Storm Damage Roof Repair on Perdido Key, FL

Because there's no local government on the island, Escambia County Building Services issues every roof permit here. Contractors file through the MGO Connect portal; the county's walk-in counter is the Central Office Complex at 3363 West Park Place in Pensacola. Inspections can be booked through the portal, by email to the permits office, or by phone at 850-595-3550.

Escambia County publishes a post-disaster permitting plan, and several parts of it matter on the Key:

• A temporary tarp to stop water getting in needs no permit.
• Emergency repairs for safety, security and to seal the house from the weather can go ahead, but the permit application must be submitted within 7 days of the disaster.
• Roof covering replacement is on the county's list of permit types that get expedited after a storm.
• Swapping out less than 2 squares (200 square feet) of asphalt shingles needs no permit, as long as the underlayment and sheathing don't need repair.

The county notes that many Escambia properties are in special flood hazard areas. If the floodplain administrator decides a building was substantially damaged under FEMA's 50 percent rule, it has to meet current flood requirements before it's repaired or rebuilt. Base flood elevations and past elevation certificates can be looked up in the county's floodplain portal, which is worth doing before any major repair on an island home. Condo owners should also check with their association before scheduling work on a shared roof.

We install and repair both metal and shingle roofs on the Key. When a shingle roof is past saving, we tear it off to the deck and put on CertainTeed Landmark shingles, or a new metal roof if you'd rather switch. On condo buildings and townhomes with flat or low-slope sections, our materials are modified bitumen and self-adhesive rolled roofing. Near salt water we use marine-grade metal parts where the location calls for them.

While a major storm is still around, tarping comes first. Once it's safe to climb up, Joshua Hart looks the roof over himself for free, records the damage with his camera and puts his findings on paper for your insurance company. Your insurer decides what's covered. Repairs are quoted after that inspection, never over the phone, and every job finishes with a magnetic nail sweep around the property.