Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC 1334537
Roof tarping trouble, quoted at a flat rate in Coral Gables, FL
Roof Tarping & Shrink Wrap for homes in Coral Gables and the surrounding area — from our Sunrise headquarters. Free quote.
Coral Gables is a city of Mediterranean Revival and Spanish-style homes with barrel-tile roofs, and Census data puts the median year built at 1968. Many roofs here have been through decades of storm seasons. When wind lifts tile or flashing, or a limb opens the deck during the wet season (roughly May through October), water can reach decking, insulation and ceilings quickly. A temporary cover slows that down until the permanent repair.
Flat Rate Roofing does roofing only. We look at the damage and the deck, then fit a blue polyethylene tarp or a shrink-wrap cover suited to your roof type. A cover is temporary and is not a repair. After it is on, we give you a written flat-rate quote for the permanent repair or re-roof that says what is included. Call (954) 775-8990. The phone is answered around the clock, and our office is in Sunrise.
Coral Gables fronts Biscayne Bay, and salt-laden air is a constant here. It can corrode fasteners, flashings and unprotected metal, which can leave roof edges weaker before a storm arrives. Hurricanes and tropical storms from June through November bring wind-borne debris and wind-driven rain, and Coral Gables sits in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone. Mature banyan and oak canopy can drop heavy debris on tile roofs. The city's architectural review board tightly regulates exterior changes, including roofing, so the permanent fix on an older Merrick-era home may take planning. A temporary cover keeps water out while that planning happens.
Problems to watch for in Coral Gables
Tile lifted or cracked by storm wind
Hurricane and tropical-storm wind can lift or crack barrel tile on Coral Gables homes, leaving bare underlayment exposed to the next rain.
Limb damage from banyan and oak canopy
Fallen limbs from the city's mature trees can puncture the roof deck. Even a small opening lets wind-driven rain soak the decking and insulation below.
Water stains on ceilings after a storm
Near-daily summer thunderstorms drive rain under tiles, shingles and flashings. A new ceiling stain often means water has already entered the roof system.
Flashing loosened by salt and wind
Salt air near the bay and canals corrodes flashings and drip edge. Strong wind can then peel them back and open a path for water.
Flat or low-slope sections exposed
Mid-century ranches and additions often have low-slope sections. Storm damage there can pool water if it is not covered promptly.
A tarp that lets water run in under it
Tarps fastened through the middle of the roof or stopped short of the ridge can let water run in underneath. Sun, heat and wind also wear any cover down the longer it stays up.
What we do
- Look at the damage and the deck firstBefore any cover goes on, we check the damaged area and the deck so the cover is fitted to what is actually there.
- Blue tarps secured to shed waterTarps are secured with wood battens fastened along the edges and run over the ridge where the roof allows, so water sheds over the cover rather than under it.
- Shrink wrap for longer coverageShrink wrap is polyethylene film heat-shrunk tight over the damaged section or the whole roof, with fewer loose edges for wind to lift. It is designed to last up to about a year (a typical lifespan, not a promise), longer than a standard blue tarp.
- Covers fitted to your roof typeWe fasten covers to suit tile, shingle, metal and flat roofs, which matters in a city with both barrel-tile homes and low-slope additions.
- Photos and a written flat-rate quoteWe take photos before and after for your records and for your insurer. You then get a written flat-rate quote for the permanent repair or re-roof.
Licenses, permits and codes in Coral Gables
A tarp or shrink-wrap cover is temporary, and the permanent repair is what restores the roof. For that work: "Roofing work in Florida legally requires a licensed roofing contractor and generally a permit from the local building department; a contractor's license is verified on the Florida DBPR website." The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), through the Construction Industry Licensing Board, is the regulator. Our certification, Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC1334537, can be verified on the DBPR site. Whether a temporary cover itself needs a permit is up to your local building department, so confirm with them. On product approvals for the permanent roof: "Miami-Dade and Broward are Florida's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone. Roofing products used there need a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA) for that use; elsewhere in Florida they need a Florida Product Approval (or local approval). Either way the product is installed per its approval." Those approvals apply to permanent roofing products, not to tarps or shrink wrap. Because Coral Gables' architectural review board regulates exterior changes, check with the city about review for the permanent work.
When to call
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, and Coral Gables' wet season runs roughly May through October. Tarping may be needed after hurricanes, tropical storms, severe thunderstorms and fallen trees, in any month. After a widespread storm, roofers and materials can be in demand across the whole region, so call early. Our phone is answered around the clock, and the office keeps weekday hours, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Call (954) 775-8990 or request a free quote with the form on this page. We do not promise arrival or completion times.
We serve Coral Gables including Downtown Coral Gables / Miracle Mile, Coral Way / Merrick Village, Country Club Prado, Riviera, Gables Estates, Cocoplum, Deering Bay, Snapper Creek Lakes, Hammock Lakes, Gables by the Sea and Old Cutler Bay, as well as nearby Miami, South Miami, Pinecrest and Coconut Grove.
Roof Tarping in Coral Gables: questions we hear
- Is a tarp or shrink wrap a permanent fix for my Coral Gables roof?
- No. Both are temporary covers that keep water out until the permanent repair or re-roof. The humid, storm-heavy Coral Gables climate keeps wearing on a cover, so plan the permanent work rather than leaving it up.
- How long does shrink wrap last compared with a blue tarp?
- Shrink wrap is designed to last up to about a year, which is a typical lifespan and not a promise. That is longer than a standard blue tarp. Sun, heat and wind wear on any cover the longer it stays up.
- Can a cover go over barrel tile on an older Coral Gables home?
- Covers can be fastened to suit tile as well as shingle, metal and flat roofs. We look at the damage and the deck first, then fit the cover to your roof. Many homes here have tile roofs and a median build year of 1968 (Census), so we check the condition of the deck before covering.
- What should I do about my insurance claim?
- Photograph the damage, keep records and talk to your insurer or agent. We take photos before and after the cover goes on for your records. We cannot say what a claim will result in.
- Does the city's architectural review affect the permanent roof repair?
- Coral Gables' architectural review board tightly regulates exterior changes, including roofing, especially on older Merrick-era homes. Confirm with the city what review the permanent work needs. Your local building department can also tell you whether the temporary cover needs a permit.
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