Roofs on homes in Florida are a hot topic of conversation these days. And with the real estate market the way it is now, they can make or break a deal from happening.
Insurance companies in Florida are more strict than ever on the age, condition and life left on a roof. Some may be open to a contractual agreement that the roof will be repaired or replaced within a certain time frame after closing, in an effort to not keep the sale from happening, but most want it done before hand.
There lies some confusion as to whether you can have your roof re-shingled or would need to fully replace the roof, which is typically much more expensive.
In most cases, just re-shingling the roof is not acceptable. The insurance company is looking for the shingles to be replaced down to the plywood rather than just on the surface.
The challenge with re-shingling is:
- If you just place new shingles on top of the old shingles, there is not an effective way to identify any issues with the roof decking (the plywood).
- If damage occurs in the future, it creates more cost for the insurance company because they are taking off two layers of shingles rather than just one.
Roofing contractors have confirmed that re-shingling may save money or be a temporary band aid for any leaks or issues but long term, it will end up costing more. There are also theories that a roof with two layers such as a re-shingle can hold in more heat, which speeds up deterioration, especially in Florida.
