Certified Building Contractor CBC1265305 · Certified Roofing Contractor CCC1334811
A general contractor for roof tarping in South Miami Heights, FL
Roof Tarping & Storm Repair for homes in South Miami Heights and the surrounding area — permitted, inspected and closed out. Free estimate.
South Miami Heights sits only a few miles inland from Biscayne Bay and lay in the direct path of Hurricane Andrew in 1992, so a storm-damaged roof here comes with a permit path. A blue tarp or shrink wrap is only a temporary cover. The permanent roof repair or re-roof typically needs a permit from the building department, then inspections, then a close-out. When you choose who does this work, look for a contractor with state certifications you can verify on the Florida DBPR website, a written scope before work starts, and a plan to carry the permit through to the end. Final Touch Builders is a general contractor that repairs, remodels and builds, certified as a Florida Certified Building Contractor (CBC1265305) and a Florida Certified Roofing Contractor (CCC1334811).
We cover the roof so water stays out, photograph the damage for your records, and write up everything the storm damaged: roof covering, decking, framing, fascia, ceilings and walls. Then we do the permanent roof and the structural and interior repairs under our own certifications, so repairs, rebuild and roof can be handled together under one contractor.
Much of the housing here is single-family block-and-stucco construction built from the 1950s through the 1990s, with low-slope or shallow-pitched roofs, and a notable share of homes were repaired or rebuilt after Hurricane Andrew to stricter Miami-Dade codes. After a storm, wind can lift flashing, tile or shingles on any of these roofs, and wind-driven rain can then soak decking, insulation, ceilings and walls. Salt-laden air near the bay adds corrosion to fasteners and flashing, so a roof that was already worn can open up more easily. Hurricane season runs June to November, and after a widespread storm contractors and materials are in demand across the whole region, which is a good reason to get the scope written early.
Permits, inspections and close-out in South Miami Heights
Here is the usual path for the permanent repair. First, the roof repair or re-roof and any structural repairs typically need a permit from the building department; whether a temporary tarp or shrink-wrap cover itself needs one is up to that department, so confirm with the Miami-Dade County building department or whichever department has jurisdiction over your address. Second, inspections usually run in stages, such as in-progress inspections where the code requires them (for example decking, fastening or framing while visible), then a final inspection; exact inspections vary, so verify locally. Third, all of Miami-Dade is the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, so permanent roofing products installed here need a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA). A tarp or wrap is not a product-approved roof. Fourth, after the final inspection the permit should be closed out. Unpermitted or open permits can surface at sale, refinance or insurance renewal and may be cited by code enforcement. The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) oversees contractor licensing, and both of our certifications are valid statewide and can be verified on its website.
Problems to watch for in South Miami Heights
Tile, shingles or flashing lifted by wind
Hurricane and tropical-storm winds can pull roof coverings and flashing loose, leaving the decking exposed to the next rain in a humid, storm-prone wet season.
Fallen trees and limbs
A tree or large limb can break trusses, rafters and decking, so the damage may go well beyond the visible hole and needs a written scope.
Wet decking, insulation and ceilings
Wind-driven rain gets in once the roof is open. In South Miami Heights' constant humidity, wet framing and drywall that stay wet raise the risk of rot and mold.
A tarp fastened badly
A tarp fastened through the middle of the roof, or stopped short of the ridge, can let water in underneath it. Battens along the edges and a run over the ridge where the roof allows are how a cover is meant to be secured.
A cover left up too long
Sun, heat and wind wear a temporary cover down the longer it stays on. A tarp or wrap buys time until the permanent repair; it does not replace it.
Older pre-Andrew or patched roofs
On older homes and roofs repaired after Hurricane Andrew, storm damage can reveal hidden deck or framing problems that only show up when the covering comes off.
What we do
- Temporary tarp or shrink-wrap coverWe fasten blue polyethylene tarps with wood battens along the edges and run them over the ridge where the roof allows. Shrink wrap is polyethylene film heat-shrunk tight to the roof, with fewer loose edges for wind to lift, and is designed to last up to about a year (a typical lifespan, not a promise), longer than a standard blue tarp.
- Photos for your recordsWe take photos of the damage before and after the cover goes on. Keep them with your own records and share them with your insurer or agent.
- Written scope of the storm damageWe list everything the storm damaged, from roof covering and decking to framing, fascia, ceilings and walls, and give you a free quote based on it before work starts.
- Structural and interior repairFraming, ceilings and walls are repaired under our Florida Certified Building Contractor license, CBC1265305.
- The permanent roof, permitted and closed outThe new 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 damage can happen in any month, but the Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, and demand for covers and repairs in South Miami Heights rises ahead of and during it. After a storm, a cover can be put up first and the permanent repair planned and permitted afterward. Call (954) 620-7812 or use the quote form on this page for a free estimate, and we will not start work until you have the written scope.
We serve South Miami Heights and nearby areas including Richmond Heights, Richmond West, West Perrine, Palmetto Estates, Goulds, Country Walk, The Crossings, Three Lakes, Naranja and Princeton.
Roof Tarping in South Miami Heights: questions we hear
- Is a blue tarp or shrink wrap a permanent fix?
- No. Both are temporary covers until the permanent repair. Shrink wrap is designed to last up to about a year (a typical lifespan, not a promise), longer than a standard blue tarp, but the roof still needs a proper repair or replacement.
- Does the permanent roof repair in South Miami Heights need a permit?
- A permanent roof repair or re-roof typically does, as do structural repairs. Whether a temporary cover needs one is up to the building department, so confirm with the Miami-Dade County building department or the one that covers your address.
- What product approval applies to a new roof here?
- South Miami Heights is in Miami-Dade County, which is the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, so permanent roofing products installed here need a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA). Tarps and shrink wrap are temporary and are not product-approved roofing.
- What should I do about my insurance after storm damage?
- Photograph the damage, keep records of everything, and talk to your insurer or agent. We take photos before and after the cover goes on and write a scope of the damage you can share with them.
- Why does an open permit matter if I sell a home here?
- Unpermitted or open permits can surface at sale, refinance or insurance renewal and may be cited by code enforcement. That is why we carry the job through inspections and close the permit out.
Request a free roof tarping estimate in South Miami Heights
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(954) 620-7812