Certified Building Contractor CBC1265305 · Certified Roofing Contractor CCC1334811
Roof Tarping & Storm Damage, planned and built in Westchester, FL
Roof Tarping & Storm Repair for homes in Westchester and the surrounding area — permitted, inspected and closed out. Free estimate.
Westchester is an older grid of mostly unincorporated streets inside Miami-Dade's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, and that shapes how storm repairs here are planned. A tarp or shrink wrap only holds the roof closed temporarily. The permanent repair is the part that typically needs a permit from the building department, followed by inspections and a closed permit. Plan around that sequence: cover first, written scope next, then permitted repair.
Much of the housing here is 1950s–1970s concrete-block and stucco with flat or low-slope roofs or barrel tile. We put on a temporary cover, document the damage with photos, and write up everything the storm affected. Then Final Touch Builders does the permanent work under one permit path: the roof under our roofing certification and the structural and interior repairs under our building certification.
Westchester's wet season runs May through October, with near-daily thunderstorms, so an open roof here can take on water again soon after a storm has passed. Wind-driven rain can soak decking, insulation, ceilings and walls, and in constant humidity wet framing and drywall can turn to rot and mold if they stay wet. Because most homes here predate modern hurricane codes, openings and roof edges are often the weak points. Sun, heat and wind also wear on any temporary cover the longer it stays up, which is why the permanent repair should follow it.
Permits, inspections and close-out in Westchester
Start with the permit path for the permanent repair, not the cover. Whether a temporary cover needs a permit is up to the building department, so confirm that with the Miami-Dade County building department (or your city's, if your address is in an incorporated area). The permanent roof repair or re-roof and structural repairs typically need a permit. Inspections then usually run in sequence: in-progress inspections where the code requires them, such as fastening or framing while it is visible, and then a final inspection. Exact inspections vary by city, so verify them with the department. Westchester 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 product-approved roof. 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. Both our certifications are issued through the Florida DBPR, are valid in every Florida county, and can be verified on the DBPR website.
Problems to watch for in Westchester
Tile or shingles lifted by wind
Hurricane and tropical-storm wind can lift tile, shingles and flashing on Westchester's barrel-tile and low-slope roofs, leaving the decking exposed to the next storm.
Fallen trees and limbs
A fallen tree or limb can break trusses, rafters and decking on an older block house, so the damage may reach well beyond what is visible from the ground.
Wet ceilings and walls
Once a roof is open, wind-driven rain can soak insulation, ceilings and walls, and the damage often shows inside before anyone sees it outside.
Mold and rot after soaking
In Westchester's year-round humidity, wet framing and drywall that stay wet can grow mold and rot, so drying and repair matter.
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 underneath it.
A cover left up too long
Sun, heat and wind wear a temporary cover down over time, so it should not be mistaken for the permanent repair.
Crews in demand after a big storm
After a widespread storm, contractors and materials are in demand across the whole region, so planning the permanent repair early helps.
What we do
- Blue tarp coversBlue polyethylene tarps are fastened with wood battens along the edges and run over the ridge where the roof allows. This is a temporary cover until the permanent repair.
- Shrink-wrap coversPolyethylene film is heat-shrunk tight to the roof, leaving 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 a written scopeWe take photos of the damage before and after the cover goes on for your records and any insurance claim. You also get a written scope of 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.
- The new roof, permitted and closed outThe permanent roof work is done under our Florida Certified Roofing Contractor license, CCC1334811. We pull the permit, schedule and pass the inspections, and close the permit out.
When to call
Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, and in Westchester demand rises ahead of and during the season, from late May through October. Tarping is needed after hurricanes, tropical storms, severe thunderstorms and fallen trees in any month. Do not climb onto the roof to check the damage. Photograph what you can see from the ground or inside, keep your records and talk to your insurer or agent. To start, call (954) 620-7812 or use the quote form on this page. The estimate is free, and you get a written scope before work starts.
We serve Westchester and nearby areas including Olympia Heights, Coral Terrace, Westwood Lakes, Glenvar Heights, Sunset, University Park, Tamiami, Fontainebleau, West Miami and Kendall.
Roof Tarping in Westchester: questions we hear
- Is a tarp a roof repair?
- No. A blue tarp or shrink wrap is a temporary cover until the permanent repair. The roof still needs to be repaired or rebuilt, and that work is what typically needs a permit.
- How long does shrink wrap last compared with a blue tarp?
- Shrink wrap is designed to last up to about a year. That is a typical lifespan, not a promise, and it is longer than a standard blue tarp. Sun, heat and wind still wear on any cover, so plan the permanent repair.
- Does the permanent roof repair in Westchester need product approval?
- Westchester is inside Miami-Dade's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, so permanent roofing products installed here need a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA). Confirm details with the Miami-Dade County building department.
- Why does an older Westchester house need a written scope?
- Many Westchester homes are 1950s–1970s block-and-stucco houses with flat or low-slope roofs or barrel tile, and storm damage can reach decking, framing, ceilings and walls. A written scope lists all of it, so the repair is planned and permitted as one job.
- What should I do about my insurance?
- Photograph the damage, keep your records and talk to your insurer or agent. We take before-and-after photos for your records, but we cannot say what a claim will do.
Request a free roof tarping estimate in Westchester
Tell us about the project. A state-certified contractor will get back to you.
Prefer to talk?
(954) 620-7812