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New construction ยท Alachua County

New construction roofing in Alachua County, FL

Only 13.3 percent of homes in Alachua County were built in 2010 or later, so most of the housing here is older and new roofs are the exception. If you are building, the roof must pass its own inspection before the home can be finished. The county's Building Division handles permits for unincorporated areas and several municipalities.

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Updated October 2026

Two-storey red brick schoolhouse with arched windows and an American flag beside a paved walkway.
A roof deck sheathed in red-brown ZIP System panels with black seam tape, a bucket and a ladder on the deck, homes and a street behind.Our work
Photo: Little Red Schoolhouse, Newberry by Mjrmtg, CC BY 4.0, cropped

New construction roofing in Alachua County, in short

New roofs in Alachua County go through the Building Division, which reviews permits in the unincorporated area and several municipalities. Your permit is judged under the code edition in force when you apply, the deck must be dried in before the roofing inspection, and the product must hold Florida approval.

Sources for this answer

Alachua County figures

The Alachua County numbers behind this page

Population estimate, July 1, 2025 (Census Vintage 2025)
290,028
Owner-occupied share of occupied homes
54.1%
Median year homes were built
1988
Share of homes built before 1980
34.5%

Local growth

How fast Alachua County is building

The Census Bureau estimated 290,028 people in the county on July 1, 2025. That is 4.1 percent above the 2020 base, the slowest growth of the four counties researched here. New roofs are still going up, but not at a runaway pace.

The new building is lopsided. Newberry has 43 percent of its housing units built since 2010, and High Springs has 29 percent, against 13 percent countywide. Gainesville is renter-heavy, with 38 percent owner-occupied against 54 percent countywide, so much of its newer building is likely rental or multi-unit work.

Older stock sets the comparison. The median home dates to 1988, and 34.5 percent were built before 1980. That suggests a new roof here sits beside many roofs well past their first life.

Code edition

Which code edition your permit falls under

Florida's Eighth Edition of the Building Code, published in 2023, went into force on December 31 of that year. Alachua County is not in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, which covers only Broward and Miami-Dade, so the standard roofing chapters apply and Miami-Dade approvals are not required here.

Timing matters if your plans are not yet filed. The Ninth Edition becomes effective on December 31, 2026, and applications submitted on or after that date must meet it. Ask the Building Division which edition your submission date puts you under.

Roof build-up

Deck, underlayment and product approval

Roof sheathing on a new house is nailed with ring shank nails, 2 1/2 inches long, under the residential code. Ring shanks grip better than smooth nails when wind lifts the deck. Your inspector will check the fasteners before anything covers them.

  • One approach is to lay self-adhering polymer-modified bitumen underlayment across the entire deck.
  • Option two: tape or membrane at least 3 3/4 inches wide over every deck joint, then approved underlayment over the whole roof.
  • A third route uses two felt-type underlayment layers, fastened 12 inches apart across the field and 6 inches apart where sheets overlap.

Roofing products need statewide approval under Fla. Stat. 553.842. You can search the Florida Building Commission product approval lookup by FL number or manufacturer. A product cannot be sold as hurricane or impact protection unless it holds that approval.

Drip edge goes over the underlayment at eaves and gables, fastened at most 12 inches apart. It tightens to 4 inches where design wind speed reaches 110 mph or the roof is over 33 feet high. Where eaves stick out less than 6 inches, the code calls for gutters paired with downspouts.

Build schedule

Scheduling the roof around inspections

Inspections follow a set sequence: foundation first, then framing, sheathing, exterior wall coverings, roofing, and finally the closing inspection. The roofing phase includes getting the building dried in, adding insulation, installing coverings, and sealing flashing. You cannot skip ahead, so a roofer who arrives early may wait on the sheathing sign-off.

Who does the work is also regulated. Only on a new structure that the owner is building personally may someone lay asphalt shingles without a contractor. Work on tile, metal, or membrane roofs must be handed to a contractor holding certified or registered status. You can look up any roofing contractor's license with the state before signing.

A permit also has clocks. It lapses if work does not start within 6 months of issuance, or if work stops for 6 months. An approved inspection within 180 days counts as active progress, so keep inspections moving.

Owners can also hire a private provider for plans review or inspections, under Fla. Stat. 553.791, with written authorization. Ask the Building Division how it accepts private provider reports on your project.

