Florida Roofing FAQs: Your Questions, Answered

It depends mostly on material, roof size and pitch, tear-off, and any decking repairs. We inspect and give an itemized estimate — no lowballs that grow mid-job.

Metal typically runs $8–$18 per square foot installed in Florida, with standing seam at the top of the range.

Many leaks are an affordable repair when caught early; cost depends on the source and extent. See roof leak repair.

If damage is localized and the roof has life left, repair. If it’s widespread or aging, replacement is smarter. An honest inspection — including the decking — tells you for sure.

Curling, balding, or missing shingles; cracked or slipped tiles; granules in the gutters; water stains; sagging; or simply reaching the roof’s expected age.

Generally one year from the date of loss for the initial claim and 18 months for a supplemental claim — but file as soon as possible.

Florida insurers may non-renew at 15+ years unless an inspection certifies remaining life. A new, code-compliant roof can also earn wind-mitigation credits.

How much does a new roof cost in Florida?

On the Treasure Coast most single-family reroofs land between $12,000 and $42,000. Architectural shingle runs roughly $5.50 to $9.75 per square foot installed, tile $11.00 to $24.00, a tile lift-and-relay $7.50 to $14.00, and standing seam metal $12.00 to $22.00. See our full roof cost guide.

How long does a roof last in Florida?

Architectural shingle 20 to 25 years, tile underlayment 20 to 25 (the tile itself far longer), standing seam metal 40 to 70. Our UV load and salt air run roofs harder than national averages assume, and attic ventilation quality moves the number more than most people expect.

What is the 25% rule?

If more than 25% of a roof or roof section is repaired, replaced or recovered within 12 months, that section must be brought to current code. Since SB 4-D took effect in May 2022 there is a major exception: if the existing system was built to the 2007 Florida Building Code or later, only the damaged portion has to comply. See the 25% rule.

How long do I have to file a roof insurance claim?

One year from the date of loss for an initial or reopened claim and 18 months for a supplemental, under Florida Statute 627.70132. Both clocks run from the storm date, not the day you noticed damage. See our insurance claim guide.

Will insurance pay for an old roof?

No. Property insurance covers sudden accidental damage such as a named storm, hail or impact - not age or wear. Many Florida carriers have also moved older roofs onto actual cash value or a roof surfacing payment schedule, which pays replacement cost minus depreciation.

What is my hurricane deductible?

Usually a percentage of dwelling coverage rather than a flat amount, commonly 2% or 5%. On a $500,000 dwelling a 2% hurricane deductible is $10,000 before the carrier pays anything. It is separate from and much larger than your all-other-perils deductible.

Is the Treasure Coast in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone?

No. The HVHZ covers Miami-Dade and Broward counties only. Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin and Brevard build to the Florida Building Code and its ASCE 7 wind provisions, which are demanding in their own right. A contractor quoting HVHZ-specific products here adds cost without adding compliance.

What is the design wind speed where I live?

Indian River and St. Lucie: 160 mph east of I-95, 150 mph west. Martin County: roughly 165 to 175 mph. Brevard: roughly 150 to 160 mph. All are at or above the 150 mph threshold where metal cap nails become mandatory for underlayment attachment, so staples are not compliant anywhere we work.

What is Exposure D and why does it cost more?

A wind exposure category under FBC R301.2.1.4.3 that applies where open water prevails upwind for 5,000 feet, or within 600 feet of that condition - so barrier island and exposed waterfront addresses. It produces higher design pressures, requiring tighter fastening, heavier edge metal and corrosion-resistant hardware. Expect 10 to 20 per cent above an equivalent inland roof.

My tile looks fine but the roof leaks. Why?

The underlayment beneath it has failed. Tile is a rain screen, not the waterproofing layer - the membrane underneath does that work and fails at roughly 20 to 25 years while the tile may have decades left. A lift-and-relay replaces the membrane and relays your original tile.

Can I just go over my old shingles?

We do not do layovers. A second layer hides the decking you most need to inspect, adds dead load, traps heat that shortens the new covering’s life, and forfeits the deck re-nailing that earns your wind mitigation credit. It is the most expensive saving in roofing.

Do I need a permit for a roof repair?

Usually yes. Florida’s HB 803 exemption for single-family work under $7,500 took effect 1 July 2026, but it excludes structural work and any property partly or wholly in a flood hazard area - which covers much of this region and effectively all of the barrier islands. It also bars splitting a job to get under the threshold.

How do I check a roofing contractor is legitimate?

Verify the licence number at myfloridalicense.com and confirm it is active and matches the business name on your contract. Ask for a certificate of insurance sent directly from their insurer. Never sign on the driveway, and treat any offer to cover your deductible as the fraud it is. See our contractor guide.

Will a new roof lower my insurance premium?

Often, but only once a wind mitigation inspection documents it on state form OIR-B1-1802, which was rewritten effective 1 April 2026. A reroof improves four of the seven rated features, and windstorm credits are capped by statute at 88% of the windstorm portion of your premium.

How fast can you respond to a leak?

Active leaks are prioritised and we can usually inspect within 24 hours and tarp on the same visit. We are based in Sebastian, so our crews are already inside the region when the call comes rather than driving in from out of state.

Is the roof inspection really free?

Yes - no fee, no obligation, no requirement to get a quote afterwards. You get photographs of your actual roof, a written condition summary and a remaining-life estimate. A fair number end with us telling someone their roof is fine and to call back in a couple of years.