Timberline HDZ® RS vs. Grand Sequoia® RS: Which GAF Cool Roof Is Right for Your SoCal Home?

California Title 24 narrows GAF’s residential lineup to just two shingles: Timberline HDZ® RS and Grand Sequoia® RS. Both pass code in every color. Both qualify for the GAF Golden Pledge 25/50 warranty when installed by a Master Elite contractor. But they don’t look the same, they don’t cost the same, and one of them may earn you an insurance discount the other can’t. Here’s the side-by-side comparison we walk every homeowner through before they pick.

The 60-second version

• Timberline HDZ® RS — Architectural (laminated) profile. 7 CRRC-rated colors. Class 3 impact. The go-to for 80% of SoCal homes. Mid-tier residential pricing.
• Grand Sequoia® RS — Designer wood-shake profile. 5 CRRC-rated colors. UL 2218 Class 4 impact rating (highest possible — may earn an insurance discount). Premium pricing — roughly 30-45% more than HDZ RS. The upscale pick for Mediterranean / Spanish / custom homes.

Look + profile

The visual difference is the biggest practical decision.

Timberline HDZ® RSis an architectural shingle — often called “laminated” or “dimensional”. Two layers fused together, flat lay, subtle 3D shadow line. This is the dominant aesthetic across SoCal tract neighborhoods. From the street, it reads as a clean, modern roof. Pairs well with stucco, Hardie board, modern farmhouse, and traditional builder styles.

Grand Sequoia® RS is a designer shingle — thicker tabs, exaggerated stagger, and a deeper shadow line. It mimics cedar-shake without the maintenance penalty. From the street, it reads as a custom, upscale roof. Pairs naturally with Spanish, Mediterranean, Tuscan, mountain-cabin, and architecturally distinct homes.

If you’re replacing on a neighborhood where most homes have architectural shingles and you want to match the look: HDZ RS. If you want your home to stand out and the budget allows it: Grand Sequoia RS.

Color choice

Timberline HDZ RS has the broader palette:

• Charcoal (the darkest highly-reflective shingle GAF makes)
• Hickory
• Aged Chestnut
• Coastal Slate
• Sagewood
• Sandalwood
• Stone Gray

Grand Sequoia RS is more curated:

• Charcoal
• Ocean Gray
• Sagewood
• Sandalwood
• Forest Brown

Three colors overlap (Charcoal, Sagewood, Sandalwood). On our shingles page you can click each color on either card to see a real home with that color installed.

Impact rating: this is where the math gets interesting

UL 2218 is the standard impact-resistance test for asphalt shingles. A steel ball is dropped from various heights onto the shingle, and the shingle is rated Class 1 (1.25 in. drop), 2 (1.5 in.), 3 (1.75 in.), or 4 (2 in. — highest).

Timberline HDZ RS is Class 3. Grand Sequoia RS is Class 4.

Class 4 is the headline benefit on Grand Sequoia. Many California homeowners insurance carriers offer a hail-resistant roof discount of 5-25% on the dwelling-coverage portion of the premium when the roof is UL 2218 Class 4 rated. On a typical $1,800/year homeowners premium, a 20% discount = $360/year, or roughly $7,000 over the life of a 20-year roof. That alone often more than covers the price premium of Grand Sequoia over HDZ RS.

The discount isn’t guaranteed — every carrier sets their own terms. Before you commit to Grand Sequoia for the discount, call your insurance agent and ask: “If I install a UL 2218 Class 4 roof, what discount will I get on dwelling coverage?” Get the answer in writing.

Warranty

Identical on both lines when installed by a GAF Master Elite contractor like TMC. The GAF Golden Pledge® Limited Warranty:

• 25 years on contractor workmanship
• Up to 50 years on shingle material
• Full labor coverage for tear-off and re-install on covered claims
• Transferable once to a second homeowner
• Non-prorated for the first 10 years

This is the strongest residential roof warranty in North America. It’s only available through GAF Master Elite contractors (under 750 in the U.S.). Why Master Elite matters →

Title 24 cool-roof compliance

Both lines pass California Title 24 in every color, in every SoCal climate zone. The specific CRRC ID, initial reflectance, aged reflectance, emittance, and SRI values vary by color. We publish all 12 (7 HDZ RS + 5 Grand Sequoia RS) on our shingles page — these are the numbers your local building inspector will verify against the installed product before signing off on the permit.

Price comparison (installed, 2026)

These are approximate ranges we see across the 5 SoCal counties on a typical 25-square (2,000 sq ft single-story) home — ranges, not quotes:

• HDZ RS, all-in: $15,000 – $28,000+ (Master Elite installation, tear-off, synthetic underlayment, ridge cap, drip edge, permit, Title 24 documentation, Golden Pledge warranty registration).
• Grand Sequoia RS, all-in: $22,000 – $35,000+ (same spec, Class 4 impact rating).

Grand Sequoia averages 30-45% more than HDZ RS for the same roof area. The premium covers the thicker shingle, slower install (more labor per square), the higher product cost, and the Class 4 impact rating that may qualify for an insurance discount on premium. Full pricing breakdown →

How to pick (the decision tree)

1. Are you in a HOA with strict roof-material rules? Check the HOA architectural review committee’s approved list first. Most allow both. Some only allow architectural.
2. Is your home Mediterranean / Spanish / custom? Grand Sequoia’s designer profile reads better.
3. Is your home tract / suburban / traditional? HDZ RS matches the neighborhood and saves the premium.
4. Does your insurance carrier offer a Class 4 discount? Call and ask. If 15%+ on dwelling coverage, Grand Sequoia pays for itself.
5. Is the roof your “forever home”?Grand Sequoia’s thicker shingle survives weather slightly better than HDZ RS over 25+ years.
6. Is the roof being sold within 5-7 years?HDZ RS. The premium doesn’t fully recover at resale on tract homes.

Next step

Use our interactive shingle showcase to click through every color on either card — the hero photo swaps to a real home with that color installed. Then request a free written estimate or call (951) 840-9935. We’ll spec both lines for your roof so you can compare apples-to-apples.