Does Austin require a permit to reroof?
Not for most houses. The City's residential work-exempt list includes asphalt shingles replacing asphalt shingles, any roof covering that does not affect the structure, and up to 128 square feet of new decking. The exception is a property in the Wildland-Urban Interface where half or more of the roof is replaced; that needs a permit and a Class A assembly. The suburbs each have their own rules, which the roofer confirms.
Am I in the WUI, and what does it change?
Austin's 2024 Wildland-Urban Interface Code map and the property profile tool show the zone for an address: A within 50 feet of wildland, B within 150, C out to a mile and a half from a large block. Inside any zone a new roof must be a Class A assembly with metal-flashed valleys, and replacing 50 percent or more means replacing all of it under a permit. Check the map yourself; the roofer checks it on the inspection too.
Will insurance cover hail damage on my roof?
Most Texas homeowners policies cover sudden hail and wind damage less the deductible, which is now often one or two percent of the dwelling value. The roofer documents the strikes and collateral, you decide whether to file, and your carrier decides coverage. Cosmetic-damage exclusions on metal roofs are common; read your policy.
Can a roofer pay or waive my deductible?
No. Texas Business and Commerce Code 27.02 makes it a Class B misdemeanor to pay, waive, rebate or offset a deductible, and your carrier can require proof you paid it before releasing depreciation. A free roof is an illegal roof.
Can my roofer talk to my insurance company for me?
A roofer can document the damage, give you an itemized estimate, meet the adjuster at the house and answer technical questions. Under Insurance Code 4102.163 a roofer may not act as your public adjuster or advertise claim handling. Filing, negotiating and settling the claim are yours, with a licensed public adjuster if you want help.
Metal or shingles in the Austin heat?
Shingles: $450 to $650 a square for architectural grades, $500 to $720 for Class 4, twenty to thirty years here. Standing-seam metal: $1,100 to $1,800 a square, fifty years and more, reflective, hail-shedding, Class A, with cosmetic hail exclusions from many carriers. Over twenty years of ownership metal often wins; over five, shingles.
How long does a roof last in Texas?
Architectural shingles rated for thirty years give Austin about twenty to twenty-five; three-tab shingles fifteen to twenty. Standing-seam metal fifty or more, tile's underlayment twenty to thirty while the tile outlasts it, TPO twenty to twenty-five with good drainage. Attic ventilation and hail history move every one of those numbers.
What does Class 4 mean?
The top impact rating under UL 2218: the shingle survived a two-inch steel ball dropped from twenty feet without cracking. It is the shingle to buy in a hail region, and many Texas carriers discount the wind-and-hail premium for it.
Is the inspection really free?
Yes, roof and attic, with photographs sent the same day, whether or not any work follows. A written condition report on letterhead for a buyer, lender or insurer is $150 to $300, credited against any work.
Are you licensed and insured?
Insured, yes: the crews carry general liability and workers' compensation, and the certificate is available before the inspection. Licensed is not a thing in Texas roofing; the state issues no roofing license, so no honest roofer claims one.
How fast can someone come after a storm?
Water coming in gets a callback within minutes and a tarp crew the same night where it is safe to climb. Inspections are usually within a few days; after a widespread storm the list is longer, so call early.
Do I have to replace the whole roof if only one slope was hit?
Outside Austin's WUI zones, no; a slope can be replaced if the rest has life left and a match exists. Inside the zones, replacing half or more of the roof means replacing all of it as a Class A assembly under a permit.
Can you work with my HOA?
Yes. The written sheet names the exact shingle line, color and rating, and the roofer supplies the manufacturer's sheet, so the architectural submittal is a copy-and-paste. Most Austin-area associations care about color and material, not about who installs it.
Do you do flat roofs and gutters too?
Yes: TPO and modified bitumen on modern homes and additions, seamless aluminum gutters in five- and six-inch profiles, and guards chosen for live oak catkins and cedar needles. Each has its own page under services.
What if I am not in Austin itself?
Round Rock, Cedar Park, Pflugerville, Leander, Lakeway, Bee Cave, West Lake Hills, Dripping Springs and Buda each have a page, and the crews also reach Manor, Hutto, Jonestown, Lago Vista, Driftwood and Wimberley. Each city sets its own permit rules, which the roofer confirms.