Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC 1334537
Skylights in Davie, FL
Skylights for homes in Davie and the surrounding area — from our Sunrise headquarters. Free quote.
Davie's housing stock is largely 1970s through 2000s concrete-block-and-stucco construction with concrete tile or shingle roofs, and the Census (ACS 5-year, 2022) puts the median year built at 1988 — so a great many skylights in town are sitting in roof decks that are decades old. A skylight is only as good as the flashing around it, and in a humid subtropical climate with a wet season from roughly May through October and daily afternoon thunderstorms, wind-driven rain finds any head or side flashing that was never installed correctly in the first place.
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 handle curb-mounted and deck-mounted units with the correct flashing kit for the surrounding roof system, install impact-rated units, and do skylight work as part of a re-roof when that makes sense. We are a Florida Certified Roofing Contractor, license CCC1334537 — a state certification valid in every Florida county and verifiable on the Florida DBPR website.
Davie sits inside the hurricane belt, with a season running June 1 through November 30, and it is one of Broward County's low, canal-laced areas running west toward the Everglades where wind-driven rain matters far more than cold ever will. That combination is hard on skylights: sealant used in place of proper flashing dries out in the Florida sun, and once it fails, squall-line rain driven sideways gets under the head flashing rather than running over it. Because Broward is one of the two counties designated as the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone under the Florida Building Code, the unit itself also has to stand up to wind-borne debris requirements, not just rainfall.
Problems to watch for in Davie
Sealant instead of flashing
Caulk smeared around a curb is a common shortcut, and constant UV and heat in South Florida dry it out until it cracks. Proper step and head flashing, tied into the roof system, is what actually keeps water out.
Leaks at the head and sides
Davie's summer thunderstorms and tropical squall lines push rain sideways rather than straight down. Water that would never get past a skylight in a gentle rain can run up and behind poorly lapped head flashing here.
Fogged or failed glazing
Year-round high humidity works on the seals of double-glazed units, and condensation between the panes means the unit has failed. Fogging does not clean off; the skylight needs replacement.
Units that predate current impact rules
With a median year built of 1988 (Census), plenty of Davie skylights were installed before today's windborne-debris standards. In the HVHZ a replacement unit generally needs a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance.
Flashing that does not match the roof
Concrete tile, asphalt shingle and low-slope areas over additions, carports and Florida rooms all need different flashing details. A shingle flashing kit forced onto a tile roof is a leak waiting for the wet season.
Rotten deck around the opening
A slow skylight leak soaks the plywood at the curb long before it shows on a ceiling. We include rotten plywood and fascia replacement in our scope so the new unit is fastened into sound wood.
HOA and gated-community approvals
HOA-governed and gated communities are very common on Davie's western side, and in much of South Florida the association controls or must approve roof work. Check the requirements before ordering a unit.
What we do
- New skylight installationWe cut and frame the opening into the roof, set the unit and install the correct flashing kit for the existing roof system so the details are compatible rather than improvised.
- Replacing failed unitsFogged, cracked or leaking skylights get swapped for new curb-mounted or deck-mounted units, with the deck and curb repaired first if moisture has done damage underneath.
- Impact-rated unitsBecause Broward sits in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, we install units carrying the required approvals for impact and wind pressure under the Florida Building Code.
- Leak diagnosis at existing skylightsNot every ceiling stain under a skylight starts at the skylight. We trace the source at the head and side flashings and the surrounding roof before recommending work.
- Skylights with a re-roofReplacements and upgrades are commonly scheduled alongside a re-roof, which is the cleanest time to reset flashing into a new roof system rather than patching into an old one.
- Permits and closeoutWe pull permits under our own license, schedule inspections and see them passed, close the permit out, and clean up. You get a written flat rate quote that says what is included.
Licenses, permits and codes in Davie
Roofing work in Florida must be performed by a licensed contractor. Skylight installation and replacement in a roof is typically handled by a licensed roofing contractor, or by a general or building contractor, and glazing or window specialty licenses can also apply depending on the scope. Florida does not have a widely recognized standalone state 'skylight' license class, so confirm the correct scope with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), through the Construction Industry Licensing Board, and with the Town of Davie building department. Adding or replacing a skylight normally requires a permit from the local municipal building department or county building division, especially where the roof opening or framing is altered — and like-for-like replacement still requires a permit in most South Florida jurisdictions, so verify before work begins. On code, skylights must meet Florida Building Code impact and wind pressure requirements; in Broward's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone the unit generally needs a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance, and elsewhere a Florida Product Approval.
When to call
Across South Florida, leak complaints surface during the May–October rainy season and after storms, while replacements and upgrades are usually scheduled in the dry season, often alongside a re-roof. In Davie specifically, demand tends to spike in May and June as residents prepare for hurricane season and again from August through October after storms, with a quieter bump in the dry months when seasonal residents reopen homes. If your skylight is fogged or dripping, it is worth addressing before the wet season rather than during it. Call (954) 775-8990 or request an estimate with the form on this page for a free quote. The phone is answered around the clock, and the office keeps weekday hours, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.
We serve skylight work across Davie, including Pine Island Ridge, Forest Ridge, Rolling Hills, Shenandoah, Ivanhoe, Hawkes Bluff, Long Lake Ranches, Old Davie and Downtown Davie, the South Florida Education Center area along Nova Drive, and the Flamingo Road, Griffin Road and Orange Drive corridors.
Skylights in Davie: questions we hear
- Do I need a permit to replace a skylight in Davie?
- Adding or replacing a skylight normally requires a permit from the local municipal building department or county building division, particularly where the roof opening or framing is altered. Like-for-like replacement may still require a permit in most South Florida jurisdictions. We pull permits under our own license and close them out after inspection.
- Does a skylight in Davie have to be impact-rated?
- Broward is one of the two counties designated as the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone under the Florida Building Code, so a skylight here generally needs a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance, with impact-resistant glazing or approved protection in windborne-debris areas. Confirm the specific requirement with the Town of Davie building department.
- My skylight is fogged. Can it be resealed?
- Condensation between the panes means the seal has failed, and in Davie's year-round high humidity it will not clear up. The unit needs to be replaced rather than resealed.
- Should I replace skylights when I re-roof?
- It is usually the practical time. With Davie's median year built of 1988 (Census) and most homes owner-occupied, many skylights are original to a much older roof, and a re-roof lets the flashing be integrated into the new roof system instead of patched into the old one.
- Do you work in gated and HOA communities?
- Yes. HOA-governed and gated communities are very common on Davie's western side, and in South Florida the association often controls or must approve roof work, so plan for that approval step. We serve Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties from our office at 9610 NW 24th St in Sunrise.
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