Clayton in its valley with Mount Diablo rising behind it

Gutters and Roofing for Clayton

Gutter and roof installation, cleaning, repairs and rejuvenation. Family-owned since 2002, trusted by thousands of returning Bay Area homeowners.

Clayton, in short

Who issues the building permit for a re-roof in Clayton?

Contra Costa County’s Building Division does. The City’s Building page says Clayton contracts directly with the County for all building permit and inspection services, and lists re-roofs among the projects that need a building permit. The County’s re-roof document says a permit is applied for on its ePermits Center and that all re-roofs require two inspections.

The story of Clayton

Clayton, which the General Plan says was founded in 1857 at the northern base of Mount Diablo by Joel Clayton.

The City’s page on the founder says Joel Clayton “founded and laid out the town of Clayton” in 1857; the General Plan says coal made it a mining supply town, and the City says a vote held in Endeavor Hall on March 3, 1964, made it Contra Costa County’s 13th city.

The State’s page on Mount Diablo State Park says: “The mountain is sacred to Native Americans and has been from time immemorial.”

The General Plan says the town was founded in 1857 at the northern base of Mount Diablo by Joel Clayton; the City’s page says he “founded and laid out the town of Clayton” that year, “Envisioning a center for those who engaged in surrounding mining and agricultural activities”.

The General Plan says that, with coal found nearby, Clayton “did become a prosperous mining supply town and one of the largest towns in the county”; the Historical Society says: “By 1861, Clayton had become the hub of activities in the area.”

The Historical Society says that on February 28, 1864, most of Clayton’s business district was destroyed by fire, and that “Clayton quickly rebuilt”.

The Society says the De Martini winery, a three story stone and wood building, was finished in 1885, and that it won first place for port and sherry at the St. Louis Exposition in 1904.

The Society puts the end of coal mining in the area at 1905: “1905 saw the end of coal mining in the area.” It says Clayton “became a quiet wheat-growing, ranching community.”

The City says Clayton became “the 13th City in Contra Costa County” when voters approved incorporation on March 3, 1964, in a vote held in Endeavor Hall, with 251 votes in favor and 61 against. By its page, residents “wanted local control of planning and development” and “wanted to retain the semi-rural ambience of the Upper Clayton Valley”.

The City says that “Meetings for Clayton City government were held in the building until the Library was completed in 1995.”

Read the full story of Clayton

Fire safety

Which fire district is yours

The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District’s weed-abatement page lists Clayton under “Areas Served”. The City’s Code Enforcement page also sends weed abatement and fire prevention to the District. Check your address with the District.

District and City pages, undated, read Nov 6 2026

Where Clayton stands on the State’s 2025 fire hazard map

Read from the State’s 2025 map for local areas, which the State released in four phases between February 10 and March 24, 2025, with the City’s Census outline, our own estimate from sample points: about 53 percent of Clayton falls in the Very High class, about 15 percent in High and about 9 percent in Moderate, and about 24 percent is non-wildland land. Which class applies at one address is for the District’s map.

State map data read with the City’s Census outline, our own estimate

See 5 more
The District’s map, and how to look up your address

The District’s page of fire hazard maps lists an “LRA Clayton Map (PDF)”, and says its updated maps are “effective as of July 10, 2025”. It says: “Residents and property owners are encouraged to review the map and understand their property’s designation.”

District page, undated, read Nov 6 2026; its maps effective July 10, 2025

Weeds, brush and dead trees

The District posts its weed deadlines by year and puts Clayton in its Central County group, so check its page for this year’s date. According to the District’s fuel mitigation ordinance, for parcels of five acres or less “Annual grasses and weeds shall be maintained at a height of no more than 3 inches.” and “All dead, diseased, or dying trees within 100 feet of an occupied structure shall be removed.”

District page read Nov 6 2026; ordinance text read Oct 7 2026 (county sheet)

The City’s own nuisance rule

The City’s Municipal Code, in its chapter on nuisances, lists “Dead trees, dry dead shrubs, combustible refuse and waste” as a public nuisance when, by their size, manner of growth and location, they “constitute a fire hazard to any building, improvements, crops or other property”.

