New construction ยท Westchester
New construction roofing in Westchester, FL
Only 0.9 percent of homes in Westchester were built in 2010 or later. That means most roofs here are much older than the new work you may be planning. If you are building a new home, the roof is part of a sequence of inspections that starts before the first nail and ends with a final sign-off. Knowing that order helps you schedule the roofer with the framing crew, not after it.
Updated October 2026
Code and timing
The version of the building code that applies to your replacement roof
If you file for a permit on December 31, 2026 or later, the Ninth Edition of the Florida Building Code governs your job. Plans filed before that date stay under the Eighth Edition, which took effect December 31, 2023. Your plans reviewer in Miami-Dade will check which edition applies to your filing date, so confirm the date with the county before you submit.
Westchester sits inside Miami-Dade County, which is one of the two counties in the High Velocity Hurricane Zone. Under that zone's rules, the roofing permit application must carry product approval numbers and the owner's notification. For a new home, that paperwork is part of the initial filing, not something added later.
Inspections
How the decking, underlayment and inspections are sequenced on a new roof
The code sets the inspection order: framing, then sheathing, then exterior wall coverings and soffit, then the roofing inspection covering dry-in, insulation, roof covering and flashing, then final. Sheathing can be inspected as part of a dry-in check or on its own when the contractor asks after all roof and wall sheathing and fasteners are complete. Ask your roofer to request that inspection before the underlayment goes on.
- Roof sheathing nails must be ASTM F1667 RSRS-03 or an allowed alternate for thinner sheathing.
- Choose one of three dry-in methods for shingle, metal and similar roofs, such as a full self-adhering membrane.
- Shingle drip edge must be nailed at 12 inches on center, or 4 inches where wind speed or roof height is higher.
- Tile over solid sheathing only, installed to the manufacturer's instructions or the FRSA/TRI manual.
Who does the work
Who may install the roof on your new home
A general contractor building its own new home may install asphalt shingles itself. Tile, metal and membrane roofs must go to a state-certified or registered roofing contractor. A general contractor that is not also certified for roofing may not advertise itself as a roofer.
Florida law requires builders to warrant a newly built home for one year against defects in equipment, material or workmanship that violate the Florida Building Code. Coverage under the statute does not extend to ordinary aging, ground movement or harm caused by a natural disaster. Ask the builder which subcontractor installs the roof so you know who to contact for a defect claim.
Questions
New construction roofing in Westchester: questions
Does a new roof in Westchester have to meet the current Florida code?
Yes, the edition depends on the date your permit application is submitted. Filings made on or after December 31, 2026 are bound by the Ninth Edition of the Florida Building Code. Miami-Dade County Regulatory and Economic Resources handles roofing permits here, so confirm the filing date and edition with that office before you submit plans.
Source: Miami-Dade County RER notice, read Oct 5, 2026
What inspections does a new roof need in Westchester?
The code lists the order: foundation, framing, sheathing, exterior wall coverings and soffit, roofing, then final. The roofing inspection covers dry-in, insulation, the roof covering and flashing. Sheathing can be checked as part of a dry-in inspection or separately after all sheathing and fasteners are complete. Many homes in Westchester were built around 1971, so a roof replacement on an older home often reveals sheathing that needs attention, which makes that sheathing check worth requesting carefully. Your roofer or builder should request each inspection at the right stage.
Source: 2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 1 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), read Oct 5, 2026
Can a general contractor install the roof on a new home in Miami-Dade?
A general contractor may install asphalt or fiberglass shingles on a new building it constructed itself. Tile, metal and membrane roofs must be installed by a state-certified or registered roofing contractor. The Florida statute also bars a general contractor not certified for roofing from advertising as a roofing contractor. Many homes in older Miami-Dade neighborhoods were built around 1971, so homeowners replacing an existing roof should confirm the installer's credentials before work begins.
Source: Florida Statutes, section 489.113 (2026), read Oct 5, 2026
What is the 25% roof rule in Florida?
The rule says that no more than 25 percent of an existing roof area can be repaired, replaced or recovered in any 12-month period unless the entire roof covering is replaced. A roof built or repaired under the 2007 Florida Building Code or later can be handled differently, and local governments cannot amend that exception. This rule applies to existing buildings, so it matters more for repairs than for a new home.
Source: 2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 15 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), read Oct 5, 2026
Nearby
New construction roofing near Westchester
Sources for this page(29)
- 1.Permit office: Miami-Dade County Regulatory and Economic Resources (RER) - Building & Permits. Miami-Dade County Regulatory and Economic Resources (RER) - Building & Permits. Read Oct 10, 2026.
- 2.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.
- 3.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25024, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 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.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 6.Miami-Dade County RER, Board and Code Administration Division, Product Approval. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 7.Share of homes built 2010 or later: 0.9%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 8.Median year homes were built: 1971. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 9.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.
- 10.Miami-Dade County RER notice. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 11.FRSA, "New 2023 FBC Eighth Edition is Now in Effect", 2024-02-13. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 12.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).
- 13.Florida Statutes, section 553.842 (2026). Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 14.2023 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").
- 15.2023 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).
- 16.2023 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").
- 17.Florida Statutes, section 489.113 (2026). Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 18.Florida Statutes, section 553.837 (2026). Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 19.2023 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).
- 20.Miami-Dade County Regulatory and Economic Resources (RER) - Building & Permits, Miami. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 21.Florida Statutes, section 627.7011 (2026), Florida Legislature. Read Oct 4, 2026.
- 22.Florida Statutes, section 713.135 (2026), Florida Legislature. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 23.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (access data service), NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 24.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (access data service), NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 25.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Climatology, NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 26.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma (AL112017), NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 27.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Dorian (AL052019), NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 28.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration 24-hour depth estimates at the Westchester 2020 Census internal point (25.7454, -80.3535), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 29.miamidade.gov, miamidade.gov. Read Oct 5, 2026.
South Fork Roofing
New construction roofing in Westchester
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