Knowing how to choose a roofing contractor in Broward County is genuinely different from hiring a roofer anywhere else in the country — Florida's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, strict product approvals, and the 25% replacement rule mean the wrong contractor can cost you tens of thousands and a failed inspection. Here is what we check for after 25+ years of HVHZ roofing.
Licensed Broward roofing contractor since 1999 · HVHZ certified · Tile, shingle & flat · Updated June 2026
In 25+ years repairing Broward roofs, the calls we receive most often start the same way: "We hired someone who was a bit cheaper, they passed the first inspection, and now we have a leak and they won't answer." South Florida is not a forgiving environment for a mediocre roof. Every property in Broward County sits inside the Florida High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) — the same designation that applies to Miami-Dade — which carries the toughest wind-borne-debris and uplift requirements in the entire Florida Building Code.
That means three things that do not apply in most U.S. markets:
Beyond HVHZ, Broward's coastal proximity means salt air corrodes fasteners and flashing faster than inland markets — a stainless-steel or hot-dipped galvanized fastener requirement that a cut-rate contractor might skip will cause callbacks within 3–5 years on waterfront and near-coastal homes in places like Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood. And Florida's hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, meaning a poorly installed roof faces a real destructive test every single year.
Florida requires anyone performing roofing work — repair or replacement — to hold a state-issued license from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB). There are two relevant license types:
| License Type | What It Means | Watch-Out |
|---|---|---|
| Certified Roofing Contractor (CCC prefix) | Licensed statewide by DBPR. Can work anywhere in Florida. | Always preferred for a Broward job. |
| Registered Roofing Contractor (RC prefix) | Licensed only in specific counties they registered in. May not be authorized for Broward. | Confirm county coverage before hiring. |
Verification takes 30 seconds. Go to MyFloridaLicense.com → "Verify a License" → enter the contractor's license number. The status must read "Current, Active." A license that is "Null and Void," "Delinquent," or "Suspended" is a hard stop — no exceptions. Also check whether the license carries any disciplinary actions; multiple complaints are a warning sign even on an active license.
The single mistake we see most often from out-of-county or out-of-state contractors in Broward: they propose materials that are approved for the Florida Building Code but not specifically approved for the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone. These are two different approval tracks, and Broward inspectors check product approval numbers during inspection.
Ask any contractor you are considering two direct questions:
A contractor who cannot answer these questions immediately — or who gives you a vague "we follow code" answer — has likely not done enough HVHZ work to be trusted on your Broward home. The correct answer should include specific product numbers and a reference to the approved HVHZ nailing schedule. For tile roofs (the most common roof type in gated communities in Pembroke Pines and western Broward), ask about the specific mortar or foam adhesive system and whether it carries HVHZ approval for your roof pitch.
This step protects you financially if a worker is injured on your property or a mistake damages your home. Any licensed roofing contractor in Florida must carry two coverages:
Covers property damage caused during the roofing job — a tool that falls through a window, water damage from a tarp that fails during a rainstorm, or debris that damages your neighbor's fence. Minimum $300,000 per occurrence is a reasonable floor; many commercial jobs require $1 million. Ask for the Certificate of Insurance (COI) and confirm it is current — not from last year.
Covers medical bills and lost wages if a roofer is injured on your roof. Florida requires workers' comp for contractors with more than one employee. If a sub without workers' comp gets hurt on your job, you can be held liable as the property owner. Ask for the COI and call the insurance company directly to confirm the policy is active. "Exempt" status (a sole proprietor opting out) means there is no coverage — ask who will be on your roof and whether any subs are covered.
In Broward County, any roofing repair or replacement that goes beyond minor maintenance requires a permit and a final inspection by the local building department. The permit system exists specifically to enforce HVHZ standards, and skipping it creates serious downstream problems:
Permit timelines in Broward vary by city. In our experience, Plantation, Davie, and Coral Springs typically process residential roofing permits in 3–10 business days electronically. Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood can run longer, especially for historic-district properties. Emergency storm damage is often expedited. Your contractor should handle the permit application, provide you the permit number before work begins, and schedule the final inspection.
The number most homeowners compare is the total price. That is the wrong number to lead with. A low total from a contractor who omits decking inspection, uses thinner underlayment, or skips flashing replacement is not cheaper — it is a future leak. What to look for in each written estimate:
| Line Item | What It Should Say | Red Flag If Missing |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | Manufacturer name, product model, HVHZ product approval number, color | Generic "shingles" or "tile" with no spec |
| Underlayment | Specific product name + HVHZ approval confirmation | Just "synthetic underlayment" |
| Tear-off & disposal | Number of layers to remove, dumpster/haul-away included | Not listed at all |
| Decking inspection | "Inspect decking; replace damaged boards at $X/board" | No mention of decking |
| Flashing | Drip edge, pipe boots, valley flashing — new or reused | No flashing line item |
| Permit | Permit fee included or itemized separately | No permit mentioned |
| Warranty | Manufacturer product warranty + workmanship warranty years | No warranty terms |
In our 25+ years, the average gap between a properly itemized estimate and a stripped-down low-ball in Broward is $800–$2,500 on a typical single-family reroof — and that gap almost always comes from skipped underlayment upgrades, reused flashing, and no decking allowance. Those are also the exact items that cause callbacks.
