Miami-Dade County ยท Census-designated place
Roofing in Westwood Lakes, Florida
The median year homes were built in Westwood Lakes is 1957, which is older than the Miami-Dade County figure of 1980. That suggests many roofs in this town have been on for decades, and the rules that apply to replacing them depend on how old the roof is and what it was built to.
Updated October 2026
Housing age
How old are Westwood Lakes roofs?
About 94.3 percent of the 3,382 housing units here were built before 1980. Only 0.7 percent were built in 2010 or later. Many roofs on these homes are likely past their expected service life, so a roof inspection after a storm or a leak is a reasonable first step.
Most homes here are single-family detached houses, at 97.8 percent of units. Owners of these homes typically handle their own roof decisions and their own insurer paperwork, so the roof age and documentation count directly for them.
Insurance documents
Insurer roof age rules that affect Westwood Lakes homeowners
If you have a Citizens policy, the insurer asks for documentation of at least five years of remaining useful life once a roof is older than 25 years for shingle roofs, or 50 years for tile, slate, clay, concrete or metal. With a 1957 median build year here, many roofs may fall into that range. Check your policy and talk to your insurer or agent about what they need.
- 97.8% of housing units are single-family detached homes.
Permits and review
Who issues roof permits in Westwood Lakes
Westwood Lakes is a census-designated place without its own city government, so the Miami-Dade County Regulatory and Economic Resources department issues building permits here. Check the county's Building and Permits page before starting work, and confirm with the building office which permit your project needs.
Because it sits inside the High Velocity Hurricane Zone, Miami-Dade falls under especially demanding hurricane rules. Roofing materials used here must be approved for it, and a product may not be sold as hurricane protection unless it is approved under state law.
Building permits
Miami-Dade County Regulatory and Economic Resources (RER) - Building & Permits
Official building pageOffice names and links only. Fees, forms and timing change; check the official page.
Weather risk
Storms and rain affecting Westwood Lakes roofs
At Miami International Airport, about 76.6 percent of the normal 67.41 inches of annual rain falls from May through October. Hurricane activity in the Atlantic basin stretches from June 1 through November 30, and by our arithmetic the busiest point lands around September 10. Hurricane Irma in 2017 caused about 1,000 homes in Miami-Dade major damage, so inspect your roof and gutters before each season.
NOAA Atlas 14 data for this town shows a 1-hour rain in a 10-year storm of 3.37 inches an hour, and a 24-hour rain of 8.55 inches in the same storm. Clear debris from drains and check flashing after heavy rain.
Services
Roofing services in Westwood Lakes
- Roof replacementTear-off, deck, code items and the two inspections.Re-roofs in Westwood Lakes
- Roof repairLeaks, lifted shingles, cracked tile and flashing.Repairs in Westwood Lakes
- Roof inspectionsRoof age, condition and what an insurer asks about.Inspections in Westwood Lakes
- Commercial roofingLow-slope systems, drainage and the code for buildings.Commercial roofs in Westwood Lakes
- New construction roofingDry-in, the sheathing inspection and the code edition.New construction in Westwood Lakes
- GuttersSizing for Florida rain, downspouts and fascia.Gutters in Westwood Lakes
Questions
Westwood Lakes roofing questions
What is the 25% roof rule in Florida?
Under the 25 percent limit, you cannot repair or replace more than that share of an existing roof within 12 months without upgrading the entire roof to present-day code. In Miami-Dade, not more than 25 percent of the total roof area may be repaired, replaced or recovered in any 12-month period unless the entire roof covering is replaced. Exceptions exist for roofs built to the 2007 Florida Building Code or later. Confirm with the Miami-Dade County building office how the rule applies to your home before you start.
Source: 2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 15 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), read Oct 5, 2026
What is the new law in Florida about roofs?
On December 31, 2023, the 2023 Eighth Edition of the Florida Building Code became effective. The Ninth Edition replaces it on December 31, 2026, so every permit application submitted on or after that date must satisfy the new rules. Only two counties sit inside the High Velocity Hurricane Zone, and Miami-Dade is one of them. If you plan a roof project, ask the Miami-Dade building office which edition applies to your permit.
Source: FRSA, "New 2023 FBC Eighth Edition is Now in Effect", 2024-02-13, read Oct 5, 2026
Who issues roof permits in Westwood Lakes?
Since Westwood Lakes is an unincorporated census-designated place, building permits there are issued by the Miami-Dade County Regulatory and Economic Resources department. Check that page or call the building office to confirm what permit your project needs.
Source: Miami-Dade County Regulatory and Economic Resources (RER) - Building & Permits, read Oct 5, 2026
How old are most homes in Westwood Lakes?
The median year homes were built in Westwood Lakes is 1957, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2 years. About 94.3 percent of housing units were built before 1980, compared with 49.6 percent for Miami-Dade County. Older roofs may be near the end of their service life, so an inspection is a sensible step.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API, read Oct 5, 2026
Does a roof insurance form need documentation?
For Citizens Property Insurance policies, roofs older than 25 years of shingle or 50 years of tile, slate, clay, concrete or metal require documentation of at least five years of remaining useful life. Since the median home here was built in 1957, many roofs may fall under this requirement. Contact your insurer or agent to learn what documents they need.
Source: Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, inspections FAQ (updated 2026-03-17), read Oct 4, 2026
Miami-Dade County
More in Miami-Dade County
Sources for this page(26)
- 1.Housing units (ACS 5-year): 3,382. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25001, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 2.Share of homes built before 1980: 94.3%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 3.Share of homes built 2010 or later: 0.7%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25034, 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.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.
- 7.Single-family detached share of housing units: 97.8%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25024, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 8.Owner-occupied share of occupied homes: 76.8% (2,561 of 3,336). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25003, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 9.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25024, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 10.Median year homes were built: 1957. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 11.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.
- 12.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.
- 13.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (access data service). Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 14.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (access data service). Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 15.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Climatology. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 16.Hurricane Irma (2017). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma (AL112017). Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 17.People (2020 Census): 11,373. U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census counts (POP100, HU100) via TIGERweb tigerWMS_Census2020 layer 28 (Census Designated Places). Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 18.Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, inspections FAQ (updated 2026-03-17), Citizens Property Insurance. Read Oct 4, 2026.
- 19.Miami-Dade County Regulatory and Economic Resources (RER) - Building & Permits, Miami. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 20.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 15 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), UpCodes (Florida Building Code transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 21.Florida Statutes, section 553.842 (2026), Florida Legislature. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 22.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma (AL112017), NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 23.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration intensity estimates at the Westwood Lakes 2020 Census internal point (25.7247, -80.3693), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 24.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration 24-hour depth estimates at the Westwood Lakes 2020 Census internal point (25.7247, -80.3693), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 25.FRSA, "New 2023 FBC Eighth Edition is Now in Effect", 2024-02-13, floridaroof.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- 26.Miami-Dade County RER notice, Miami. Read Oct 5, 2026.
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