Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC 1334537
Roof tarping trouble, quoted at a flat rate in Richmond West, FL
Roof Tarping & Shrink Wrap for homes in Richmond West and the surrounding area — from our Sunrise headquarters. Free quote.
Richmond West sits inside Miami-Dade's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, and much of this part of southwest Miami-Dade was rebuilt or newly built after Hurricane Andrew in 1992. If wind has lifted tile or shingles, or a fallen limb has opened your roof, the next rain can get into decking, insulation and ceilings. A temporary cover is how you slow that down until the permanent repair is done.
Flat Rate Roofing does roofing only. We look at the damage and the deck, then fit a blue tarp or a shrink-wrap cover suited to your roof type. A cover is temporary and is not a repair. Afterward you get a written flat-rate quote for the permanent repair or re-roof that says what is included. The quote is free.
Homes in Richmond West are mostly single-family homes, townhouses and villas built from the 1980s through the 2000s, with concrete tile or shingle roofs. Inside the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, hurricane wind and wind-borne debris are the dominant concern. From May to October the daily thunderstorms of the rainy season can drive water into any opening a storm leaves behind. Hard freezes, snow and hail are essentially non-existent here. The enemy of a damaged roof is wind and water, and the longer a cover stays up, the more sun, heat and wind wear it down.
Problems to watch for in Richmond West
Tile or shingles lifted by wind
Hurricane and tropical-storm wind can pull tile, shingles and flashing off a Richmond West roof and leave bare spots open to the next thunderstorm.
Limb through the roof deck
A fallen limb can puncture the deck and let wind-driven rain soak the decking, insulation and ceilings below.
Ceiling stains after a storm
Water spots or dripping after a rainy-season storm can mean water is entering somewhere above. Photograph them for your records.
A tarp that lets water in
Tarps fastened through the middle of the roof, or stopped short of the ridge, can let water run in underneath. Battens along the edges and a run over the ridge, where the roof allows, help water shed over the cover.
A cover left up too long
Sun, heat and wind wear a cover down the longer it stays up. A temporary cover is a bridge to the permanent repair, not a substitute for it.
Waiting in line after a widespread storm
After a storm that hits a whole region, roofers and materials are in demand across the area. Getting a quote and a plan started early helps.
What we do
- Look at the damage and the deckBefore any cover goes on, we check the damaged area and the roof deck so the cover is fitted to what is actually there.
- Blue tarps done to shed waterBlue polyethylene tarps are secured with wood battens fastened along the edges and run 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. Shrink wrap is designed to last up to about a year (a typical lifespan, not a promise), longer than a standard blue tarp.
- Covers fitted to your roof typeWe fasten covers to suit tile, shingle, metal and flat roofs, which matters on the concrete tile and shingle roofs common to Richmond West's 1980s-to-2000s homes.
- Photos and a flat-rate quoteWe take photos before and after for your records and for any insurance claim. You also get a written flat-rate quote for the permanent repair or re-roof. Rotten plywood and fascia replacement are included in the scope, and the estimate is free.
Licenses, permits and codes in Richmond West
For the permanent repair, here is the rule as it applies in Florida: "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." The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), through the Construction Industry Licensing Board, is the regulator. Flat Rate Roofing's Florida Certified Roofing Contractor license is CCC1334537, and you can verify it on the DBPR website. A tarp or shrink-wrap cover is temporary until that permanent repair. Whether a temporary cover needs a permit is up to the local building department, so confirm with them. Richmond West is in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, and for 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." Florida's 25% roof rule may also matter for the permanent 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 county or city building department.
When to call
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, and Richmond West's rainy season runs May to October. Tarping is needed after hurricanes, tropical storms, severe thunderstorms and fallen trees, in any month. The phone is answered around the clock at (954) 775-8990, 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. Please stay off a damaged roof, and photograph what you can see from the ground and from inside.
We serve Richmond West and nearby areas including The Hammocks, Kendall West, Country Walk, The Crossings, Kendale Lakes, Richmond Heights, South Miami Heights, Three Lakes, Palmetto Estates and West Kendall.
Roof Tarping in Richmond West: questions we hear
- Is a tarp or shrink wrap a roof repair?
- No. Both are temporary covers that keep water out until the permanent repair or re-roof is done. We give you a written flat-rate quote for that permanent work.
- How long does shrink wrap last compared with a blue tarp?
- Shrink wrap is designed to last up to about a year (a typical lifespan, not a promise), longer than a standard blue tarp. Richmond West's sun, heat and wind wear on any cover, so plan the permanent repair rather than relying on the cover.
- Does a temporary cover need a permit in Richmond West?
- Confirm that with your local building department, since it is up to them. For the permanent repair, the roofing work generally needs a permit from the local building department.
- What should I do about my insurance after storm damage?
- Photograph the damage, keep records of what you see and what is done, and talk to your insurer or agent. We take photos before and after the cover goes on for your records.
- Does the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone affect the permanent roof here?
- Yes, Richmond West is inside Miami-Dade's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone. Permanent roofing products there need a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA) for that use. A tarp or shrink wrap is a temporary cover and is not a product-approved roofing system.
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