Municode read in Chrome Nov 6 2026

What the County’s wildfire guide suggests

The County’s wildfire residents guide, which the City hosts on its site and which names no author and no date, lists among ways to prepare a home: “Remove all dead and dying vegetation from around the house, roof, gutters, and decks”. It is advice in a guide, not a rule.

Guide undated, read Nov 6 2026

The State’s Zone 0 rule: where it stands

The State’s rule for the first five feet around a home, called Zone 0: adopted by the Board; in final review with the Office of Administrative Law; no effective date known.

Standing check of Nov 7 2026

Need a hand with this? Gutter guards

Clayton this month

Storm season: the City’s Street Maintenance page says sand and sandbags are available to Clayton residents at the Keller House across the creek from the Clayton Library, with a limit of 50 bags per household.

The Clayton blog starts when there is enough local news to keep it current.

Culture and history

Trails and open space

The City says Clayton “contains an extensive trail system throughout the City” that connects its neighborhoods to the Town Center and to the State Park trails, and that it has “27 miles of trails and 515 acres of open space”.

City page undated, read Nov 6 2026

The Historical Society’s museum

The Clayton Historical Society’s site says: “The Museum is open each Wednesday and Sunday, from 2-4pm.” It announces a new exhibit for 2026.

Society’s site read Nov 6 2026; hours can change

See 4 more
Yearly events

The City’s list of annual events names the Classic Car Show, Concerts in The Grove, the 4th of July Parade and Holidays in The Grove.

City page undated, read Nov 6 2026

A town laid out in 1857

The City’s page on the founder says Joel Clayton “founded and laid out the town of Clayton” in 1857. More in The story of Clayton, below.

City page undated, read Nov 6 2026

A coal-field town

The General Plan says that, with coal found nearby, Clayton became “a prosperous mining supply town”. More in The story of Clayton, below.

General Plan text (an old document, history only), read Nov 6 2026

A vote in Endeavor Hall

The City says Clayton became Contra Costa County’s 13th city on March 3, 1964, by a vote held in Endeavor Hall. More in The story of Clayton, below.

City page undated, read Nov 6 2026

Community

Clayton Business and Community Association

The association says it was “Formed in 1984” as “a charitable nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization”, and that it “operates independently of the City of Clayton”.

Association’s site read Nov 6 2026; its own account

Clayton Historical Society

The City’s Organizations page says the Society “was founded in 1974 to research, collect, record, preserve, display, borrow, share, and interpret local history information and memorabilia”.

City page undated, read Nov 6 2026

See 3 more
Clayton Valley Garden Club

The City’s Organizations page says the club is a non-profit “formed to bring together people in our area with a common interest in gardening”.

City page undated, read Nov 6 2026; the club’s own words

GFWC Clayton Valley Woman’s Club

The City’s Organizations page says the club “was organized and federated in 1973 as Clayton Valley Woman’s Club”.

City page undated, read Nov 6 2026; the club’s own words

A twin city in England

The City’s Twinning City page says an official twinning ceremony was held on August 19, 1996, in Buxworth, Derbyshire, England, “bridging together the birthplace and founding place of Joel Clayton”.

City page undated, read Nov 6 2026

City rules and regulations

Building permits come from the County

The City’s Building page says Clayton “contracts directly with Contra Costa County’s Building Division for all building permit and inspection services”, and its list of projects that need a building permit includes “re-roofs”.

City page undated, read Nov 6 2026

A re-roof: a permit and two inspections

The County’s Residential Re-Roof Requirements document (file name “Residential Re-Roofs_Rev_2023_09”, read in Chrome Nov 6 2026) says a permit applies to a re-roof, that permits are applied for online on the County’s ePermits Center, and that “All re-roofs require the following two inspections:” an in-progress inspection and a final inspection.

County document read by eye in Chrome Nov 6 2026; re-read before use

See 2 more
A recycling plan for a big re-roof

The Municipal Code’s recycling chapter (section 15.80.020) covers residential “re-roofing projects” that involve “five hundred (500) square feet or more of existing area” and “which require a building, grading, or demolition permit”. The City’s Construction and Demolition page says the application must be “approved prior to the issuance of a building permit”.

