Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC 1334537
Shingle Roofing in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Shingle Roofing for homes in Fort Lauderdale and the surrounding area — from our Sunrise headquarters. Free quote.
Fort Lauderdale is a city of about 184,000 people with a tropical, year-round humid climate, a hot and stormy wet season from roughly May through October, and a hurricane season that runs June 1 through November 30. Asphalt shingles here face constant UV and heat that age the asphalt faster than in northern climates, plus salt air off the Atlantic and the city's many canals that corrodes fasteners and flashings. According to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year (2022) data, the median Fort Lauderdale home was built around 1972, so a great many single-story concrete block and stucco houses on slab are now well past the age at which a shingle roof is usually on its second or third life.
Flat Rate Roofing Inc installs shingle roofs across Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties from our office at 9610 NW 24th St in Sunrise. A shingle job here means a full tear-off to the deck, inspecting the deck and replacing rotten plywood and fascia as part of the scope, installing a secondary water barrier where it is required, then architectural shingles rated for Florida wind zones with starter strip, ridge cap, drip edge and valley detailing, ridge and off-ridge ventilation, and a magnet sweep at the end. You get a free estimate and a written flat rate quote that states what is included.
Fort Lauderdale is called the 'Venice of America' for its hundreds of miles of canals and Intracoastal frontage, and that waterfront exposure matters on a roof. Salt spray and humidity attack metal far faster near the water than inland, which is why nail heads, drip edge, valley metal and flashings around chimneys-free South Florida roofs still deserve close inspection even when the shingle field looks sound. Because much of the single-family stock predates modern building codes, older roofs in these neighborhoods are frequent upgrade targets ahead of hurricane season, when high winds and wind-driven rain put uplift pressure on every shingle edge and ridge.
Problems to watch for in Fort Lauderdale
UV and heat aging
Fort Lauderdale's hot, humid climate runs year-round with no freezes, so shingles age under constant sun rather than freeze-thaw. Asphalt here loses flexibility and granules faster than the same product would in a northern climate.
Wind uplift and blow-off
Hurricane season brings high winds and wind-driven rain from June through November. Poorly fastened starter courses, ridge caps and edges are where uplift usually begins.
Salt-air corrosion
With the Atlantic on one side and canals running through the city, salt air corrodes fasteners and flashings on waterfront and near-coastal homes. Metal details often show wear years before the shingle field does.
Aging decking under older roofs
With a median build year around 1972 per the Census, plenty of Fort Lauderdale decks have taken decades of rain. Tear-off is the only way to find soft plywood and rotten fascia, which is why replacement is written into our scope.
Weak attic ventilation
High indoor humidity is a constant in South Florida, and inadequate attic ventilation shortens shingle life while encouraging mold and mildew in the attic. Ridge and off-ridge vents are planned as part of the roof, not as an afterthought.
Low-slope sections tied into shingles
Additions, carports and Florida rooms across the region often carry low-slope or flat sections that meet a shingle field. Those transitions need their own detailing to handle near-daily wet-season thunderstorms.
Wind mitigation documentation
Re-roofs commonly trigger deck re-nailing, secondary water barrier and roof-to-wall attachment requirements, and these also affect wind mitigation insurance credits. Confirm current requirements with the local building department.
What we do
- Full tear-off and deck inspectionWe strip to the deck so nothing is hidden, then inspect for damage. Rotten plywood and fascia replacement is included in the scope.
- Secondary water barrier where requiredBroward sits in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, where re-roofs commonly trigger a secondary water barrier. We install it where the local building department requires it.
- Wind-rated architectural shinglesWe use architectural shingles rated for Florida wind zones, with HVHZ-approved shingles and underlayment carrying a Miami-Dade NOA where that applies.
- Edge, valley and ridge detailingStarter strip, ridge cap, drip edge and valley detailing are where wind-driven rain is won or lost. Each is installed as part of the system.
- VentilationRidge and off-ridge ventilation is set up to move hot, humid attic air, which helps the shingles last and keeps mold and mildew pressure down.
- Permits, inspections and cleanupWe pull permits under our own license, schedule the in-progress and final inspections and close the permit out, then finish with full cleanup and a magnet sweep.
Licenses, permits and codes in Fort Lauderdale
Asphalt shingle roofing requires a licensed contractor in Florida — normally a state-certified or state-registered roofing contractor through the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and its Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), or a general or building contractor working within scope. Flat Rate Roofing Inc holds Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC1334537, a state certification valid in every Florida county and verifiable on the DBPR license lookup; the company is insured. A permit is required for re-roofing and for most shingle repairs beyond small maintenance, issued by the Fort Lauderdale building department (or the county building division in unincorporated areas), with in-progress sheathing/nailing and underlayment inspections and a final inspection. Florida Building Code high-wind shingle requirements apply throughout the region, and because Broward is part of the Miami-Dade/Broward High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, shingles and underlayment must be HVHZ-approved with a Miami-Dade NOA. Confirm current requirements with the local building department. If your home is in an HOA or condo community, the association may control or have to approve roof work.
When to call
Demand across South Florida peaks after summer and fall storms and in the run-up to hurricane season, while the drier winter months are generally the better window for a planned replacement. In Fort Lauderdale the November–April snowbird season adds another wave as seasonal residents return and open up homes that sat closed, so scheduling early helps. Call (954) 775-8990 or request an estimate with the form on this page; the phone is answered around the clock and the office keeps weekday hours, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.
We serve Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods including Victoria Park, Rio Vista, Coral Ridge, Las Olas Isles, Colee Hammock, Sailboat Bend, Flagler Village, Imperial Point, Poinsettia Heights, Tarpon River, Croissant Park and Galt Ocean Mile, along with nearby Wilton Manors, Oakland Park, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Pompano Beach, Plantation, Dania Beach, Davie and Hollywood.
Shingles in Fort Lauderdale: questions we hear
- Do I need a permit to re-roof my Fort Lauderdale home?
- Yes. A permit is required for re-roofing and for most shingle repairs beyond small maintenance, and it is issued by the city building department. We pull the permit under our own license, schedule the required in-progress and final inspections, and close the permit out.
- What does the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone mean for shingles here?
- Broward and Miami-Dade are the two counties designated as the HVHZ under the Florida Building Code. In the HVHZ, shingles and underlayment must be HVHZ-approved with a Miami-Dade NOA, and re-roofs commonly trigger deck re-nailing, secondary water barrier and roof-to-wall attachment requirements. Confirm the current rules with the Fort Lauderdale building department.
- My house is from the early 1970s. Will the deck need work?
- The Census puts the median Fort Lauderdale build year around 1972, and decks that old have taken decades of rain and humidity. We only know after tear-off, which is why rotten plywood and fascia replacement is written into the scope of the job.
- Does living on a canal change anything?
- Fort Lauderdale has an unusually high share of waterfront and Intracoastal homes, and salt spray with humidity corrodes metal faster than inland. Fasteners, drip edge, valley metal and flashings deserve particular attention on these roofs.
- How do I check your license?
- Our Florida Certified Roofing Contractor number is CCC1334537, a state certification valid in every Florida county. You can verify it on the Florida DBPR website, and we encourage you to verify any roofer's number the same way.
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