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Questions

New construction roofing in Alachua County: questions

Which building code applies to a new roof in Alachua County?

A permit submitted now falls under the 2023 Florida Building Code, Eighth Edition, which took effect December 31, 2023. Permit applications filed on or after December 31, 2026 fall under the Ninth Edition rules rather than these. Alachua County is outside the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, so the standard roofing provisions govern. Confirm your plans' filing date and edition with the Building Division before you order materials.

Source: Alachua County Growth Management - Building Division, read Oct 5, 2026

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Who issues the permit for a new roof in Alachua County?

The Alachua County Growth Management Building Division reviews and inspects construction that needs permits in the unincorporated areas and several municipalities. The official page does not name those municipalities, so confirm with the Building Division whether your address is inside its area or whether a city office handles it, such as Gainesville, Alachua or Newberry.

Source: Alachua County Growth Management - Building Division, read Oct 5, 2026

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How many Alachua County homes were built in 2010 or later?

The 2024 Census estimate puts it at 13.3 percent of homes countywide. The share is much higher in the west: 43 percent of Newberry's housing units and 29 percent of High Springs' were built since 2010. Median build year countywide is 1988, so new roofs sit among many older ones.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API (release acs2024_5yr), read Oct 5, 2026

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Can the general contractor install my roof on a new house?

Only in part. A general, building or residential contractor may install asphalt or fiberglass shingles, or wood shingles and shakes, itself on a new building of its own construction. For tile, metal or membrane roofs it must subcontract to a certified or registered roofing contractor. In Alachua County, where 13.3 percent of homes are from 2010 or later, ask any builder which roofing work it subcontracts. It also may not advertise as a roofing contractor without that certification or registration.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API (release acs2024_5yr), read Oct 5, 2026

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Does the builder cover my new roof after closing?

Florida law now requires a builder to cover a newly built home for 1 year against defects in equipment, material or workmanship that violate the Florida Building Code. It applies to homes conveyed or occupied after July 1, 2025. Coverage does not extend to ordinary aging, ground settling, defects the owner caused, or natural disasters. Read your contract and ask the builder what it provides.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API (release acs2024_5yr), read Oct 5, 2026

