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Commercial roofs ยท Broward County

Commercial roofing in Broward County, FL

In Broward County, 35.9 percent of all housing units are in buildings with 10 or more units, close to the 40.0 percent in single-family detached houses. Commercial roofing in Broward County therefore covers condo and apartment roofs as well as shops and warehouses, and any low-slope roof among them is built to the HVHZ's rules.

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High-Velocity Hurricane Zone

Updated October 2026

A flat roof covered in a gray granulated cap sheet, with rooftop units and vents in the distance and tree shadows across the surface.

Commercial roofing in Broward County, in short

Low-slope roofs here follow the HVHZ sections of the Florida Building Code: no loose-laid ballasted systems, at least a 1/4:12 deck slope on new construction, product approval numbers on the permit application, and inspections before the attachment is covered. Broward condo boards with buildings of three or more habitable stories also owe a reserve study at least once every 10 years, and it starts with the roof (Fla. Stat. 718.112(2)(g)).

Sources for this answer

Broward County figures

The Broward County numbers behind this page

Share of homes in buildings with 10+ units
35.9%
Single-family detached share of housing units
40%
New residential building permits, 2025 (county total)
712
Seasonal, recreational or occasional-use homes (share of all units)
7.2%

Buildings

Broward's multi-unit buildings and their roofs

Big buildings are a large part of Broward's housing, and the share climbs at the beach. In Hillsboro Beach, Hallandale Beach and Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, most housing units are in buildings of 10 or more.

The county keeps adding them. The Census Building Permits Survey counts 1,904 units in 36 buildings of five or more units permitted in Broward in 2025, against 712 single-family homes.

And 7.2 percent of Broward's units are held for seasonal use, so roof decisions can run through a manager or a board.

Code

HVHZ low-slope rules for Broward owners and boards

  • Nothing loose-laid: Section 1515.1.5 rules out ballasted and non-ballasted loose systems on Broward roofs.
  • Slope: new construction needs a deck slope of at least 1/4:12 (1515.2.2.1), and Table 1515.2 sets minimums by system, such as 2:12 for architectural metal panels.
  • Inspections: a membrane is inspected during application, before its attachment to the deck is concealed, and again at final (1512.4).
  • Permits: repair and maintenance count, so every roofing job goes on the HVHZ Uniform Roofing Permit Application with product approvals attached (1512.3).

Drainage gets the same scrutiny. The code defines positive roof drainage as enough slope to drain the roof within 48 hours of rain, and it requires secondary overflow drains or scuppers where a parapet would trap water if the primary drains back up.

Storm drains are sized on the 100-year hourly rainfall rate (FBC-Plumbing 1106.1). At NOAA Atlas 14's Fort Lauderdale point that rate is 5.58 inches an hour, and the April 12, 2023 storm put 6.15 inches on the airport gauge in a single hour.

Condo law

Condo boards, reserve studies and the roof

Florida's condo law lists the roof first. Fla. Stat. 718.112(2)(g) has every residential condo association commission a structural integrity reserve study, at least once a decade, for each of its buildings of three or more habitable stories, and the roof heads the list of what that study must cover. Its findings come from a visual inspection, with a remaining useful life estimated for the roof and each other item.

For a board weighing repair, recover or replacement, the code and contractor law point to six questions:

  1. Count the roof layers already on the building: two or more generally means a tear-off under the code's recover rules.
  2. Is any of it wet? A moisture survey, checked with cores, finds water-soaked areas that cannot serve as a base.
  3. Does it drain? Check the 48-hour rule, and whether any coating chosen is rated for ponding that remains.
  4. Where does the roof sit on the 25 percent rule and the 2007-code line?
  5. Is a coating being sold to stop leaks or extend the roof's life? Then it is roofing work under Florida's contractor law.
  6. What are the product approval or NOA numbers?
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Commercial roofs

Commercial roofing by town in Broward County

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Questions

Commercial roofing in Broward County: questions

Are ballasted roofs allowed on Broward commercial buildings?