Code read in Chrome Nov 6 2026; City page read Nov 6 2026

When you buy or sell Selling a home: check with the District

The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District’s handout on the State’s sale rule, Civil Code 1102.19, says that, on and after July 1, 2021, when a parcel with a structure is sold in a High or Very High fire hazard class on the State’s map, the seller must give the buyer documentation that the property received and passed an inspection. The handout does not name Clayton, which the District’s pages list among the places it serves, so check with the District about your address. An initial inspection typically takes the fire inspector one to two hours on site, depending on the size of the parcel and the amount of vegetation, and the handout says to ask before closing.

District handout, undated, read Nov 6 2026

Need a hand with this? Roofing

Storms, flood and drainage

Sandbags at the Keller House

The City’s Street Maintenance page says: “Sand and sandbags are available to Clayton residents at the Keller House across the creek from the Clayton Library.” It adds: “Sand, bags, and shovels are provided for residents to fill their own sandbags.” and “Sandbags are available to Clayton residents only, with a limit of 50 bags per household.”

City page undated, read Nov 6 2026

Leaves, the street and the storm drains

The City’s Street Sweeping page asks: “Please do not sweep or blow your leaves into the gutter/street, and use your yard waste container so that vegetation can be properly recycled.” This is about the street, not your roof’s gutters. The Street Maintenance page says: “The Maintenance Department is responsible for cleaning storm drains, inlets, and v-ditches.” and the Stormwater page says stormwater “enters the storm drain system and is automatically discharged into the local creeks and ultimately into the San Francisco Bay and the Delta without being treated”.

City pages undated, read Nov 6 2026

See 2 more
Creeks that cross private land

The City’s creek page says the creeks “help carry stormwater through our community”, and that “property owners generally play an important role in maintaining creek banks, managing vegetation, and helping keep waterways free of debris”. It adds: “Some activities, including grading, modifying creek banks, removing certain vegetation, or placing materials in a creek, may require permits or approval from regulatory agencies.”

City page undated, read Nov 6 2026

Drainage in three neighborhoods

The City administers the Oakhurst Geologic Hazard Abatement District. Its Engineer’s Report for fiscal year 2026-27 lists “Cleaning and maintaining V-ditches, catch basins, and storm drains.” and says the district “encompasses the Indian Wells, Keller Ridge, and Peacock Creek neighborhoods located north of Mount Diablo, south of Kirker Pass Road, and adjacent to Oakhurst Drive in the City of Clayton”.

Report for fiscal year 2026-27 (cover July 7, 2026), read Nov 6 2026

Need a hand with this? Gutter cleaning

Programs, loans and insurance

County-wide Check back Con Fire’s Low-Income Exterior Hazard Control Program: check back

Con Fire’s Measure X page says the program “assists eligible low-income property owners with exterior hazard removal, including overgrown or dead vegetation, weeds, combustible debris, and tree litter” and “Provides up to $1,500 in hazard control or weed abatement work”. The page gives no open or closed word and no date, so this draft does not show the program as open; it names no town, and the District’s weed-abatement page lists Clayton. Check with the District.

District pages read Oct 7 and Nov 6 2026

County-wide Check back Fire District home hardening outreach: check back

The District’s Measure X page says its Home Hardening Outreach Program “will provide education and resources to help homeowners make their homes more resistant to wildfire”, and that it is “Coming soon – check back for details on how to apply.”

District page, undated, read Oct 7 2026 (county sheet)

See 10 more
County-wide Check back Diablo Firesafe Council’s cost-share: check back

The Council’s page says it has “temporarily closed the applications for the Partners in Wildfire Prevention fuel reduction grant match” and “No new applications can be submitted at this time.” It says it will reopen the form “when new funding is available”, and it names Alameda and Contra Costa counties but no town.

Council’s page, notice dated May 2025, read Oct 7 2026 (county sheet)

County-wide Check back Bay Area Air District chipping program: check back

The Air District’s chipping page says it “is not currently accepting applications for chipping services through the Agricultural Waste and Wildfire Prevention Chipping Programs” and that “Program services will resume when additional funding becomes available.”

Air District’s page, last updated 9/26/2024, read Oct 7 2026 (county sheet)

County-wide Check back Neighborhood Preservation Program: check back

The County’s page says the program “provides financial assistance to low-income homeowners for home rehabilitation projects” and that it “currently is not taking new applications”; it asks you to “check back for more information”.

