Certified Building Contractor CBC1265305 · Certified Roofing Contractor CCC1334811
Roof Tarping & Storm Damage, planned and built in Richmond Heights, FL
Roof Tarping & Storm Repair for homes in Richmond Heights and the surrounding area — permitted, inspected and closed out. Free estimate.
Richmond Heights was founded in 1949 as a planned community for Black World War II veterans, so much of its original housing is now 60 to 75 years old. A storm-damaged roof there usually involves a temporary cover first and a permitted repair after it. The permanent repair or re-roof, plus any structural repair, typically needs a permit from the building department. Because Richmond Heights is in Miami-Dade County's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, the roofing products used for that repair also need approval. Plan around that path from the start.
A blue tarp or shrink wrap is a temporary cover, not a repair. It keeps rain out while the damage is documented and the permanent work is scheduled. Final Touch Builders photographs the damage, puts the cover on, writes up a scope of everything the storm damaged, and then does the roof, structural and interior repair as one permitted, inspected and closed-out job.
The core of Richmond Heights is mid-century single-family housing from the late 1940s through the 1960s, mostly one-story concrete block and stucco with flat, low-slope or barrel-tile roofs. Newer subdivisions to the west and south have post-Hurricane Andrew rebuilds and 1990s to 2000s two-story block homes. Hurricane Andrew's 1992 landfall just south of here reshaped local construction and code standards. Once wind lifts tile or flashing, or a limb opens the roof, wind-driven rain can soak decking, insulation, ceilings and walls. Summer heat, tropical downpours and the June-through-November storm season mean a temporary cover wears down the longer it stays up, so the permanent repair should follow it promptly.
Permits, inspections and close-out in Richmond Heights
Start with the cover. A tarp or shrink wrap is temporary, so confirm with the Miami-Dade building department, or your local jurisdiction, whether it needs anything on their end. The permit path applies to the permanent repair. (1) The permanent roof repair or re-roof and structural repairs typically need a permit from the building department, pulled by the licensed contractor. (2) Inspections usually run in sequence: in-progress inspections where the code requires them, such as fastening or framing while visible, then a final inspection. Exact inspections vary, so verify with the building department. (3) Richmond Heights is in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, so permanent roofing products installed here need a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA). A tarp or shrink wrap is not a code-approved or wind-rated roofing product. (4) After the final inspection, the permit should be closed. Unpermitted work or an open permit can surface when a home is sold, when a loan on it is reworked, or at insurance renewal, and code enforcement may cite it. Our licenses are state certifications valid in every Florida county and can be verified on the Florida DBPR website. DBPR oversees the Construction Industry Licensing Board.
Problems to watch for in Richmond Heights
Wind-lifted tile, shingles and flashing
Hurricane and tropical-storm wind can lift roof coverings and flashing on the barrel-tile and low-slope roofs of the mid-century homes in Richmond Heights, leaving openings for rain.
Fallen trees and limbs
A tree or large limb can break trusses, rafters and decking. The damage may be larger than what shows from the ground, which is why a written scope matters.
Wind-driven rain inside the home
Once the roof is open, rain can soak decking, insulation, ceilings and walls. Photograph the damage for your records and talk to your insurer or agent.
Rot and mold in wet framing
In Richmond Heights' humid climate, wet framing and drywall that stay wet invite rot and mold, so the interior side of the repair counts as much as the roof.
A tarp installed poorly
A tarp fastened through the middle of the roof, or stopped short of the ridge, can let water in underneath. Edges need to be battened down and run over the ridge where the roof allows.
A cover left up too long
Sun, heat and wind wear a temporary cover down. A cover is a short-term step toward the permanent repair, not a substitute for it.
Demand after a widespread storm
After a regional storm, contractors and materials are in demand across Miami-Dade, so getting your damage documented and your scope written early helps you plan.
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 until the permanent 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 and not a promise, which is longer than a standard blue tarp.
- Photos and written scopeWe take photos of the damage before and after the cover goes on for your records and any insurance claim. We then write up everything the storm damaged: roof covering, decking, framing, fascia, ceilings and walls.
- Structural and interior repairFraming, decking, ceilings and walls are repaired under our Florida Certified Building Contractor license, CBC1265305, as part of the same job.
- New roof, permitted and closed outThe permanent roof is done under our Florida Certified Roofing Contractor license, CCC1334811. We pull the permit when the work needs one, schedule the inspections and close the permit at the end.
When to call
Storm season runs June 1 to November 30, and tarping is needed after hurricanes, tropical storms, severe thunderstorms and fallen trees in any month. If a storm has damaged your roof, photograph the damage from the ground and inside, keep your records, and call your insurer or agent. Do not climb onto the roof yourself. Call (954) 620-7812 or use the quote form on this page for a free estimate. We write the scope before work starts, then plan the permanent repair around it.
We serve Richmond Heights and nearby areas including South Miami Heights, West Perrine, Perrine, Richmond West, Goulds, Kendall, The Crossings, Country Walk, Palmetto Bay, Cutler Bay and Pinecrest.
Roof Tarping in Richmond Heights: questions we hear
- Is a tarp a roof repair?
- No. A blue tarp or shrink wrap is a temporary cover that keeps rain out until the permanent repair is done. The repair or re-roof is the part that gets a permit and inspections.
- How long does shrink wrap last compared with a tarp?
- Shrink wrap is designed to last up to about a year, a typical lifespan and not a promise, which is longer than a standard blue tarp. Sun, heat and wind still wear any cover down, so plan the permanent repair.
- What roofing approval applies in Richmond Heights?
- Richmond Heights is in Miami-Dade County's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, so permanent roofing products need a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA). Confirm details with the building department.
- My home is one of the older mid-century block homes. Does that change the repair?
- Many original Richmond Heights homes are 60 to 75 years old, with flat, low-slope or barrel-tile roofs. A written scope of the roof, decking, framing and interior damage helps show what the repair involves before work starts.
- What should I do before calling about storm damage?
- Photograph the damage from the ground and inside, keep your records, and talk to your insurer or agent. Stay off the roof and call us for a free quote.
Request a free roof tarping estimate in Richmond Heights
Tell us about the project. A state-certified contractor will get back to you.
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(954) 620-7812