Roof Replacement Is More Than New Shingles | Bigfoot Windows & Roofing

The Problem

Why “We Just Replace the Shingles” Is a Red Flag in South Florida

Most homeowners picture a roofing crew nailing down new shingles and calling it done. In Miami-Dade and Broward — the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) — that picture is incomplete and potentially dangerous to your coverage.

South Florida sits inside the HVHZ, a designation under the Florida Building Code (FBC) that triggers the most rigorous residential roofing standards in the United States. A reroofing job that would pass final inspection in Atlanta or Orlando will fail in Miami-Dade if the contractor bypasses any element of the approved system. Insurance carriers, particularly Citizens Insurance, increasingly deny claims when post-storm inspectors find non-permitted work or products lacking a valid Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA).

The practical consequence: a homeowner who paid a discount crew to “replace the roof” may discover, after a named storm, that the claim is denied because the work was never permitted, the products lacked Miami-Dade Product Control approval, or the required inspection stages were skipped. That is not a theoretical risk. It is the documented outcome of hurricane claims reviews across Miami-Dade County.

South Florida Context

HVHZ, Florida Building Code, and Why Miami-Dade Is Different

The High-Velocity Hurricane Zone is not a marketing term — it is a legal code designation with real compliance requirements.

The Florida Building Code dedicates Section 1504 specifically to HVHZ roofing systems, covering wind resistance, attachment methods, and approved system assemblies. Miami-Dade and Broward counties are the only jurisdictions in the country that require a Miami-Dade Product Control NOA for roofing products used in their borders. Generic ASTM compliance is not sufficient. A shingle that meets national ASTM D3462 standards may still fail the Miami-Dade permit review if it does not carry a current, valid NOA number on the county’s product control database.

What this means for homeowners: every component of the roofing system — the underlayment, the fasteners, the shingles or metal panels, the adhesive — must be listed together as an approved assembly in the NOA. A mix-and-match approach, where a contractor grabs an approved shingle but pairs it with a non-listed underlayment, will fail the county’s plan review and may trigger a stop-work order. See the Miami-Dade roofing service page for local context on permit timelines and county-specific requirements.

Full Scope Breakdown

The Six Scope Items Beyond the Shingles

A code-compliant HVHZ roof replacement is a system — not a product swap. Here is what a properly scoped job includes.

1. Permit and plan review. Every roofing replacement in Miami-Dade County requires a permit. This is not optional, and there are no exemptions for routine reroof work. The permit package includes product NOA numbers, the approved assembly, and the contractor’s license. Bigfoot holds a Certified Roofing Contractor license (CCC1333168), which is the specific state license class required to pull a roofing permit in Florida.

2. Decking inspection and replacement. Before any new material goes on, the existing roof deck must be inspected for soft spots, rot, delamination, and improper fastening. In South Florida’s high-humidity climate, accelerated wood moisture damage is common. Deteriorated decking must be replaced before the new system is installed. Skipping this step means the new shingles are fastened into compromised wood — a critical wind-uplift failure point.

3. Drip-edge replacement. The FBC requires drip edge at all roof perimeters and rakes for HVHZ installations. Drip edge is not cosmetic: it is a structural water-management component that channels runoff away from the fascia and prevents water infiltration at the roof edge. A reroof that reuses corroded or undersized original drip edge will fail inspection.

4. Underlayment — the secondary water barrier. This is one of the most consequential line items in a South Florida reroof. The Florida Building Code 8th Edition now permits and encourages full-deck peel-and-stick (self-adhering) underlayment systems. A full-deck peel-and-stick application can qualify as a Secondary Water Resistance (SWR) feature on the wind mitigation inspection form (OIR-B1-1802), which insurers may credit as a discount on the hurricane portion of your homeowners premium — the Florida Division of Emergency Management lists a self-adhesive secondary water barrier credit at roughly 6%. The actual credit varies by insurer and requires a licensed wind mitigation inspection. Standard 30-lb felt does not qualify as a secondary water barrier and cannot earn this credit.

5. Soffit and fascia evaluation. The roofing contractor should evaluate soffit and fascia condition during tear-off. Deteriorated fascia compromises the drip-edge attachment; deteriorated soffit can allow wind-driven rain into the attic during a storm. Bigfoot’s Certified General Contractor (CGC1531370) license scope means structural elements — including fascia boards and any framing concerns discovered during tear-off — can be addressed in the same project without requiring a separate contractor. This single-scope accountability removes a common source of delays and handoff disputes on roofing projects where structural issues surface mid-job.

6. Hurricane straps and roof-to-wall connection inspection. While a standard reroof does not automatically require hurricane strap upgrades, the FBC requires the contractor to identify and document connections during the permit process. In some cases, upgrading from toe-nail connections to approved hurricane straps during a reroof is required to reach compliance under the alteration provisions of the FBC Existing Building code. A contractor without a general contractor license cannot legally perform this structural work in the same project.

