Marketing plan · Lemon Grove

Roofing direct mail in Lemon Grove:
a neighborhood-by-neighborhood plan

By Best Direct Mail, San Marcos · Numbers from USPS and the US Census Bureau

Most of Lemon Grove was built from the 1940s through the 60s, as the citrus groves gave way to houses. For a roofer, that means street after street of single-family homes on their second or third roof, many owned by the same family for decades. Up in the hills toward La Mesa and Mount Helix, the houses are larger and some sit next to brush, and around downtown and the trolley stations many homes are rented.

The city is compact and shares one ZIP Code, 91945, which also covers some nearby San Diego and unincorporated streets. Below is what we'd mail where, starting with the public numbers for 91945: how many homes there are, how old they are, how many are houses and who owns them.

Lemon Grove by ZIP Code

ZIP Code	Built before 1980	Single-family houses	Owner-occupied	Median home value	New movers a month (average)
91945 Lemon Grove, plus nearby San Diego and unincorporated areas	72%	61%	52%	$704,900	about 59

What the columns tell you:

Built before 1980: the share of homes more than 45 years old. Many are on their second or third roof, and the higher it is, the more owners are due for a replacement.
Single-family houses: the share of homes that are detached houses. The higher it is, the fewer EDDM® cards go to apartments and condos, where the association or the landlord decides on the roof.
Owner-occupied: owners buy roofs. Renters don't.
Median home value: higher values point to tile, metal and premium shingle roofs. Elsewhere, financing and a clear price matter most.

These figures cover whole ZIP Codes, and single routes inside them can be quite different. Our EDDM® route planner shows homes, income and homeownership for every route before you choose.

Home age, single-family houses, homeownership and home value are US Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates for the ZIP Code area. New movers are a US Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimate: residents who moved into a different home in the past year, turned into households and divided by 12.

New movers: on average about 60 households move to a new home in these ZIP Codes every month. Many buyers get a roof report from their home inspection and plan the repairs in their first year.

What a mailing costs: starting from $2,034 for 5,000 homes with a 6.25 × 9 EDDM® postcard, or $2,544 with our recommended 8.5 × 11, including printing and postage. See our EDDM® prices for other quantities.

What to mail in each neighborhood

The postwar streets south of Broadway (91945)

South of downtown, most homes are modest single-family houses from the 1940s and 50s on wide lots. Many owners have been here for decades, and many roofs here have been replaced once already and are due again.

"Is your roof over 20 years old?" A free inspection or replacement estimate before the rainy season, with financing.
A calm, clear card for long-time owners: large type, an easy-to-read phone number, your license number and your reviews.
Mail whole routes. These are mostly owner-occupied houses, so EDDM® works well here.

The hills toward La Mesa and Mount Helix (91945)

On the north and east sides of the city, toward La Mesa, Mount Helix and Spring Valley, the streets climb into the hills, with larger houses, some with views, on bigger and often sloping lots. Most are owner-occupied, and some back onto brush and canyons. Where a home is in a mapped fire hazard area, a replacement roof has to be Class A fire-rated.

Fire-rated roofing, with ember-resistant vents and gutter guards, mailed before fire season.
Larger replacement jobs: tile, metal and bigger roofs, for owners who want the work done right more than done cheap.

Downtown and the Broadway corridor (91945)

Around the Big Lemon, Broadway and the Lemon Grove Depot trolley station, older houses mix with duplexes, small apartment buildings and businesses, and many homes are rented. EDDM® here spends much of the mailing on renters, who don't buy roofs.

Repairs and replacements for landlords, mailed with a homeowner list that reaches owners who live elsewhere.
Flat and low-slope roofs on duplexes, small apartment buildings and shops along Broadway.

Around the Massachusetts Avenue trolley station (91945)

On the west side of the city, older single-family homes sit next to small multi-unit buildings and newer infill, and the routes mix owners and renters. Mail the owners of the older houses with a homeowner list and a replacement or inspection card. The newer infill homes mostly need repairs and gutters, not a new roof, and some have an HOA, so check before you mail them.

A first Lemon Grove mailing plan

Older roofs first. Mail an inspection and replacement card to the house routes south of Broadway from August to October, before the rain. Pick them in our EDDM® route planner for 91945.
Fire-rated roofing to the hills, with ember-resistant vents and gutter guards, before fire season.
Neighbors of every job. After each roof you finish, mail the carrier route around it: "We just put a new roof on a home on your street."
New homeowners every month. Many buyers of older homes get a roof report from their home inspection. A welcome card with a free inspection reaches them first.

Mail each group at least three times, a few weeks apart. Use a different offer code on each card so you can see which neighborhood and which service brings the calls.

EDDM® or a mailing list in Lemon Grove?

Which one is better depends on the neighborhood. South of Broadway and in the hills, most homes are owner-occupied houses, so EDDM® reaches nearly the same people as a list for less. Around downtown and the trolley stations, where many homes are rentals, a homeowner list by the age of the home wastes fewer cards. Compare the home age, single-family and homeowner numbers in the table above, and tell us the areas you want and we'll recommend the right mix.

What to put on a Lemon Grove postcard

Say you're local. "Serving Lemon Grove and East County" tells people you'll be there for the warranty too.
A photo of a Lemon Grove roof you installed. Real local work beats stock photos.
One service and one offer per card, matched to the neighborhood above.
Your C-39 license number, plus "licensed and insured" and your warranty.

For the full list of services, offers and a 12-month calendar, see our roofing direct mail guide.

Roofing postcard designs

Start from one of our ready-made roofing postcards. We add your logo, offer, license number and photos, send you a proof, then print and mail it. Need a custom design, or have your own? Just let us know.

Roofing marketing plans in other cities

Lemon Grove at a glance

New movers: About 60 households a month
Best areas: Replacements: the postwar streets south of Broadway. Fire-rated roofs and larger jobs: the hills toward La Mesa and Mount Helix. Rental roofs: downtown and the trolley stations, by homeowner list.
What it costs: Starting from $2,034 to mail 5,000 homes by EDDM® (6.25 × 9), or $2,544 with an 8.5 × 11
Where to start: An inspection and replacement card to the house routes south of Broadway from August to October.

Frequently asked questions

How many homes are there to mail in Lemon Grove?

The table above shows the homes and carrier routes in 91945, straight from the USPS EDDM® route map. That ZIP Code also covers some nearby San Diego and unincorporated streets, so it reaches more homes than the city alone.

Which Lemon Grove neighborhoods are best for roofing postcards?

For replacements, the postwar house streets south of Broadway. For fire-rated roofs and larger jobs, the hills toward La Mesa and Mount Helix. The table shows the share of homes built before 1980, single-family houses and owner-occupied homes.

When should a Lemon Grove roofer mail?

August to October, before the rainy season, for inspections and replacements, and November for leak repair after the first storms. Mail fire-rated roofing cards to the hills before fire season.

Do you mail to Lemon Grove from San Marcos?

Yes. Our print shop is in San Marcos, so we print your postcards there and take EDDM® mailings to the Post Office that delivers your Lemon Grove routes.

Get a quote for your Lemon Grove mailing

Tell us which neighborhoods and services you want to focus on. We'll reply with a price for printing and mailing, and the routes or list we recommend.

Roofing direct mail in Lemon Grove:a neighborhood-by-neighborhood plan