Related: New construction roofing

Alachua County

More in Alachua County

Sources for this page(50)
  1. 1.Population estimate, July 1, 2025 (Census Vintage 2025): 290,028 (base 278,478; +4.1%, +11,550 people). U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 county population estimates (co-est2025-alldata.csv: ESTIMATESBASE2020, POPESTIMATE2025). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  2. 2.U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 county population estimates (co-est2025-alldata.csv: ESTIMATESBASE2020, POPESTIMATE2025). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  3. 3.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (annual/seasonal), station USW00012816. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  4. 4.NOAA NCEI Storm Events bulk files 2016-2025 (operator count). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  5. 5.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API (release acs2024_5yr). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  6. 6.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25003, via Census Reporter API (release acs2024_5yr). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  7. 7.Owner-occupied share of occupied homes: 54.1% (63,185 of 116,786 occupied units). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25003, via Census Reporter API (release acs2024_5yr). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  8. 8.Hurricane Irma (2017). NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, event 720358 (Tropical Storm, 2017-09-10, zone/county ALACHUA), bulk details file; NHC TCR AL112017; FEMA OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2 (designatedArea = county). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  9. 9.Hurricane Debby (2024). NHC TCR AL042024; NWS Jacksonville, County Impacts narratives (Post Tropical Cyclone Report); FEMA OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2 (designatedArea = county). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  10. 10.NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, event 720358 (Tropical Storm, 2017-09-10, zone/county ALACHUA), bulk details file. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  11. 11.Wikipedia NRHP list for Alachua County; National Park Service NPGallery records. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  12. 12.Median year homes were built: 1988. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API (release acs2024_5yr). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  13. 13.Share of homes built before 1980: 34.5%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API (release acs2024_5yr). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  14. 14.NOAA NCEI Storm Events bulk files 2016-2025 (CZ_NAME values for Alachua). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  15. 15.Hurricane Hermine (2016). NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, event 657954 (Tropical Storm, 2016-09-02, zone/county ALACHUA), bulk details file; FEMA OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2 (designatedArea = county). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  16. 16.Hurricane Ian (2022). NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, event 1051050 (Tropical Storm, 2022-09-29, zone/county EASTERN ALACHUA), bulk details file; FEMA OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2 (designatedArea = county). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  17. 17.Hurricane Idalia (2023). NWS Jacksonville, County Impacts narratives (Post Tropical Cyclone Report); FEMA OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2 (designatedArea = county). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  18. 18.Hurricane Helene (2024). NWS Jacksonville, County Impacts narratives (Post Tropical Cyclone Report); FEMA OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2 (designatedArea = county). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  19. 19.Hurricane Milton (2024). NWS Jacksonville, County Impacts narratives (Post Tropical Cyclone Report); FEMA OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2 (designatedArea = county). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  20. 20.Permit office: Alachua County Growth Management - Building Division. Alachua County Growth Management - Building Division. Read Oct 10, 2026.
  21. 21.Share of homes built 2010 or later: 13.3%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API (release acs2024_5yr). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  22. 22.FRSA, "New 2023 FBC Eighth Edition is Now in Effect", 2024-02-13. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  23. 23.FBC-Building 2023 Chapter 2 definitions. Read Oct 5, 2026. FBC text read from UpCodes (unofficial transcription): check floridabuilding.org or the ICC viewer before quoting (spec 8.7).
  24. 24.Miami-Dade County RER notice. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  25. 25.2023 Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th ed., Chapter 8 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026. FBC text read from UpCodes (unofficial transcription): check floridabuilding.org or the ICC viewer before quoting (spec 8.7).
  26. 26.2023 Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th ed., Chapter 9 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026. FBC text read from UpCodes (unofficial transcription): check floridabuilding.org or the ICC viewer before quoting (spec 8.7). Source URL inherited from COM-29 (the research cites it "as COM-29").
  27. 27.Florida Statutes, section 553.842 (2026). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  28. 28.Florida Building Commission. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  29. 29.2023 Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th ed., Chapter 3 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026. FBC text read from UpCodes (unofficial transcription): check floridabuilding.org or the ICC viewer before quoting (spec 8.7).
  30. 30.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 1 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026. FBC text read from UpCodes (unofficial transcription): check floridabuilding.org or the ICC viewer before quoting (spec 8.7). Source URL inherited from C-3 (the research cites it "as C-3").
  31. 31.Florida Statutes, section 489.113 (2026). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  32. 32.Florida Statutes, section 553.791 (2026). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  33. 33.Florida Statutes, section 553.837 (2026). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  34. 34.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25003, via Census Reporter API (release acs2024_5yr), U.S. Census Bureau (via Census Reporter). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  35. 35.NHC TCR AL042024; NWS Jacksonville, County Impacts narratives (Post Tropical Cyclone Report); FEMA OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2 (designatedArea = county), NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  36. 36.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API (release acs2024_5yr), U.S. Census Bureau (via Census Reporter). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  37. 37.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API (release acs2024_5yr), U.S. Census Bureau (via Census Reporter). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  38. 38.NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, event 657954 (Tropical Storm, 2016-09-02, zone/county ALACHUA), bulk details file; FEMA OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2 (designatedArea = county), NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  39. 39.NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, event 1051050 (Tropical Storm, 2022-09-29, zone/county EASTERN ALACHUA), bulk details file; FEMA OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2 (designatedArea = county), NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  40. 40.NWS Jacksonville, County Impacts narratives (Post Tropical Cyclone Report); FEMA OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2 (designatedArea = county), National Weather Service. Read Oct 5, 2026.
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  43. 43.Alachua County Growth Management - Building Division, Alachua County Growth Management. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  44. 44.Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, inspections FAQ (updated 2026-03-17), Citizens Property Insurance. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  45. 45.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25024, via Census Reporter API (release acs2024_5yr), U.S. Census Bureau (via Census Reporter). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  46. 46.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 15 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), UpCodes (Florida Building Code transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  47. 47.Florida Statutes, section 713.135 (2026), Florida Legislature. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  48. 48.NWS Melbourne, Lightning Safety (state-level statement), National Weather Service. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  49. 49.Fla. Stat. 489.105(3)(e), Florida Legislature. Read Oct 5, 2026.
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New construction roofing in Alachua County

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