Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC 1334537
Roof Tarping & Shrink Wrap at a written flat rate in South Miami, FL
Roof Tarping & Shrink Wrap for homes in South Miami and the surrounding area — from our Sunrise headquarters. Free quote.
South Miami is full of mid-century concrete block and stucco homes, mostly built in the 1940s to 1960s, and a storm-damaged roof on one of them needs a plan. A tarp or shrink wrap cover is temporary. It keeps rain out until the permanent repair or re-roof is done. It is not the repair itself, so plan for both steps from the start. The city sits a few miles inland from Biscayne Bay, hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, and daily summer downpours keep testing any opening in a roof.
Flat Rate Roofing does roofing only. We look at the damage and the deck, then cover the damaged section or the whole roof with a blue tarp or shrink wrap, depending on the roof. We also give you a written flat-rate quote for the permanent work that says what is included. The estimate is free.
South Miami is in Miami-Dade's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, so tropical-storm and hurricane wind is the main threat to its roofs. Wind can lift tile, shingles and flashing, and daily convective thunderstorms and tropical downpours then push water into the opening. The older mid-century block homes here often have carports or detached garages, and the humid climate keeps attics and decking damp once water gets in. Salt-laden sea breezes still reach the city and speed up corrosion on exterior metal. A cover that stays up for a long stretch has to cope with sun, heat and wind as well as rain, which is one reason to schedule the permanent repair early.
Problems to watch for in South Miami
Wind-lifted tile, shingles and flashing
Hurricane and tropical-storm wind can pull roofing loose in South Miami and leave bare spots that need covering right away.
Limbs through the roof deck
A fallen limb can puncture the deck of an older block home and open a path for rain into the ceiling below.
Wind-driven rain after the storm
South Miami's daily thunderstorms and tropical downpours can soak decking, insulation and ceilings through an open roof.
Tarps that let water in underneath
A tarp fastened through the middle of the roof, or stopped short of the ridge, can let water run in under it instead of shedding over it.
Wear on a cover left up too long
Sun, heat and wind wear a cover down the longer it stays up, and salt air can corrode exposed metal fasteners and flashing.
Flat sections on mid-century homes
Mid-century ranches and additions often have low-slope or flat sections, and these need a cover fastened differently from a pitched tile or shingle roof.
Crowded schedules after a widespread storm
After a storm that hits the whole region, roofers and materials are in demand across Miami-Dade, so a temporary cover helps protect the house while the permanent work is scheduled.
What we do
- Look at the damage and the deckBefore any cover goes on, we check the damaged area and the deck beneath it, so the cover goes over sound material.
- 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 for longer coveragePolyethylene film is heat-shrunk tight over the damaged section or the whole roof, leaving fewer loose edges for wind to lift. It is designed to last up to about a year (a typical lifespan, not a promise), longer than a standard blue tarp.
- Fastened to suit your roofCovers are fastened to suit tile, shingle, metal and flat roofs, which matters on South Miami's mix of older and rebuilt homes.
- Photos before and afterWe take photos before and after for your records and for any insurance claim you choose to file.
- A written flat-rate quote for the permanent fixYou get a written flat-rate quote for the permanent repair or re-roof that says what is included. Replacing rotten plywood and fascia is part of that scope, and we handle full cleanup.
Licenses, permits and codes in South Miami
For the permanent repair, here is the rule as we have 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." The state regulator is the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), through the Construction Industry Licensing Board. Our Florida Certified Roofing Contractor license is CCC1334537, and you can check it on the DBPR website. Whether a temporary cover needs a permit is up to the local building department, so confirm with them. For permanent roofing products, the rule is: "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." Those approvals apply to the permanent roofing products, not to a tarp or shrink wrap.
When to call
Tarping is needed after hurricanes, tropical storms, severe thunderstorms and fallen trees, in any month. In South Miami, hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, and the summer thunderstorms can follow a storm by a day. Call (954) 775-8990. The phone is answered around the clock, 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. Stay off the roof while you wait and leave the inspection to a roofer.
We serve South Miami, including the Hometown District, High Pines, Ponce-Davis, Sunset, Glenvar Heights and South Miami Heights, and nearby Coral Gables, Pinecrest, Kendall, Coconut Grove, Olympia Heights and Westchester.
Roof Tarping in South Miami: 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. In South Miami, where storm wind and daily downpours test any opening, the next step is a written flat-rate quote for the permanent work.
- How long does shrink wrap last compared with a tarp?
- Shrink wrap is designed to last up to about a year, which is a typical lifespan and not a promise. It is longer than a standard blue tarp. Sun, heat and wind wear on any cover, so plan the permanent repair rather than relying on the cover.
- Do I need a permit to put a temporary cover on my South Miami roof?
- That is up to the local building department, so confirm with them before work starts. The permanent repair is a separate matter, covered by the licensing and permit wording on this page.
- Can my older block home with a flat section be covered?
- Covers are fastened to suit tile, shingle, metal and flat roofs. Many mid-century South Miami homes have low-slope or flat sections, and we look at the deck first so we know how to fasten the cover.
- What should I do for my insurance records?
- Photograph the damage, keep records of what you see and any paperwork, and talk to your insurer or agent. We take photos before and after the cover goes on for your records.
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