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Roofing in Surfside, Florida

Surfside is a beachside town between the Atlantic and Biscayne Bay, with several multistory condominium buildings next to the beach. Most of the town's roofs sit on older buildings, so a roof here is often a shared decision with a condo board, not a single owner's call. Start by knowing how old your building is and who must approve the work.

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Updated October 2026

Drone view looking down on a single-story home with a gray shingle roof, a backyard patio with chairs, a white vinyl fence, palm trees and a debris container at the edge of the frame.

At a glance

Surfside homes at a glance

People (2020 Census)
5,689
Median year homes were built
1973
Share of homes built before 1980
59.6%
Share of homes built 2010 or later
10.1%
Owner-occupied share of occupied homes
74%

Census figures; each one is listed in the sources at the end of this page.

Roof age

What the age of a Surfside roof tells you

The median home here was built in 1973, according to the Census Bureau's latest five-year survey. That suggests many original roofs are well past the age where they were first installed. Only about 10 percent of homes were built in 2010 or later, so newer roofs are the exception here.

For soft roofs such as shingle that are over 25 years old, Citizens Property Insurance requires proof of at least five years of remaining useful life. For hard roofs such as tile or metal, that threshold is 50 years. A roof built around 1973 would be past both checks, so ask your insurer or agent what documents they need.

Permits

Who permits roof work and what review applies

The Town of Surfside Building department is where roof permits are obtained. Confirm current requirements with that office before work starts, since the Florida Building Code changes on a set schedule.

A permit has time limits. A permit lapses if work has not begun within 6 months of its issue date. Once work is underway, it stays active only if an inspection passes within 180 days. Plan the schedule so the job does not stall.

  • Confirm the permit clock before signing a contract.
  • Ask who records the Notice of Commencement, since the permit card warns of paying twice without it.
  • Keep the product approval number for any shingle or panel on the job.

Building permits

Town of Surfside - Building

Official building page

Office names and links only. Fees, forms and timing change; check the official page.

Weather

Storms, rain and what this county faces

Miami-Dade is one of two counties in the High Velocity Hurricane Zone, which carries the strong hurricane provisions South Florida adopted after Hurricane Andrew. Hurricane Irma in 2017 pushed surge 4 to 6 feet above ground along Biscayne Bay, so a roof here faces both wind and water.

Most rain falls in summer. Roughly 76.6 percent of Miami International Airport's typical yearly rainfall arrives between May and October, with June bringing the heaviest totals. Atlantic hurricane season stretches from June 1 through November 30, and storms cluster most heavily between mid-August and mid-October.

Local record

On record for Surfside

  • Beachside town between the Atlantic and Biscayne Bay with several multistory condominium buildings next to the beach.
  • Champlain Towers South, a 12-story condominium, partially collapsed on June 24, 2021, causing 98 deaths.
  • FEMA emergency declaration EM-3560 ('Surfside Building Collapse') was issued for Miami-Dade County.
  • 29.5% of all housing units are vacant and held for seasonal, recreational or occasional use.

Services

Roofing services in Surfside

Questions

Surfside roofing questions

How old are most roofs in Surfside?

Most homes here are older. The median home was built in 1973, and 59.6 percent of homes were built before 1980. A large share of the original roofs in the area are likely beyond 25 years of age. A roof of that age will likely need a documented remaining life check for insurance, so ask your insurer what they require.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof replacement

Who issues roof permits in Surfside?

Roof permits come from the Town of Surfside Building department. Confirm current requirements with that office before work starts, because the state code changes on fixed dates and the next edition takes effect December 31, 2026.

Source: Town of Surfside - Building, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof replacement

Does a roof permit expire here?

It can. Permits expire when work fails to begin within 6 months of issuance or when a pause in work lasts 6 months. Once started, the permit stays active only with an inspection passed within 180 days. Many homes in this area were built around 1973, so older roofs often involve permit checks and inspections that take time to schedule. Build your schedule around these limits.

Source: 2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 1 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof replacement

Are many Surfside homes second homes or seasonal?

A meaningful share are. Seasonal, recreational or occasional-use homes make up 29.5 percent of all housing units here, compared with 4.6 percent across Miami-Dade County. Owners of these units may not be present to notice leaks, so a property manager should check roofs after storms.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25004, via Census Reporter API, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof repair

How much rain does Surfside get in a year?

At Miami International Airport the 1991 to 2020 normal is 67.41 inches a year, and 89.6 days a year have at least 0.10 inch. At Miami Beach the normal is 57.18 inches. Rain falls heavily in summer, so check gutters and flashing before June.

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (access data service), read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Gutters

Nearby

Near Surfside

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Miami-Dade County

More in Miami-Dade County

Sources for this page(27)
  1. 1.Median year homes were built: 1973. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  2. 2.Share of homes built before 1980: 59.6%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  3. 3.Share of homes built 2010 or later: 10.1%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  4. 4.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  5. 5.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25035, B25034, B25024, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  6. 6.Permit office: Town of Surfside - Building. Town of Surfside - Building. Read Oct 10, 2026.
  7. 7.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.
  8. 8.Hurricane Irma (2017). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma (AL112017). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  9. 9.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (access data service). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  10. 10.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Climatology. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  11. 11.Wikipedia, 'Surfside, Florida' (revision 1378566173). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  12. 12.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25004, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  13. 13.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25004, B01001, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  14. 14.Seasonal, recreational or occasional-use homes (share of all units): 29.5%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25004, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  15. 15.OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2 (EM-3560, Surfside Building Collapse). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  16. 16.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (access data service). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  17. 17.People (2020 Census): 5,689. U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census counts (POP100, HU100) via TIGERweb tigerWMS_Census2020 layer 26 (Incorporated Places). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  18. 18.Owner-occupied share of occupied homes: 74.0% (1,454 of 1,965). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25003, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  19. 19.Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, inspections FAQ (updated 2026-03-17), Citizens Property Insurance. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  20. 20.Town of Surfside - Building, Town of Surfside. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  21. 21.FRSA, "New 2023 FBC Eighth Edition is Now in Effect", 2024-02-13, floridaroof.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  22. 22.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 1 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), UpCodes (Florida Building Code transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  23. 23.Florida Statutes, section 713.135 (2026), Florida Legislature. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  24. 24.Florida Building Commission, Florida Building Commission. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  25. 25.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma (AL112017), NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  26. 26.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 15 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), UpCodes (Florida Building Code transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  27. 27.Miami-Dade County RER notice, Miami. Read Oct 5, 2026.

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