Florida Native Roofing Protects Your Most Treasured Asset
Florida homeowners who opt for new home insurance policies may have a rude awakening if their shingle roof is 10 years or older.
“New policies won’t be written if the roof is 10 years old,” said Charles Clary, of Florida Native Roofing in Palm Bay.
Likewise, if the age of a roof is north of 15 years, insurance companies often are hesitant to renew existing policies, leaving homeowners scrambling to get their houses re-roofed so they can regain protection for their most important asset.
“We have a lot of roofs in the area nearing that 15-year birthday,” Clary said.
Florida Native Roofing is among the most respected companies helping homeowners navigate the care of their roofs, the cap on their most valuable possession.
Shingle roof manufacturers will claim the lifespan of their products to be 25 to 30 years, and they are not exaggerating. But no matter what a manufacturer claims, insurance companies have other ideas.
“It all goes back to all the insurance claims from the hurricanes of 2004 and 2005,” Clary said.
Insurance companies are also being “hammered,” as Clary called it, by disreputable companies that target homeowners via door-to-door solicitation. These businesses, which proliferated after the Florida hailstorms of 2019 and 2020, encourage homeowners to try and get a new roof courtesy of the insurance policy.
“They come in saying, “Let me file an insurance claim on your behalf, and they exaggerate the damage,” Clary said.
Clary and his team at Florida Native Roofing are busy helping homeowners keep their treasured homes protected in a state where getting and maintaining homeowners' insurance sometimes seems like an impossible dream.
Complicating the matter is the area’s current sizzling real estate market.
“Real estate values are at an all-time high and many potential insurance non-renewals are because of the roofs, and that threatens timely closings,” Clary said. “We currently have hundreds of roofs on our board, and many of those have specific time limits, which mean they have to be done before closing.”
That’s not the only challenge. Roofing materials are still not as readily available as they once were just a few years ago.
“New construction is at an all-time high, and that is driving the shortage of materials and the transport of materials,” Clary said.
Materials options
Frustrated about the limited life of their shingle roofs, many homeowners are pursuing other options. If you think you’ve been seeing more metal roofs than before, you have. Metal is the way to appease insurance companies.
Lasting as long as 50 years, metal roofs get the insurance company’s stamp of approval for decades of wear. A caveat for residents of beachside communities: the metal should be aluminum so it lasts.
“It is very common these days for homeowners to upgrade to a metal roof rather than replace a shingle roof,” Clary said.
Metal roofs offer long-lasting peace of mind, but they also cost substantially more — about 40-50% — than their shingle counterparts.
But metal roofs are typically quick to install, a benefit to homeowners who need that roof before closing and to obtain insurance. Metal is more readily available, and since Florida Native Roofing manufactures some of its metal roofing components in-house, lead time is cut significantly.
An issue with metal may be unrealistic expectations fueled by some roofing businesses. Clary recommends that homeowners be alert when a legitimate company claims to be able to install metal roofs for the same price as shingle. You might get what you pay for.
“It may be that they are not taking the old shingles off, and they are using a thinner gauge metal and wider panels,” he said. “It’s not against code, but it could be problematic later on.”
Florida Native Roofing ensures that the job is done right by removing the old shingles and examining the plywood underlayment for wear and tear. Clary said that’s not required by code, but it is recommended. Rotten plywood is replaced before a self-adhesive first layer provides additional protection from water intrusion.
“It not only makes the roof last longer, but it also makes the homeowner eligible for an insurance discount,” Clary said.
Those who want the best opt for tile roofs, with a lifespan of 50 or more years. Tile can be concrete or clay and require a longer lead time, since they are typically made to order. But the best doesn’t come cheap, and these roofs are even more expensive than metal. Plus. the house may have to be re-engineered to withstand the added weight.
Sticker shock is part of all reroofing these days, thanks to skyrocketing material costs. Prices are substantially higher than just three years ago. You may prefer to ignore your roof, but Clary advises facing reality.
“You definitely need to be aware of the age of your roof,” he said.
After due diligence of nine roofing quotes, Laura Langlois chose Florida Native Roofing.
“We felt they would stand behind their job,” she said. “We have been beyond satisfied and the roof looks great.”
Twenty-four-year old Chris Brown chose Florida Native Roofing when it came time to replace the roof of his grandparents’ house, a roof as old as he was.
“Never had I imagined the house my Oma and Opa built and that I practically grew up in could look so good,” he said.
Clary knows his roofs, given the fact that three generations of the Clary family have deep roots in the building industry. Clary’s father began Clary Construction, builder of upscale homes in Brevard. Clary’s son, Patrick, has taken over the reins of the company his grandfather started. Clary’s sister, Renee, is a local interior designer.
“We are truly a local, family-owned business,” Clary said.
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