Inspections & Approvals

The Three-Stage Inspection Sequence — and Why It Matters

Miami-Dade’s mandatory inspection sequence is not bureaucratic box-checking. It is the mechanism that links your permit to your insurance coverage.

A permitted roof replacement in Miami-Dade requires at least three inspection stages:

Homeowners should request their permit number and inspection records from any contractor before work begins — and confirm that a certificate of completion was issued after final inspection. Without a final inspection sign-off, a post-storm insurance adjuster may treat the roof as unpermitted work, regardless of whether brand-new materials were installed.

Learn more about roofing replacement costs and what drives the price in South Florida using our online estimator.

Roofing Systems

NOA-Approved Systems Bigfoot Installs in HVHZ

Every system we propose carries a valid Miami-Dade Product Control NOA. Here is how the main options compare for HVHZ compliance.

For shingle roofing, Bigfoot installs GAF systems. Bigfoot holds GAF Silver Plus certification, which allows us to offer the GAF System Plus warranty — a 50-year non-prorated warranty covering shingles, labor, tear-off, and accessories. The System Plus warranty includes Wind Proven coverage with no maximum mph rating, and it is not voided by named storms making landfall in the county (unlike many competitors’ warranties capped at 130 mph).

GAF’s Layer Lock shingle system features 19 dimples per shingle and a 1.81-inch nail line — 600% wider than pre-2020 shingles — enabling the fastener accuracy required by HVHZ fastening schedules. Under the 2024 FBC code update, a full-deck peel-and-stick underlayment is now permitted as a direct-to-deck application, and pairing it with an NOA-approved GAF shingle system creates a qualifying secondary water barrier assembly.

For metal roofing, Bigfoot installs Englert standing-seam panels, roll-formed on-site from 24-gauge C4 steel. The clip system uses Englert-stamped clips at 6-inch spacing at ridge and eave and 2-inch spacing in the field — a critical distinction, because a lapsed NOA using 2-inch-only clips has been associated with failed Miami-Dade inspections on competing jobs. Panels run one continuous piece from bottom to top with no horizontal seams, which is a structural hurricane advantage. For tile, Bigfoot installs Westlake and New Point concrete tile systems; Westlake’s Unified Steel stone-coated option carries a 50-year warranty with no named-storm or saltwater exclusion clauses. Explore our full South Florida services for the complete scope of what we do on every project.

Insurance & Florida Law

Florida Statute 627.70132 and the Citizens Insurance Roof Rule

Florida law can require a full replacement even when damage looks partial. Here is what that means for Miami-Dade homeowners.

Florida Statute 627.70132 governs roof replacement claims under homeowner insurance policies. Under this statute, when a roof sustains damage that meets or exceeds 25% of its total area, the carrier may require a full replacement rather than a partial repair. This rule is designed to prevent patchwork repairs that create uneven wind-resistance across the roof plane — a legitimate structural concern in HVHZ conditions.

Citizens Insurance — Florida’s insurer of last resort — has a separate but related policy: it will not renew or write new coverage on homes with roofs that are 20 to 25 or more years old, depending on roof type. For asphalt shingle roofs, the threshold can be as low as 15 years given South Florida’s heat and UV environment. Homeowners who receive a non-renewal notice tied to roof age are often required to replace the entire roof to restore coverage — not just patch damaged sections.

The practical planning implication: if your roof is approaching 15–20 years old and you have partial storm damage, get a licensed inspection before filing a claim. A repair that technically covers the damaged area may still leave you uninsurable if the rest of the roof is beyond Citizens’ age threshold. Knowing this before you file prevents a situation where a partial repair claim triggers a full-replacement requirement you were not budgeting for. If you need to understand financing options for a full roof replacement, we walk through PACE and other programs in detail.

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Who We’re Not the Right Fit For

Bigfoot is a licensed, permitted, fully inspected roofing contractor. That means our process has cost and timeline implications that are not right for every situation. Here is when you should look elsewhere:

• You want the cheapest bid, no questions asked. If the priority is the lowest number on the page and you are not concerned about permit status or NOA compliance, a discount crew will quote lower than us. We are not the right fit for that decision.
• You need a cosmetic patch and are not filing a claim. If you have minor, isolated damage — one or two broken tiles, no insurance involvement, no structural concern — and you simply want it patched quickly, a roofing maintenance company may be a better match. Bigfoot does take single-scope repair work, but if you truly need only a minor patch and want same-week turnaround with no permit, that is outside what our process delivers.
• You are outside our service area. We serve Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. If your property is outside that footprint, we are not the right contractor regardless of scope.
• Your HOA requires a specific roofing brand we do not carry. We install GAF, Englert, Westlake, and Metal Alliance systems. If your HOA has mandated a brand outside that list, we cannot serve that project. Note: under Florida SB 293, HOAs cannot prohibit metal roofing or impact windows — but they can specify approved product lists for style.