Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC 1334537
Roof tarping trouble, quoted at a flat rate in Goulds, FL
Roof Tarping & Shrink Wrap for homes in Goulds and the surrounding area — from our Sunrise headquarters. Free quote.
Goulds took the direct hit from Hurricane Andrew in 1992, so a roof that has lost tile, shingles or flashing here is taken seriously. With a May-to-October rainy season of near-daily thunderstorms, an open section of roof can let water in again and again. A blue tarp or shrink-wrap cover is a temporary measure that keeps rain out until the permanent repair. It is not the repair itself.
Flat Rate Roofing Inc is a roofing-only company, Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC1334537. We look at the damage and the deck first, then fit the right temporary cover. We also give you a written flat-rate quote for the permanent repair or re-roof that says what is included. Call (954) 775-8990 or use the quote form on this page for a free estimate.
Goulds has a sharp split in its housing. There are 1950s-70s block homes, and there are many homes built or substantially rebuilt after Hurricane Andrew, with concrete block walls, stucco and tile or architectural shingle roofs. A cover has to be fastened to suit whichever roof you have. Biscayne Bay's salt air sits a few miles east, and year-round humidity and strong sun add to the wear on anything left exposed. That is one reason a temporary cover should lead to a permanent repair and not stand in for one.
Problems to watch for in Goulds
Wind-lifted tile, shingles and flashing
Hurricane and tropical-storm wind can lift tile, shingles and flashing on Goulds' block homes with tile or shingle roofs. That leaves bare spots that need covering before the next rain.
Limbs through the roof deck
Fallen limbs and trees can puncture the deck. A hole like that needs a look at the decking underneath before any cover goes on.
Wind-driven rain inside
During Goulds' rainy season, wind-driven rain entering an open roof can soak decking, insulation and ceilings. Stained ceilings or drips after a storm are a sign to get the roof covered.
Tarps fastened the wrong way
A tarp fastened through the middle of the roof, or stopped short of the ridge, can let water run in underneath it. The cover should shed water over it, not under it.
Covers worn down by sun and wind
Sun, heat and wind wear a cover down the longer it stays up. A temporary cover is a stopgap, so the permanent repair should follow.
Waiting on roofers after a regional storm
After a widespread storm, roofers and materials are in demand across the whole region. A temporary cover can protect the home while you line up the permanent repair.
What we do
- Look at the damage and the deckBefore any cover goes on, we check the damaged area and the deck beneath it. That tells us what the cover has to span and what the permanent repair will involve.
- Blue tarps done properlyBlue polyethylene tarps are secured with wood battens fastened along the edges. We run them over the ridge where the roof allows, so water sheds over the cover rather than under it.
- Shrink-wrap roof coversPolyethylene film is heat-shrunk tight over the damaged section or the whole roof, leaving 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.
- Fastened to suit your roofWe fasten covers to suit tile, shingle, metal and flat roofs, which matters in a town that mixes older block homes with post-Andrew construction.
- Photos and a flat-rate quoteWe take photos before and after for your records and any insurance claim. You also get a written flat-rate quote for the permanent repair or re-roof.
Licenses, permits and codes in Goulds
Roofing in Florida is regulated by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) through the Construction Industry Licensing Board. For the permanent repair, the rule is: "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." Whether a temporary cover needs a permit is up to the local building department, so confirm with them. Goulds is in Miami-Dade County. The product approval wording applies to the permanent roofing products: "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." Before a bigger permanent repair, also note this: "Florida's 25% roof rule (Florida Building Code, Existing Building volume, section 706.1.1): when more than 25% of a roof or roof section is repaired, replaced or recovered in any 12-month period, the entire roof or section has to be brought up to current code." How it is applied can vary, so verify with your city or county building department.
When to call
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. Tarping is needed after hurricanes, tropical storms, severe thunderstorms and fallen trees, in any month. In Goulds, the rainy season brings near-daily thunderstorms from May to October, so a damaged roof is exposed often. Stay off a damaged roof, photograph the damage from the ground, keep your records and talk to your insurer or agent. The phone at (954) 775-8990 is answered around the clock, and our Sunrise office keeps weekday hours, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. You can also request a free estimate with the form on this page.
We serve Goulds and nearby areas including Princeton, Naranja, Leisure City, South Miami Heights, West Perrine, Richmond Heights, Redland, Cutler Bay, Homestead and Florida City.
Roof Tarping in Goulds: questions we hear
- How long does shrink wrap stay on compared with a tarp?
- Shrink wrap is designed to last up to about a year (a typical lifespan, not a promise), longer than a standard blue tarp. Both are temporary, and sun, heat and wind wear them down the longer they stay up, so plan the permanent repair.
- Is a tarp a roof repair?
- No. A tarp or shrink wrap is a temporary cover that keeps water out until the permanent repair is done. We give you a written flat-rate quote for that repair or re-roof.
- My Goulds home was rebuilt after Andrew and has a tile roof. Can it be covered?
- Covers can be fastened to suit tile, shingle, metal and flat roofs. We look at the damage and the deck first, so the cover fits the roof you actually have, whether it is an older block home or a newer one.
- What should I do about insurance?
- Photograph the damage from the ground, keep records, and talk to your insurer or agent. We take photos before and after the cover goes on for your records and your claim. The outcome of a claim is between you and your insurer.
- Why not just wait out Goulds' rainy season?
- From May to October Goulds sees near-daily thunderstorms, and wind-driven rain entering an open roof can soak decking, insulation and ceilings. A temporary cover is meant to limit that until the permanent repair. Call (954) 775-8990 to talk it through.
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