County page, undated, read in Chrome Nov 6 2026

County-wide Weatherization Program: ask the County

The County’s Weatherization page says: “The Weatherization Program is a Federal and State-funded program whose purpose is to assist low and/or fixed income people in making their homes more energy-efficient.” The page names no town and no roof or gutter work.

County page read in Chrome Nov 6 2026

PG&E Energy Savings Assistance

PG&E’s page says “Renters and homeowners can improve the comfort, health and safety of their homes with appliance upgrades and home repairs.” and that participants “must live in a house, mobile home or apartment that is at least five years old”. The program is income-qualified: the page’s income guidelines are marked “Valid through May 31, 2027.” The page names no county or town; PG&E’s service-area page lists Clayton in its electric and gas lists.

PG&E’s pages read Oct 7 and Nov 6 2026

BayREN EASE Home

BayREN’s page says its EASE Home program “covers 80% of the cost for essential weatherization upgrades, including insulation and duct sealing”, with your portion “capped at 20% of the project cost”. To take part you must be a PG&E customer with a household income “under or at 120% AMI”; the page lists Contra Costa among its counties and names no town.

BayREN’s page read Oct 7 and Nov 3 2026

Check back Earthquake Brace + Bolt: check back

Earthquake Brace + Bolt is a program of the California Residential Mitigation Program, a joint body, not a State program. Its Northern California ZIP list has the line “Clayton 94517” as we read the list, and says “Eligibility based on ZIP Code only, city provided as reference.” The program’s page says “Earthquake Brace + Bolt offers up to $3,000 for homeowners to seismically retrofit their houses.” and “EBB program registration is open for a limited time each year.” Check the program’s page for whether registration is open now.

Program pages read Nov 3 and Oct 7 2026

State-wide Check back California Safe Homes: check back

California Safe Homes, the State’s grant program run through the Department of Insurance, is not open: no dated State page says it is, and the Department’s 2026 press-release index, read Oct 20 2026, lists no Safe Homes item.

Press-release index read Oct 20 2026 (California sheet)

County-wide Streamside Management Program for Landowners

The City’s creek page says “Many of Clayton’s creeks flow through or alongside private property.” The program’s page says “If you are a Contra Costa County resident with a creek on the property, these services are available to you at no charge.”

City page and program page read Nov 6 and Oct 7 2026

Smoke Alarm Assistance Program

The District’s Smoke Alarm Assistance Program, run with the American Red Cross, “provides between one and four smoke alarms per household”, and a Red Cross volunteer schedules a home visit to install them. The page names no town and gives no price.

District page, undated, read Nov 6 2026

Who serves your home in Clayton

  • Fire: The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, whose Fire Prevention Bureau page lists Clayton among the places its fire prevention services are provided to.
  • Water: The Contra Costa Water District; its service-area page lists Clayton under “Treated Water Cities – Served by CCWD”, and the City’s New Residents page names the District for water.
  • Sewer: The City’s page says: “Wastewater collection services in the City of Clayton are performed by the City of Concord.” It adds that Concord’s system conveys the wastewater to the Central Contra Costa Sanitation District’s treatment plant, and Central San says it “also cleans the wastewater from the cities of Concord and Clayton”.
  • Garbage and recycling: Republic Services; the City’s page says household garbage, yardwaste and recycling is “collected curbside on a weekly basis within Clayton by Republic Services (formerly Allied Waste)”.
  • Electricity and gas: PG&E; the City’s New Residents page names Pacific Gas and Electric under “Gas & Electric”, and PG&E’s service-area page lists Clayton under Contra Costa in an electric list and in a gas list.
  • Schools: The Mount Diablo Unified School District, whose pages say its schools are “in the cities of Clayton, Concord, Pleasant Hill, portions of Martinez, Pittsburg, and Walnut Creek”.

The homes of Clayton

The Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 survey estimates 3,990 homes in Clayton, with a median year built of 1983. About 86 percent of the homes are one-unit detached houses, about 89 percent of occupied homes are owner-occupied, and about 45 percent were built in 1979 or earlier; the percentages are our own calculation.