No. Broward is in the HVHZ, and Section 1515.1.5 says no loose-laid ballasted or non-ballasted system is permitted there. The rule holds in all 31 municipalities, because the zone covers the whole county. Low-slope systems in the HVHZ are attached, inspected during application before the attachment is concealed, and listed by product approval on the uniform permit application.

Source: FBC-B 2023, Section 1515.1.5.

Related: Commercial roofing

Does Florida's condo reserve-study law cover the roof?

Yes, and before anything else. A Florida condo association's structural integrity reserve study, due at least every 10 years for each building of three or more habitable stories under Fla. Stat. 718.112(2)(g), begins with the roof and gives it an estimated remaining useful life from a visual inspection. In Broward, where 35.9 percent of housing units sit in buildings of 10 or more units, that rule reaches a lot of roofs.

Source: Fla. Stat. 718.112(2)(g).

Related: Commercial roofing

What drainage does the code require on a Broward flat roof?

Positive drainage, meaning enough slope to drain the roof within 48 hours of rain, plus secondary overflow drains or scuppers wherever a parapet would trap water if the main drains back up. Storm drainage is sized on the 100-year hourly rate, which NOAA Atlas 14 puts at 5.58 inches an hour at its Fort Lauderdale point. New HVHZ decks also need a slope of at least 1/4:12, and the code bars ballasted systems outright.

Source: FBC-Plumbing 2023, Section 1106.

Related

Can a coating replace a commercial roof in Broward?

Sometimes, but only on a sound base. A coating sold to protect, repair, waterproof, stop leaks or extend a roof's life is roofing work under Fla. Stat. 489.105, and coatings must meet the code's fire and material standards. In the HVHZ a new system may not go over a water-soaked or deteriorated roof (Section 1521.5), so a moisture survey comes first, especially after a day like April 12, 2023, when the airport gauge caught 25.91 inches.

Source: Fla. Stat. 489.105(3)(e).

Related: Commercial roofing

How often should a commercial roof in Broward be inspected?

NRCA's guidance is twice a year, in fall and spring. Broward's calendar fits that timing: hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, so a spring visit readies the roof for the season and a fall visit records what the season did. Trade manuals such as the SPRI/NRCA single-ply inspection and maintenance manual give owners and managers a checklist to follow between visits.

Source: NRCA roofing guidelines.

