Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC 1334537
The flat-rate skylights specialist in Ives Estates, FL
Skylights for homes in Ives Estates and the surrounding area — from our Sunrise headquarters. Free quote.
Ives Estates sits about three miles inland from the Atlantic in Miami-Dade, close enough that salt-laden air still reaches the roof, and inside the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone. A skylight is an opening in the roof that has to handle a May–October rainy season of near-daily thunderstorms, summer heat, and wind-borne debris rules. If you are choosing who installs or fixes one, look for a roofer who uses the correct flashing instead of leaning on sealant, who puts the scope in writing, and who pulls the permit and passes the inspection.
Flat Rate Roofing Inc is a roofing-only company holding Florida Certified Roofing Contractor license CCC1334537, a state certification valid in every Florida county and verifiable on the Florida DBPR website. We give a free estimate and a written flat-rate quote that says what is included. Our office is at 9610 NW 24th St, Sunrise, FL 33322, and the company is insured.
Much of Ives Estates is mid-century to 1970s concrete block and stucco housing, and much of the single-family stock is 50-plus years old. On roofs that age, an older skylight may have been set with sealant and left to bake in the Florida sun, and the roof around it may be worn too. Salt-tinged humid air, heavy summer rain and the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone all put extra demands on the flashing and the glazing. Townhomes, garden apartments and condos along the Ives Dairy Road and US-441 corridors add another layer, since HOA-governed communities may have their own approval steps before exterior work begins.
Problems to watch for in Ives Estates
Sealant doing the job of flashing
Sealant applied in place of a proper flashing kit dries out and cracks in Florida sun. Once it does, the first heavy summer downpour can find its way into the ceiling below.
Wind-driven rain at head and side flashings
Ives Estates thunderstorms often arrive sideways, and wind-driven rain can push water past weak head and side flashings. Leaks may show up only during storms from one direction.
Fogged or failed units
Condensation between the panes means the seal has failed. In a humid climate like Ives Estates, a fogged skylight rarely clears up on its own.
Cracked glazing or domes
Cracked or damaged units let water in and may not meet the wind-borne debris requirements that apply in this hurricane zone.
Salt-air corrosion on fasteners and flashing
Even about three miles from the ocean, salt in the air can corrode fasteners, flashings and unprotected metal around a skylight over time.
Aging roofs around older skylights
On homes built from the mid-century through the 1970s, the roof around a skylight may be as worn as the skylight itself. A leak there can come from the surrounding roof covering rather than the unit.
What we do
- New skylight installationWe cut and frame the opening into the roof and set the unit with the correct flashing kit. It is installed per its product approval.
- Replacing failed, fogged or cracked unitsWe remove the failed skylight and install a new one, using a curb-mounted or deck-mounted unit as the roof calls for.
- Leak diagnosis at existing skylightsBefore replacing anything, we check whether the water is coming from the flashing, the glazing or the roof around it. You get a written flat-rate quote that says what is included.
- Impact-rated unitsIn the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, wind-borne debris requirements are a real concern. We can work with impact-rated skylight units and ask you to confirm the approval for the model chosen.
- Skylights combined with a re-roofIf the roof is due for replacement anyway, the skylight can be done at the same time. Rotten plywood and fascia replacement is included in the scope, permits are pulled under our own license, and we do a full cleanup.
Licenses, permits and codes in Ives Estates
The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), through the Construction Industry Licensing Board, regulates contractor licensing. In its words: "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." For a skylight, the right license category can depend on the scope and on whether structural framing is altered, so confirm it with DBPR or the building department. Ives Estates is in Miami-Dade, which is part of the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone. The site's product approval note reads: "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." Ask any contractor to show you the approval for the exact skylight model. If you live in a townhome or condo, check with your association too.
When to call
Leak complaints tend to cluster in the summer rainy season and after storms, and hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30. A skylight replacement can be combined with a re-roof in the drier months. In Ives Estates, winter is also when seasonal residents return and deferred repairs get scheduled. If you see a stain, drip or fogged glass, call (954) 775-8990. The phone is answered around the clock, and the 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 Ives Estates and nearby areas including Ojus, Highland Lakes, Sky Lake, Lake Lucerne, Andover, Norland, Golden Glades, Country Club, the Ives Dairy Road corridor and the Greynolds Park area.
Skylights in Ives Estates: questions we hear
- Why does my skylight in Ives Estates leak only during some storms?
- Wind-driven rain can hit head and side flashings from one direction and find a weak spot that stays dry in gentler rain. Dried-out sealant used in place of proper flashing is a frequent culprit. A free estimate can pinpoint whether the flashing, the glazing or the surrounding roof is at fault.
- Does Ives Estates being in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone affect skylights?
- Yes. Miami-Dade is part of the zone, and wind-borne debris requirements apply to roof glazing. Ask to see the product approval for the specific skylight and confirm details with the local building department.
- Does salt air matter this far from the ocean?
- Ives Estates is about three miles inland from the Atlantic, yet the air still carries enough salt to speed up rust on exposed metal. Corrosion-resistant fasteners and flashing are worth asking about when a skylight is installed or replaced.
- I live in a townhome or condo near Ives Dairy Road. Do I need approval first?
- Many townhome and condo associations in the area have their own approval processes for exterior work. Check with your association before scheduling, and we will put the scope in writing for you to share.
- Can you replace a skylight when the roof is also replaced?
- Yes, a skylight replacement can be combined with a re-roof. We quote the work as a written flat rate that says what is included, pull permits under our own license, schedule inspections and close out the permit.
Get a free skylights quote in Ives Estates
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