The 1990s

A third of the homes

The survey counts 1,330 of the 3,990 homes, about 33 percent, as built from 1990 to 1999, by our calculation; the margin of error on the count is 192 homes.

The 1970s

Almost three in ten

The survey counts 1,174 homes, about 29 percent, as built from 1970 to 1979, by our calculation.

2000 and later

Newer homes

The survey counts 290 homes from 2000 or later, about 7 percent, by our calculation.

Older roofs and gutters need a different hand: Gutter Repair · Roof Repair · Gutter Installation

The story of Clayton

History and character

The State’s page on Mount Diablo State Park says: “The mountain is sacred to Native Americans and has been from time immemorial.”

The General Plan says the town was founded in 1857 at the northern base of Mount Diablo by Joel Clayton; the City’s page says he “founded and laid out the town of Clayton” that year, “Envisioning a center for those who engaged in surrounding mining and agricultural activities”.

The General Plan says that, with coal found nearby, Clayton “did become a prosperous mining supply town and one of the largest towns in the county”; the Historical Society says: “By 1861, Clayton had become the hub of activities in the area.”

The Historical Society says that on February 28, 1864, most of Clayton’s business district was destroyed by fire, and that “Clayton quickly rebuilt”.

The Society says the De Martini winery, a three story stone and wood building, was finished in 1885, and that it won first place for port and sherry at the St. Louis Exposition in 1904.

The Society puts the end of coal mining in the area at 1905: “1905 saw the end of coal mining in the area.” It says Clayton “became a quiet wheat-growing, ranching community.”

The City says Clayton became “the 13th City in Contra Costa County” when voters approved incorporation on March 3, 1964, in a vote held in Endeavor Hall, with 251 votes in favor and 61 against. By its page, residents “wanted local control of planning and development” and “wanted to retain the semi-rural ambience of the Upper Clayton Valley”.

The City says that “Meetings for Clayton City government were held in the building until the Library was completed in 1995.”

Clayton, roof and gutters

The General Plan says that “Clayton is located at the base of the north slope of Mt. Diablo.” It names Mt. Diablo Creek as “The principal stream running through Clayton”, joined inside the City by Donner and Mitchell creeks and by Peacock Creek.

Yearly rain runs from about 16 to 26 inches: 16.05 inches at the Concord Buchanan Field station (11.73 km, about 7.3 miles, from City Hall) to 26.05 inches at the Mt Diablo Junction station (7.07 km, about 4.4 miles), by NOAA’s 1991-2020 normals; the range and the distances are our own calculation. November through March brings about 84 percent of the year’s rain at Buchanan Field and about 82 percent at Mt Diablo Junction, and June through September together bring 0.24 and 0.43 inches, our own calculation too.

The City’s Master List of Approved Trees for Public Properties and Rights-of-Way, approved by the City Council on March 16, 2010, names 14 trees, chosen “due to concerns regarding climate, maintenance requirements, and drought tolerance”. In its tables the California Live Oak and the California Pepper Tree are marked evergreen, and the California Valley Oak, the Blue Oak and the London Plane Tree – Columbia deciduous; of the Pepper Tree the list says it “can be messy”. The list is for public properties and rights-of-way.

Whatever the trees around a Clayton house drop tends to end up on its roof and in its gutters. If yours hasn’t had a look in a while, we’d be glad to come by.

Landmarks and parks

De Martini Winery
The Historical Society says the three story stone and wood winery was finished in 1885 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 30, 1984, and that it became the new Clayton City Hall, opened August 30, 1997.

Endeavor Hall
Built as a church in the 1860s, the City’s page says; the City held its meetings there until the library was completed in 1995, and the 1964 incorporation vote was held there.

Clayton Club Saloon
On Main Street; the Historical Society calls it “Clayton’s oldest continuously operating business” and says a historical marker was dedicated in front of it on October 6, 2002.

Keller Ranch
The State’s list of historical resources has an entry for it, registered 11/2/2001; the Historical Society says the ranch house, Casa del Sierra, is of the Mission Style with Craftsman elements.

The Grove
A downtown park with a gazebo and a water play feature, the City’s page says; the City’s timeline lists its purchase of the Grove property in 1999.

