Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC 1334537
Skylights in Boulevard Gardens, FL
Skylights for homes in Boulevard Gardens and the surrounding area — from our Sunrise headquarters. Free quote.
Boulevard Gardens is a small unincorporated community of roughly 1,700 people in Broward County, about five miles inland from the Atlantic, and the weather here is hard on anything cut into a roof. Hot, humid subtropical conditions run year-round, afternoon thunderstorms arrive almost daily from June through September, and salt-laden air still reaches this far inland. A skylight sits at the exact point where wind-driven rain, ultraviolet exposure and metal flashing all meet, so it is usually the first part of a roof to show its age.
Flat Rate Roofing Inc installs new skylights cut and framed into the roof, replaces failed, fogged or cracked units, and diagnoses leaks at existing skylights. We work with both curb-mounted and deck-mounted units using the flashing kit made for that unit and that roof covering, and we handle impact-rated units and skylight work combined with a re-roof. You get a free estimate and a written flat rate quote that says what is included.
The housing stock here is mostly modest post-war single-family homes built from the 1940s through the 1960s, with concrete block and stucco walls and low-slope or shallow-gable roofs, plus some small multi-family buildings and duplexes. Low-slope roofs are unforgiving of shortcuts: on a shallow pitch, water moves slowly and lingers at the head flashing, so a skylight that was bedded in sealant instead of flashed correctly will eventually leak. Because this is one of Broward's long-established unincorporated pockets, a large share of homes still carry original or first-replacement components that predate modern Florida wind-load and energy codes, and older skylight units often fall into that same category.
Problems to watch for in Boulevard Gardens
Sealant used instead of flashing
Caulk and roof cement dry out and crack under constant Florida sun and heat. On the shallow-pitch roofs common in Boulevard Gardens, a sealant-only repair tends to fail at the uphill side of the curb first.
Wind-driven rain at head and side flashings
Summer thunderstorms and tropical systems push rain sideways and uphill. Water can enter at the head and side flashings even when the skylight glass itself is perfectly sound.
Fogged or failed glazing
When the seal in an insulated unit fails, condensation forms between the panes and the skylight stays cloudy. In this humidity, fogging usually means the unit needs replacement rather than repair.
Units that predate current impact requirements
Many homes here still have original or first-replacement components installed before modern wind-load codes. An older skylight may not carry the impact and design-pressure ratings now expected in Broward County.
Corroded fasteners and metal
Inland salt air and relentless humidity corrode fasteners, flashings and drip edge over time. Rusted screws at a skylight curb loosen the flashing and open a path for water.
Leaks blamed on the skylight
Water showing up at a skylight opening is not always coming from the skylight. Deteriorated roof covering uphill of the unit can send water to the opening, which is why we diagnose before we quote.
Rotten decking around the opening
A slow leak that ran for seasons softens the plywood around the curb. Rotten plywood and fascia replacement is included in our scope so the new unit lands on sound framing and deck.
What we do
- New skylight installationWe cut and frame the opening, set the curb and tie the unit into the roof covering with the correct flashing kit. Permits are pulled under our own license before any cutting starts.
- Replacement of failed unitsFogged, cracked or leaking skylights are replaced with units suited to the roof type and site conditions. Curb-mounted and deck-mounted replacements are both handled.
- Leak diagnosisWe trace where water is actually entering before recommending work, since the source may be the flashing, the roof covering uphill, or the unit itself.
- Impact-rated unitsGlazing in the wind-borne debris region has to meet impact and design-pressure requirements. We specify units with the approvals appropriate to a Broward County address.
- Skylights with a re-roofReplacing a skylight while the roof covering is already off is the cleanest way to get flashing right. Replacements are commonly bundled with dry-season reroofing.
- Permits and closeoutWe schedule inspections, get them passed and close the permit out, and we clean up fully when the work is done.
Licenses, permits and codes in Boulevard Gardens
Roofing work in Florida legally requires a licensed contractor. Skylight work tied into the roof covering is normally performed by a DBPR-licensed roofing contractor, though a glazing or general/building contractor may also be appropriate depending on scope and whether structural framing is altered — confirm the correct category with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), through the Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), or with the local building department. The Broward County Central Examining Board of Building Construction Trades also plays a role for registered and specialty contractors. A permit from the local building department is typically required for new skylight openings and usually for replacements, because framing, flashing and impact/pressure ratings are inspected. Florida Building Code requirements for glazing in the wind-borne debris region apply, units require Florida Product Approval with design-pressure and impact ratings suited to the site, and because Boulevard Gardens is in Broward County — part of the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone — Miami-Dade NOAs are generally required; verify specifics with the Broward County building department. Skylights near pools or decks may also interact with safety glazing requirements. Flat Rate Roofing Inc holds Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC1334537, a state certification valid in every Florida county and verifiable on the DBPR website, and the company is insured.
When to call
Leak complaints cluster in the summer rainy season and after storms, so if a skylight dripped during an August downpour, that is the time to have it looked at. Demand across this area also spikes ahead of and during hurricane season, June 1 through November 30, while the drier stretch from roughly November to April is when skylight replacements are most easily bundled with reroofing. Our phone at (954) 775-8990 is answered around the clock, the office keeps weekday hours Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm, and you can also request an estimate using the form on this page. Our office is at 9610 NW 24th St in Sunrise, Broward County.
We serve Boulevard Gardens and nearby areas including Washington Park, Franklin Park, Roosevelt Gardens, Rock Island, Lauderdale Manors, Broadview Park, Melrose Park, Dorsey-Riverbend, Golden Heights, the Sistrunk Boulevard corridor and Oakland Park, as well as Fort Lauderdale, Lauderdale Lakes, Lauderhill, Plantation, Wilton Manors, Sunrise and North Lauderdale.
Skylights in Boulevard Gardens: questions we hear
- Do I need a permit to replace a skylight in Boulevard Gardens?
- A permit from the local building department is typically required for new openings and usually for replacements, since framing, flashing and ratings are inspected. We pull permits under our own license, schedule inspections and close the permit out. If you are unsure about your specific scope, verify with the Broward County building department.
- Does the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone apply here?
- Yes — Boulevard Gardens is in Broward County, which along with Miami-Dade makes up the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone. In the HVHZ, Miami-Dade NOAs are generally required for skylight units in addition to Florida Building Code glazing requirements for the wind-borne debris region.
- My skylight only leaks in heavy storms. Is the glass bad?
- Not necessarily. Wind-driven rain during the daily thunderstorms from June through September can enter at head and side flashings while the glazing is still sound. We diagnose the entry point first rather than assuming the unit is the cause.
- Can a skylight go on a low-slope roof?
- Low-slope and shallow-gable roofs are common on the post-war homes here, and skylights can be installed on them using a curb-mounted unit with the matching flashing kit. The detail work matters more on a shallow pitch because water drains slowly.
- What does a quote include?
- The estimate is free and the quote is a written flat rate that states what is included, along with rotten plywood and fascia replacement in the scope and full cleanup. Call (954) 775-8990 or use the form on this page.
Get a free skylights quote in Boulevard Gardens
Tell us what's going on. A state-certified contractor will get back to you.