Related: Commercial roofing

Broward County

More in Broward County

Sources for this page(45)
  1. 1.Share of homes in buildings with 10+ units: 35.9%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25024, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  2. 2.Single-family detached share of housing units: 40%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25024, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  3. 3.New residential building permits, 2025 (county total): 712 single-family units; 74 units in 2-4 unit buildings; 1,904 units in 36 buildings with 5+ units. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, county annual file co2025a.txt (estimates with imputation). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  4. 4.Seasonal, recreational or occasional-use homes (share of all units): 7.2%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25004, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  5. 5.NWS Miami, 'Fort Lauderdale Extreme Rainfall and Flooding - April 12th, 2023' StoryMap; OpenFEMA. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  6. 6.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Climatology. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  7. 7.Incorporated municipalities: 31. Wikipedia, 'List of municipalities in Florida' (cross-checked against Census 2020 TIGER incorporated places). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  8. 8.Florida Building Commission, 'Setting New Standards for Safety: The Florida Building Code' (2004 publication; wind-speed figures in it are outdated and not used). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  9. 9.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 15 (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-14 (the research cites it "as C-14").
  10. 10.Florida Statutes, section 553.842 (2026). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  11. 11.2023 Florida Building Code, Plumbing, 8th ed., Chapter 11 (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).
  12. 12.Florida Statutes, section 718.112 (2026). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  13. 13.Fla. Stat. 489.105(3)(e). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  14. 14.National Roofing Contractors Association. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  15. 15.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).
  16. 16.Fla. Stat. 718.112(2)(g) (structural integrity reserve studies), Florida Legislature. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  17. 17.Fla. Stat. 489.105(3)(e) (roofing contractor scope), Florida Legislature. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  18. 18.2023 Florida Building Code, Plumbing, 8th ed., Ch. 11 Storm Drainage (1106), Florida Building Commission (UpCodes viewer). Read Oct 5, 2026. unofficial transcription; verify on floridabuilding.org
  19. 19.NRCA roofing guidelines for consumers, National Roofing Contractors Association. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  20. 20.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9, version 2, partial-duration point estimates for Fort Lauderdale (26.12, -80.14), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  21. 21.U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates for Hillsboro Beach (B25035 year built, B25024 units in structure, B25004 vacancy), via Census Reporter, U.S. Census Bureau. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  22. 22.U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates for Hallandale Beach (B25035 year built, B25024 units in structure, B25004 vacancy), via Census Reporter, U.S. Census Bureau. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  23. 23.U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates for Lauderdale-by-the-Sea (B25035 year built, B25024 units in structure, B25004 vacancy), via Census Reporter, U.S. Census Bureau. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  24. 24.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, monthly precipitation (Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Intl and nearby stations), NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  25. 25.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Ch. 15 Roof Assemblies (HVHZ Sections 1512-1525), Florida Building Commission (UpCodes viewer). Read Oct 5, 2026. unofficial transcription; verify on floridabuilding.org
  26. 26.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Ch. 1 Scope and Administration (105.2.2, 107, 110.3), International Code Council (Florida Building Commission). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  27. 27.2023 Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th ed., Ch. 9 Roof Assemblies (R901.1 HVHZ exception), International Code Council (Florida Building Commission). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  28. 28.2023 Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th ed., Ch. 2 Definitions (High-Velocity Hurricane Zone), International Code Council (Florida Building Commission). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  29. 29.Florida Building Code Effective Dates, Florida Building Commission. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  30. 30.Florida Senate, SB 808 (2026) bill analysis, pp. 3-4 (history of the Florida Building Code), The Florida Senate. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  31. 31.Fla. Stat. 553.842 (statewide product approval), Florida Legislature. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  32. 32.Miami-Dade County Notice of Acceptance No. 26-0204.02 (standard NOA wording), Miami-Dade County. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  33. 33.Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26), Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  34. 34.U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates for Hollywood (B25035 year built, B25024 units in structure, B25004 vacancy), via Census Reporter, U.S. Census Bureau. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  35. 35.U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates for Lighthouse Point (B25035 year built, B25024 units in structure, B25004 vacancy), via Census Reporter, U.S. Census Bureau. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  36. 36.U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates for West Park (B25035 year built, B25024 units in structure, B25004 vacancy), via Census Reporter, U.S. Census Bureau. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  37. 37.U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates for Fort Lauderdale (B25035 year built, B25024 units in structure, B25004 vacancy), via Census Reporter, U.S. Census Bureau. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  38. 38.U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates for Pompano Beach (B25035 year built, B25024 units in structure, B25004 vacancy), via Census Reporter, U.S. Census Bureau. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  39. 39.U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates for Deerfield Beach (B25035 year built, B25024 units in structure, B25004 vacancy), via Census Reporter, U.S. Census Bureau. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  40. 40.U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates for Parkland (B25035 year built, B25024 units in structure, B25004 vacancy), via Census Reporter, U.S. Census Bureau. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  41. 41.U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates for Weston (B25035 year built, B25024 units in structure, B25004 vacancy), via Census Reporter, U.S. Census Bureau. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  42. 42.U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates for Miramar (B25035 year built, B25024 units in structure, B25004 vacancy), via Census Reporter, U.S. Census Bureau. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  43. 43.U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates for Pembroke Park (B25035 year built, B25024 units in structure, B25004 vacancy), via Census Reporter, U.S. Census Bureau. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  44. 44.U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates for Davie (B25035 year built, B25024 units in structure, B25004 vacancy), via Census Reporter, U.S. Census Bureau. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  45. 45.U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates for Dania Beach (B25035 year built, B25024 units in structure, B25004 vacancy), via Census Reporter, U.S. Census Bureau. Read Oct 5, 2026.

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Commercial roofing in Broward County

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