Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC 1334537
Skylights in North Lauderdale, FL
Skylights for homes in North Lauderdale and the surrounding area — from our Sunrise headquarters. Free quote.
North Lauderdale's housing stock mostly dates from the 1970s through the 1990s — the median home here was built around 1978, according to Census ACS figures — and it is largely concrete block with stucco under low-slope or barrel/flat tile roofs. A skylight cut into that kind of roof has to be detailed correctly, because South Florida's rainy season runs roughly May through October with near-daily thunderstorms and wind-driven rain, and constant UV and humidity break down sealants and corrode fasteners and flashings over time.
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 across Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties. We work with curb-mounted and deck-mounted units using the correct flashing kit for the surrounding roof system, and skylight work often makes the most sense combined with a re-roof, which is common on homes of this age. We work from one office at 9610 NW 24th St in Sunrise, the company is insured, and every job starts with a free estimate and a written flat rate quote that says what is included.
North Lauderdale sits about eight miles inland, but easterly sea breezes still carry salt-laden air, and the city lies fully within South Florida's hurricane belt. Broward is one of the two counties designated as the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone under the Florida Building Code, so a skylight here is not just a light well — it is a rated opening in the building envelope that has to hold up to design wind pressures and windborne debris. A large share of the city is governed by HOAs or condo associations, and where the association controls or must approve roof work, the unit style and the roof system it ties into may need approval before anything is ordered.
Problems to watch for in North Lauderdale
Sealant used instead of flashing
Caulk smeared around a curb dries out fast under year-round Florida sun and UV. Once it cracks, water follows the opening straight into the attic of a slab-on-grade block home.
Wind-driven rain at head and side flashings
Rainy-season storms from May through October push water uphill and sideways. If the head and side flashings were not lapped correctly into the tile or low-slope membrane, the skylight will leak only during hard, wind-driven rain.
Fogged or failed glazing
High humidity plus an aging seal produces condensation between the panes and a permanently cloudy skylight. On units original to 1970s and 1980s homes, replacement is usually the realistic fix.
Units that predate current impact rules
Older plastic domes on North Lauderdale roofs often have no impact rating at all. In a windborne-debris area, replacements generally need impact-resistant glazing or approved protection.
Corroded fasteners and flashings
Salt air carried inland on the sea breeze, combined with high humidity, accelerates corrosion at fasteners and metal flashings — a slow failure that shows up as staining before it shows up as dripping.
Mismatched roof system details
Barrel tile, asphalt shingle and low-slope roofs each need different flashing details, and many local homes have low-slope sections over additions, carports and Florida rooms. A kit meant for one system rarely works on another.
Rotted deck around the opening
Long-term seepage softens the plywood around a curb. Our scope includes rotten plywood and fascia replacement, so bad decking found at the opening is handled rather than covered over.
What we do
- New skylight installationWe cut and frame the opening in the roof and set the unit with the flashing kit made for your roof system, whether that is tile, shingle or low-slope.
- Replacing failed unitsFogged, cracked or leaking skylights come out and impact-rated units go back in, with flashing details compatible with the surrounding roof.
- Curb-mounted and deck-mounted workBoth mounting types are handled, including rebuilding a curb where the existing one is no longer sound.
- Leak diagnosisWe trace water at existing skylights to determine whether the source is the glazing seal, the head and side flashings, or the roof system around the unit.
- Skylights with a re-roofOn a home from the 1970s or 1980s being re-roofed, replacing skylights at the same time lets the new flashing be woven into the new roof properly.
- Permits and closeoutPermits are pulled under our own license, inspections are scheduled and passed, the permit is closed out, and we clean up fully when the work is done.
Licenses, permits and codes in North Lauderdale
In Florida, skylight work in a roof is generally performed under a license — typically a licensed roofing contractor, or a general or building contractor, and glazing or window specialty licenses can apply depending on scope. There is no 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 North Lauderdale or Broward County 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; even like-for-like replacement may still require a permit in most South Florida jurisdictions. Units must meet Florida Building Code impact and wind pressure requirements, and in Broward's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone the unit generally needs a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance — verify the specific approval with the building department. Flat Rate Roofing Inc holds Florida Certified Roofing Contractor license CCC1334537, a state certification valid in every Florida county and verifiable on the DBPR website.
When to call
Leak complaints tend to surface during the May–October rainy season and after storms, while replacements and upgrades are commonly scheduled in the drier months, often alongside a re-roof. Demand across South Florida rises ahead of and during hurricane season, June 1 through November 30, and again in the winter when seasonal residents return and open up homes — so if you already know a skylight is fogged or seeping, it is worth booking the look before those stretches. Our phone at (954) 775-8990 is answered around the clock and the office keeps weekday hours, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm; you can also request an estimate using the form on this page.
We serve North Lauderdale including the Boulevard of Champions corridor, Kimberly Boulevard area, Rock Island Road corridor, McNab Road corridor, Southgate Boulevard area, Silver Lakes area, Hampton Pines Park area, Bailey Road area and the State Road 7 / US 441 corridor, plus nearby Tamarac, Margate, Coconut Creek, Lauderhill, Coral Springs, Sunrise, Pompano Beach and Fort Lauderdale.
Skylights in North Lauderdale: questions we hear
- Do I need a permit to replace a skylight in North Lauderdale?
- Normally yes. Adding or replacing a skylight usually requires a permit from the local municipal building department or county building division, particularly where the roof opening or framing is altered, and like-for-like replacement may still require one in most South Florida jurisdictions. We pull permits under our own license and close them out after inspection.
- Does my skylight have to be impact rated?
- Skylights must meet Florida Building Code impact and wind pressure requirements, and Broward sits in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, where the unit generally needs a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance. In windborne-debris areas, impact-resistant glazing or approved protection is required. Verify the exact approval for your address with the building department.
- My HOA controls the roof. Can you still work on my skylight?
- A large share of North Lauderdale is governed by HOAs or condo associations, and in many communities the association controls or must approve roof work, including the style of the unit. Get that approval in writing first, and we will match the scope to what has been approved.
- Why does my skylight only leak in heavy storms?
- That pattern usually points to wind-driven rain getting past the head or side flashings rather than a simple hole. South Florida's rainy season brings near-daily thunderstorms, and sealant applied in place of proper flashing dries out under constant UV. A leak diagnosis at the unit will tell you which it is.
- Should I replace skylights during a re-roof?
- It is often the cleanest approach. The median North Lauderdale home dates from around 1978 per Census figures, so skylights and roof are frequently near the same age, and replacing them together lets new flashing be integrated into the new roof system. Ask for a free quote covering both.
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