Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC 1334537
Flat & Low-Slope Roofing at a written flat rate in North Miami Beach, FL
Flat & Low-Slope Roofing for homes in North Miami Beach and the surrounding area — from our Sunrise headquarters. Free quote.
North Miami Beach is a city of older homes: Census data puts the median year built at 1966, and much of the housing stock is one-story concrete block and stucco (CBS) from the 1950s through the 1970s, many with flat or low-slope roofs. A flat roof job here means planning around the May to October rainy season, salt-laden air from the Atlantic and Biscayne Bay canals, and the fact that the city sits in Miami-Dade's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone.
Flat Rate Roofing does roofing only. For a flat or low-slope job we inspect the roof, then give you a written flat-rate quote that says what is included. Permits are pulled under our own license, inspections are scheduled and passed, and the permit is closed out. Rotten plywood and fascia replacement are part of the scope, and we clean up when we finish.
A flat roof on a 1960s block house has been through decades of summer heat, afternoon downpours and salt air. Because North Miami Beach is a mile or two from the Atlantic and sits on Biscayne Bay canals, salt corrodes fasteners, flashings and unprotected metal at drains, scuppers and parapets. High humidity and a long rainy season give any low spot on the roof plenty of time to hold water. As a Miami-Dade city, it is also in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, so uplift at edges and parapets matters. Census figures show roughly half of homes here are owner-occupied, so many roofs belong to people who plan to stay and want the work done once. Mid-rise and high-rise condominiums along Biscayne Boulevard and the Intracoastal add large low-slope roofs of their own.
Problems to watch for in North Miami Beach
Ponding water
Where slope or drains have failed, water can sit on a flat roof after the daily summer storms of the May to October rainy season. Standing water speeds up wear on the membrane and can find its way through seams.
Seam and flashing failure
On older CBS homes, flashing at parapets, curbs and wall joints can open up with age. Salt air in North Miami Beach corrodes unprotected metal, which makes those joints harder to keep sealed.
Heat and UV damage
Intense summer heat and sun can dry out and crack exposed membranes. A roof that has been baking since the 1960s or 1970s may show blistering, splitting or granule loss.
Hurricane uplift at edges
In a High-Velocity Hurricane Zone city, wind lifts a low-slope roof first at the edges and parapets. Weak attachment there is where a storm can start peeling a roof.
Clogged or undersized drains
Old drains and scuppers on mid-century flat roofs can be too small or blocked, so water backs up. New drains or scuppers may be part of the fix.
Too many layers
Some older roofs have been recovered more than once. Building codes limit how many layers may remain, so verify with the building department before planning another recover.
Wet deck and rotten wood
Long-running leaks in humid South Florida can soak the deck and rot plywood and fascia. We include replacing rotten plywood and fascia in the scope.
What we do
- Hot mop built-up roofingLayered built-up systems installed over a prepared deck, a proven option for the flat roofs found on many mid-century homes and small commercial buildings.
- Modified bitumen and torch-applied cap sheetsCap sheets and membranes that resist the heat and UV North Miami Beach gets, installed with proper laps and edge detail.
- Self-adhered systemsSelf-adhered membranes are an option when the roof and the building call for them. Your written quote says which system is included.
- Tapered insulation, crickets, drains and scuppersWe can build slope into the roof with tapered insulation and crickets, and add new drains and scuppers, so water leaves the roof instead of ponding.
- Base flashing at parapets and curbsFlashing at the roof edges, parapets and curbs is where uplift and leaks start, so we detail it carefully.
- Tear-off and deck replacementWe remove the old roof, replace any rotten plywood and fascia, and clean up when the job is done.
Licenses, permits and codes in North Miami Beach
Roofing in Florida is regulated by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) through the Construction Industry Licensing Board. As the state puts it: "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." Our license is Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC1334537, a state certification valid in every Florida county. North Miami Beach is in Miami-Dade, and the rule on products 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." On repairs, the 25% rule applies: "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. Condo and HOA communities may also have their own approval process, so check with your association.
When to call
Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, and the summer wet season is when ponding and leaks show up. Installation is generally easier in the drier winter and spring, when a membrane can go onto a dry deck. That is also when seasonal residents return for the November to April snowbird season and catch up on deferred maintenance. Planning a flat roof job ahead of the rainy season gives you time for the quote, the permit and any condo or HOA approval. The phone at (954) 775-8990 is answered around the clock, and the 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 North Miami Beach areas including Eastern Shores, Skylake, Highland Village, Fulford-by-the-Sea, the Greynolds Park area, Uleta, Ojus, Ives Estates, Oak Grove and Golden Glades.
Flat Roof in North Miami Beach: questions we hear
- Does a flat roof on a 1960s block home in North Miami Beach need a full tear-off?
- It depends on the condition of the deck and how many layers are already on the roof. Codes limit how many layers may remain, so verify with the building department. We inspect the roof and write up what is included in a flat-rate quote.
- Does the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone affect my flat roof here?
- Yes. North Miami Beach is in Miami-Dade, so products need a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance for that use and are installed per their approval. Uplift at edges and parapets is a key area to get right.
- My condo building is on Biscayne Boulevard. Can you quote a low-slope roof?
- Mid-rise and high-rise condominiums are part of the North Miami Beach housing mix. Condos and HOAs may require their own approval in addition to a permit, so check with your association first. We can then quote the roof work in writing.
- Who pulls the permit and handles inspections?
- We pull permits under our own license, schedule the inspections, get them passed and close out the permit. Your quote spells out what is included.
- How does salt air near the Intracoastal affect a flat roof?
- Salt-laden air from the Atlantic and Biscayne Bay canals corrodes fasteners, flashings and unprotected metal. We pay close attention to drains, scuppers and flashing, since those details are where corrosion and leaks tend to start.
Get a free flat roof quote in North Miami Beach
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