Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC 1334537
Flat & Low-Slope Roofing at a written flat rate in Ojus, FL
Flat & Low-Slope Roofing for homes in Ojus and the surrounding area — from our Sunrise headquarters. Free quote.
Ojus sits about two miles inland from the Atlantic in northeast Miami-Dade, so a flat or low-slope roof here deals with humid air, salt-laden sea breezes and a June through November hurricane season. Much of the housing stock dates from the 1950s through the 1980s and is concrete block with stucco, and some of it sits under flat roofs, with newer townhome and condo construction filling in along Biscayne Boulevard. A flat-roof job here means planning around drainage, wind uplift at the edges, High-Velocity Hurricane Zone product rules and, for condos and HOA townhomes, association approval.
Flat Rate Roofing Inc does roofing only. We start with a free estimate and 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 is included in the scope, and the job ends with full cleanup.
Ojus is inside the Miami-Dade High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, so wind-borne debris and storm surge from June through November are the dominant risks for a roof. On a flat or low-slope roof, that puts the stress on edges, parapets and flashings, where uplift does the most damage. Heavy summer thunderstorms add standing water wherever slope or drains fall short, and year-round humidity plus sea-breeze salt wear on exposed membranes and metal. Older block-and-stucco homes from the 1950s through the 1980s often have flat sections or additions that have been through many of these seasons.
Problems to watch for in Ojus
Ponding water
Heavy Ojus summer thunderstorms leave water standing where the slope is too shallow or a drain is blocked or missing. Standing water shortens the life of the membrane and finds the weakest seam.
Seam and flashing failure
Base flashing at parapets, curbs and wall tie-ins is where many flat-roof leaks start. Constant humidity and strong sun make aging seams and sealants open up.
Heat and UV on exposed membrane
Long, humid Florida summers bake an exposed membrane, and the surface can crack, blister or lose granules over time. Heat also pushes moisture and warmth into the building below.
Salt air on metal details
With sea breezes only a couple of miles away, fasteners, drip edge and unprotected metal flashing can corrode. Corroded edge metal weakens the very spot where hurricane uplift concentrates.
Hurricane uplift at edges and parapets
In the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, a low-slope roof that is poorly attached at its perimeter can peel back in a storm. Uplift and attachment are a key inspection item.
Wet deck and rotten plywood
When a leak goes unnoticed through the wet season, the deck underneath can rot. Our scope includes replacing rotten plywood and fascia so the new roof goes on solid wood.
Too many layers
Code limits how many roof layers may remain, which can decide between a recover and a full tear-off. Your building department can confirm the limit that applies.
What we do
- Hot mop built-up and modified bitumenWe install hot mop built-up roofing, modified bitumen and torch-applied cap sheets for flat and low-slope roofs on Ojus block homes, additions and small commercial buildings.
- Self-adhered systemsWhere a self-adhered membrane suits the roof, we install it per its product approval. The membrane and insulation system must be approved for use in the Miami-Dade High-Velocity Hurricane Zone.
- Tapered insulation, crickets, drains and scuppersTo fix ponding, we build slope with tapered insulation and crickets and add new drains and scuppers so storm water leaves the roof.
- Base flashing at parapets and curbsWe flash parapets, curbs and wall transitions carefully, since these edges take the most wind and are where leaks tend to start.
- Tear-off and deck replacementWhen old layers or a wet deck need to go, we tear off and replace the deck. Rotten plywood and fascia replacement is part of the written scope, and we finish with full cleanup.
Licenses, permits and codes in Ojus
Roofing work is regulated in Florida by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), through the Construction Industry Licensing Board. Here is the rule, in the state's 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." Flat Rate Roofing Inc is a Florida Certified Roofing Contractor, CCC1334537, a state certification valid in every Florida county and verifiable on the Florida DBPR website. On 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." Condominiums and HOAs often require separate association approval, so check with yours before work starts. On partial work: "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
Ponding and leak problems tend to show up in the summer wet season and during tropical storms from June through November. Installation is generally easier in the drier winter and spring, when membranes can go onto a dry deck, so planning a flat-roof project ahead of hurricane season is worth considering. Our phone is answered around the clock at (954) 775-8990, and the office keeps weekday hours, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Our office is in Sunrise, in Broward County. You can also request a free estimate with the form on this page.
We serve Ojus and nearby areas including Ives Estates, Highland Lakes, Eastern Shores, Uleta, the Greynolds Park area, the Biscayne Boulevard and Ives Dairy Road corridors, and the Oleta River area.
Flat Roof in Ojus: questions we hear
- Does the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone affect my flat roof in Ojus?
- Yes. Ojus is in Miami-Dade, and in the state's words: "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." Uplift and attachment at the edges are also a key inspection item.
- I live in a townhome or condo near Biscayne Boulevard. Do I need approval from my association?
- Condominiums and HOAs often require separate association approval in addition to local building department steps. Newer townhome and condo communities are common in and around Ojus, so ask your association for its process before the work is scheduled.
- How do you fix a flat roof that holds water?
- Ponding usually comes from low spots, too little slope or drains that fail. The scope can include tapered insulation and crickets to build slope, plus new drains and scuppers, and we put what is included in the written quote.
- Does fixing part of my roof mean the whole roof must be brought up to code?
- Florida's 25% roof rule can apply to partial work, and the state's wording is: "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 building department.
- What does your flat-rate quote include?
- The estimate is free, and the written flat-rate quote states what is included. Our promise covers permits pulled under our license, inspections scheduled and passed, the permit closed out, rotten plywood and fascia replacement, and full cleanup.
Get a free flat roof quote in Ojus
Tell us what's going on. A state-certified contractor will get back to you.