Request at least 3 references from Broward County jobs completed in the last 24 months — not Orlando, not Georgia. HVHZ roofing is a specialty; a contractor with 200 happy customers in Tampa is still learning your market. Ask each reference two questions specifically:
Beyond direct references, check Google Reviews, the DBPR complaint history on MyFloridaLicense.com, and the Better Business Bureau. A contractor with 4.8+ stars across 50+ Broward reviews, zero DBPR complaints, and 3 warm references who say the permit went smoothly is a contractor you can trust on your most important asset.
Florida's "25% rule" — Florida Building Code §706.1.1 — says that if more than 25% of a roof section is damaged or replaced within any rolling 12-month period, the entire section must be brought up to current code. For most pre-2009 Broward roofs, that means a full-section replacement once the threshold is crossed. A 2022 law change (Senate Bill 4-D) exempted roofs permitted on or after March 1, 2009: for those, only the repaired area must meet code.
Why does this matter when choosing a contractor? Because the right contractor uses this rule to protect your budget, not to upsell you. If your post-2009 tile roof has a 30% damaged area, the honest answer may be a targeted repair — not a full section replacement. And if your pre-2009 roof is at 28%, we may recommend replacing the full section now rather than doing a repair that will cross the threshold after the next storm, forcing a more expensive mandatory replacement at the worst possible time.
We cover the 25% rule in detail in our guide: The Florida 25% Roof Rule — What Broward Homeowners Must Know in 2026.
After every named storm that touches South Florida, out-of-state roofing crews arrive in Broward within 48 hours. Some are legitimate; many are not. In our experience, the following patterns are reliable warning signs:
Broward's housing stock runs across three main roof types, and the right contractor for your home depends partly on what you have:
The dominant roof type in gated communities and 1990s–2000s subdivisions across western Broward. Tile itself can last 40–50 years; the underlayment beneath it typically fails in 15–25 years, causing leaks even with intact tile. In our 25+ years, most tile "leaks" in Broward are actually underlayment failures, not cracked tile. Hiring a contractor who insists on full replacement when an underlayment swap plus targeted tile replacement is the correct answer costs homeowners $8,000–$20,000 unnecessarily.
Common in 1980s–90s communities across Coral Springs, Plantation, and Pembroke Pines. Broward's HVHZ requires a minimum 6-nail fastening pattern for shingle roofs — a critical deviation from the 4-nail standard used in most of the country. A contractor who applies a standard 4-nail pattern in Broward will fail inspection or, worse, pass and leave you with a roof that lifts in a Category 1 storm. Ask specifically about the nailing schedule before signing.
Found on older Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood beach-adjacent homes, commercial storefronts, and townhome communities. Flat roofing requires a contractor experienced specifically in membrane systems — it is a different skill set from tile or shingle. Drainage is the most common failure point on Broward flat roofs: pooling water accelerates membrane deterioration. Ask any flat-roof contractor for their membrane product's HVHZ approval and their process for confirming positive drainage before the new membrane goes down.
Florida requires roofing contractors to hold a state-issued Certified Roofing Contractor license (CCC prefix) from the Florida DBPR Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), or a Registered Roofing Contractor license (RC prefix) limited to specific counties. Verify any license free at MyFloridaLicense.com — the status must read "Current, Active" before you sign anything.
The High-Velocity Hurricane Zone covers all of Broward and Miami-Dade counties and applies the strictest wind-borne-debris and uplift standards in the Florida Building Code. Every roofing product used on a Broward home must carry a current Miami-Dade or Florida Product Approval specifically for HVHZ use. A contractor unfamiliar with HVHZ requirements will fail inspection and may leave you with a roof that voids your wind insurance credit.
Yes — always. Any roof repair or replacement beyond minor maintenance requires a permit and a final inspection. Unpermitted work can void your homeowner's insurance, trigger mandatory teardown when you sell, and expose you to daily fines. A licensed contractor pulls the permit in their own name, making them legally responsible for passing code inspection.
Get at least 3 written, itemized estimates. Each should specify materials (manufacturer, product approval number), underlayment type, tear-off and disposal scope, decking inspection allowance, flashing plan, permit fees, and warranty terms. A low total price that omits these line items is not a bargain — it is a future callback.
Door-to-door solicitation after a hurricane; pressure to sign an AOB before your adjuster visits; out-of-state phone number with no local Broward office; cash-only or 50%+ upfront demands; refusal to provide a Florida license number; and vague written scope with no product specs, permit, or warranty. A legitimate Broward roofer will provide a Florida license number, proof of insurance, and a detailed written estimate before asking for any money.
Timelines vary by municipality. In our 25+ years across Broward, straightforward residential permits in Plantation, Davie, and Coral Springs typically take 3–10 business days electronically. Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood can run longer for historic-district properties. Emergency storm-damage permits are often expedited. Your contractor should manage the permit entirely and give you the permit number before work begins.
Yes. Florida Building Code §706.1.1 says that if more than 25% of a roof section is repaired or replaced within any 12-month period, the entire section must be brought up to current code. A 2022 law (SB 4-D) exempts roofs permitted on or after March 1, 2009 — for those, only the repaired area must meet code. Confirming your permit date before deciding repair vs. replacement can save you thousands. See our full guide at The Florida 25% Roof Rule.
We have been repairing and replacing roofs across Broward County since 1999. Call or fill out the form below — we will inspect your roof, confirm your permit date, and give you an honest written estimate with no pressure and no upsell.
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