof on my 100 year old craftsman. Gil was always available to talk and provide information on the job at hand. He was able to determine certain things to help in the overall pricing. Not only that, his team was able to take care of some other things for me while they were working the job. The team cleaned up every night and left my yard free from the debris. The team was respectful of me, my pups, and my time. I would highly recommend Gilberto and Empire Roofing. In fact, he was referred to me from a friend who had her Victorian roof replaced recently. She said she trusted him and was adamant I contact Gil. I'm so glad I did! read more

We had a roof leak appear during the recent heavy rains and Gilberto came out right away to give us a free estimate and scope of work, even when demand for roofers in that period was extremely high. Empire Roofing had by far the best price after getting multiple estimates, and their explanation of the issue and possible fixes was also the clearest. His team came out on the second available dry day (we did have to reschedule once on their account), and worked non-stop to get the job done in half a day. Communication was prompt and clear throughout, even when rescheduling, and I'm happy with the finished result. read more

Highly recommend. Empire came out right away and fixed our leaky roof quickly and professionally in time to protect us from the crazy rains we have been having lately. Also, Gilberto was really great to work with. He will be my go-to guy for all my roofing needs. read more

Empire responded immediately, and came in at a reasonable rate. We called multiple roofing companies and asked for two quotes each, one for repair and one for replace. Empire roofing was the only one that did what I asked, we opted for a repair because we weren't ready to pay out a bunch right before Christmas but he must have sensed it, because he gave us a great deal on the repair. Gilberto Castaneda with Empire Roofing is the only choice for us. read more

Gilberto is very professional and patient to answer every question we have. He's also honest instead of just trying to sell. We will definitely come back to him in the future. read more

Empire responded the same day to repair a broken slate shingle. While they we're there we had them fix some other broken places and reseal the roof vent piping. Good people to work with. read more