Certified Building Contractor CBC1265305 · Certified Roofing Contractor CCC1334811
Roof Tarping & Storm Damage, planned and built in Homestead, FL
Roof Tarping & Storm Repair for homes in Homestead and the surrounding area — permitted, inspected and closed out. Free estimate.
Homestead was ground zero for Hurricane Andrew, and the permit path for a permanent storm repair here runs through Miami-Dade's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone rules. A blue tarp or shrink wrap only holds the weather out for a while. The real work starts with a permit application for the permanent roof repair or re-roof and any structural repairs, followed by inspections and a closed permit. Plan around that order, because the cover does not replace any of it.
Census data puts the median home in Homestead at about 2001 construction, so many roofs here were built to post-Andrew wind standards. That doesn't make them immune to a hurricane, a tropical storm or a fallen tree. We put a temporary cover on, photograph the damage, write up a scope of everything the storm hit, and then handle the permanent repair under one roof as the general contractor. Roof work is done under our Florida Certified Roofing Contractor license and structural and interior repairs under our Florida Certified Building Contractor license. Call for a free quote.
Homestead sits in Miami-Dade's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, with real hurricane and tornado risk from June through November. Eastern properties near Biscayne Bay also get salt-laden air that attacks fasteners and flashing, which matters when a storm has already loosened them. Housing runs from concrete block and stucco homes rebuilt after 1992 to newer subdivision homes in places like Keys Gate and Silver Palm, plus acreage and outbuildings in Redland. Because a widespread storm can leave contractors and materials in short supply across a whole region, it helps to have the temporary cover on and the written scope ready early. Less than half of Homestead's homes are owner-occupied, according to the Census, so a landlord, tenant or HOA may also need to be part of the conversation.
Permits, inspections and close-out in Homestead
The cover is temporary, and the permit path applies to the permanent repair, not the tarp or wrap. Confirm with the building department that has jurisdiction over your address, Homestead's or Miami-Dade County's, whether a temporary cover needs anything on its end. First, the permanent roof repair or re-roof and structural repairs typically need a permit, which the licensed contractor applies for. Second, expect inspections in sequence: in-progress inspections where the code requires them, such as roof fastening or framing while it is still visible, then a final inspection. Exact inspections vary by city, so verify them with the building department. Third, Homestead is in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, so the permanent roofing products need a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA). A tarp or shrink wrap is not a code-approved or wind-rated product. Fourth, the permit is closed after the final inspection. An open or unpermitted job can surface at sale, refinance or insurance renewal and may be cited by code enforcement. Our licenses are issued through the Florida DBPR and can be verified on its website.
Problems to watch for in Homestead
Wind lifting tile, shingles and flashing
Hurricane and tropical-storm wind can pull roof covering and flashing loose and leave decking exposed. Wind-driven rain then gets into the house.
Fallen trees and limbs
A tree coming down on a Homestead roof can break trusses, rafters and decking. That damage usually has to be assessed before anything permanent is planned.
Wet decking, insulation and ceilings
Once the roof is open, wind-driven rain can soak decking, insulation, ceilings and walls. In Homestead's constant humidity, wet framing and drywall that stay wet raise the risk of rot and mold.
A tarp fastened the wrong way
A tarp fastened through the middle of the roof or stopped short of the ridge can let water in under it. Edges need to be battened down, and the cover run over the ridge where the roof allows.
A cover left up too long
Sun, heat and wind wear a cover down the longer it stays up, and Homestead's UV is intense. A cover is temporary until the permanent repair.
Salt-weakened fasteners near the bay
Salt air near Biscayne Bay corrodes fasteners and flashing. After a storm, that can mean more damage than what is visible from the ground.
What we do
- Blue tarp coverWe fasten blue polyethylene tarps with wood battens along the edges and run them over the ridge where the roof allows. It is a temporary cover, not a repair.
- Shrink-wrap coverShrink wrap is polyethylene film heat-shrunk tight to the roof, with 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.
- Photos and a written scopeWe photograph the damage before and after the cover goes on, for your records and for your conversation with your insurer or agent. We also write up everything the storm damaged: roof covering, decking, framing, fascia, ceilings and walls.
- Structural and interior repairFraming, ceilings and walls are repaired under our Florida Certified Building Contractor license, CBC1265305. This is permitted, inspected and closed out.
- The new roofThe permanent roof is done under our Florida Certified Roofing Contractor license, CCC1334811. Repairs and the roof run under one contractor.
When to call
Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, and Homestead's busiest stretch is just before and during it, with another bump in the dry winter months when seasonal residents return and schedule deferred work. A storm can damage a roof in any month, though, whether it is a hurricane, a tropical storm, a severe thunderstorm or a fallen tree. We can't promise arrival times, but call (954) 620-7812 or use the quote form on this page and we'll talk through the damage and set up a free quote.
We serve Homestead, including Historic Downtown Homestead, Keys Gate, Redland, Leisure City, Naranja, Princeton, Silver Palm, the Homestead Air Reserve Base area, and the Campbell Drive and Krome Avenue corridors.
Roof Tarping in Homestead: questions we hear
- Is a tarp a repair?
- No. A blue tarp or shrink wrap is a temporary cover that keeps weather out until the permanent repair is made. The permit and inspection path applies to that permanent repair.
- How long does shrink wrap last compared with a tarp?
- Shrink wrap is designed to last up to about a year (a typical lifespan, not a promise), 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.
- Does Homestead's permanent roof repair need a Miami-Dade NOA?
- Homestead is in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, so permanent roofing products there need a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA). Confirm the details with the building department that has jurisdiction over your address.
- What should I do before the cover goes on for my insurance?
- Photograph the damage, keep your records and talk to your insurer or agent. We also photograph the damage before and after the cover goes on and write up a scope of everything the storm damaged.
- Why does closing out the permit matter on an older Homestead home?
- An open or unpermitted job can come up at sale, refinance or insurance renewal and may be cited by code enforcement. We schedule the inspections and close the permit at the end, because a job is finished when it is permitted, inspected and closed out.
Request a free roof tarping estimate in Homestead
Tell us about the project. A state-certified contractor will get back to you.
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(954) 620-7812