Clayton Community Park
Off Regency Drive, behind Diablo View Middle School, with community ball fields, picnic areas and two children’s play structures, the City’s page says.

Why Sunshine Gutters and Roofing

  • Family-owned since 2002, trusted by thousands of returning Bay Area homeowners
  • Licensed (CSLB #1053780), bonded, with $2 million in general liability coverage
  • Our own crew, never subcontractors
  • We keep track of local regulations, fire safety rules and insurance programs
  • We show you what we found, with photos, so you decide what happens next

The year in Clayton

JanuaryThe monthly normal is 5.06 inches at Mt Diablo Junction and 3.21 at Buchanan Field, where January is the wettest month
AprilDown to 1.92 inches at Mt Diablo Junction and 1.12 at Buchanan Field
JulyNext to no rain in the normals: 0.01 inches at Mt Diablo Junction and 0.00 at Buchanan Field
The 4th of July Parade, one of the City’s annual events
OctoberThe first real rain of the season: 1.19 inches at Mt Diablo Junction and 0.73 at Buchanan Field, against 0.12 and 0.06 in September (NOAA’s 1991-2020 monthly normals)
NovemberThe monthly normal climbs to 2.65 inches at Mt Diablo Junction and 1.61 at Buchanan Field
DecemberThe monthly normal reaches 5.08 inches at Mt Diablo Junction, its wettest month, and 3.18 at Buchanan Field
Dec 5, 2026: Holidays in The Grove, at The Grove Park from 5:00 pm, with the lighting of the community holiday tree, according to the City and the Clayton Business and Community Association

Clayton questions

What Clayton homeowners ask us

Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Clayton?

The City’s Building page lists “re-roofs” among the projects that need a building permit, and the County’s Building Division issues Clayton’s permits. The County’s Residential Re-Roof Requirements document says a permit applies to a re-roof, with an in-progress inspection and a final inspection, and its online ePermits Center takes the applications. If you wish, we can also pull the permit for you, as most of our customers ask us to.

Where can I get sandbags in Clayton?

The City’s Street Maintenance page says sand, bags and shovels are at the Keller House, across the creek from the Clayton Library, for you to fill your own. They are for Clayton residents only, with a limit of 50 bags per household. As read on Nov 6 2026.

Can I blow my leaves into the street in Clayton?

The City’s Street Sweeping page asks you not to: “Please do not sweep or blow your leaves into the gutter/street, and use your yard waste container so that vegetation can be properly recycled.” This is about the street, not your roof’s gutters.

Does a re-roof in Clayton need a waste recycling plan?

Yes, when the project is covered. The Municipal Code (section 15.80.020) covers residential “re-roofing projects” that involve “five hundred (500) square feet or more of existing area” and “which require a building, grading, or demolition permit”, and the City’s Construction and Demolition page says the plan must be approved “prior to the issuance of a building permit”.

What our customers say

Get a free estimate

Estimate request

Photos help. Reply to our email with them.

We usually respond promptly within the day. Phone first for emergencies: (510) 525-0880.

Where we work

Clayton neighbourhoods we serve

Map of Clayton and the places around it
Map: boundaries from the U.S. Census Bureau
Map of Clayton and the places around it
Map: boundaries from the U.S. Census Bureau

Town Center
The General Plan’s goal for the area is “To create and maintain an attractive Town Center area and to make it the commercial, civic, and heritage focus for the community.”

The Grove
The City describes it as a public park in “the commercial district of historic downtown Clayton”.

Oakhurst
The General Plan says the Keller Ranch property “has since incorporated into the Clayton City limits as the Oakhurst subdivision”.

Keller Ranch
The City’s Long-Range Planning page says: “The Keller Ranch is a state-designated historic resource”.

Cardinet Glen
The City’s history page calls it “the subdivision of homes near City Hall on Wallace and Cardinet”.

Diablo Estates
The City’s Special Districts page says a Benefit Assessment District was established for “the 24-lot Diablo Estates project”.

Regency Meadows
The General Plan names the Regency Meadows subdivisions in describing Marsh Creek Road, and the City’s Community Park is off Regency Drive.

Westwood
The General Plan’s Safety Element says the creek was widened “at the Westwood development”.

Also serving nearby: Concord · Walnut Creek · Pleasant Hill · Martinez