FAQ
Southwest Florida Roofing Questions
Including the ones that might save you a full replacement.
What you have noticed, the roof type and roughly its age. We will tell you honestly whether it is a repair or a replacement.
FAQ
Roof repair and replacement in Southwest Florida
- Did the roof repair rule change?
- Florida amended it in 2022. Confirm with your building department.
- Who decides if a full replacement is required?
- Your building department, not the contractor quoting.
- My tiles look fine — is the roof fine?
- The underlayment is the waterproofing and it has a shorter life.
- Do broken tiles mean a new roof?
- Frequently not.
- Can you match our tile?
- Salvaging your own is the best match.
- Does walking a tile roof break tiles?
- Some, unavoidably.
- Where does metal roofing fail?
- Fixings, penetrations and terminations.
- What is the best flat roof diagnostic?
- Where water ponds an hour after rain.
- Where do mixed roofs leak?
- The tile-to-flat transition.
- Is sealant a repair at a transition?
- No. The detail has to be rebuilt.
- Where do screen enclosures fail?
- The attachment and the anchors into the slab.
- How do I check a contractor?
- Verify the license with the state yourself.
- Should I sign today?
- No.
- Do you negotiate claims?
- No. We are not public adjusters.
- Are you local?
- No. Fort Lauderdale based. For an active leak, call somebody local.
Still not answered?
Call (954) 807-3208 for a planned assessment. If water is coming in today, call somebody local first.
Roof types
Concrete & Clay Tile
The dominant roof across much of Southwest Florida, and the one most often misjudged from the ground.
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Metal Roofing
Increasingly common on the Gulf coast, and it fails at the fasteners, the penetrations and the terminations rather than in the panel.
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Shingle Roofing
Common on newer residential construction, and the system where the repair-versus-replace argument arises most often.
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Flat & Low-Slope
Membrane roofs on additions, porches and flat sections. They fail at penetrations and where water sits.
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Tile-to-Flat Transitions
Many Gulf coast homes combine tile over the main roof with a low-slope section over a porch or addition. The junction is where they leak.
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Lanai & Screen Enclosures
Covered lanais and screen enclosures are near-universal here, highly exposed, and usually the first thing damaged in a storm.
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Next step
Find out what is actually wrong with it.
An inspection, photographs of what we found, and a written scope. If the honest answer is that it can wait another season, that is the answer you will get.