New construction roofing in Lake Mary, FL

Roof sheathing on a new home must be nailed with ring shank nails, 2 1/2 inches long and 0.131 inch thick, under the residential code. The dry-in comes next, and the code gives you three options. One is the full deck covered with self-adhering membrane. Another is a 3 3/4-inch tape or membrane strip over every deck joint, then underlayment over the whole roof. The last is a double layer of felt-type underlayment, nailed with plastic or metal caps at tight spacing.

Drip edge goes over the underlayment at eaves and gables, with fasteners no more than 12 inches apart. That tightens to 4 inches where the design wind speed is 110 mph or more, or the roof is higher than 33 feet. Roofing is also a mandatory statewide product approval category, so the shingle, tile or metal on your permit must carry a Florida approval number. You can check any number in the Florida Building Commission search.

Gutters belong in the plan too. The residential code requires gutters and downspouts where eaves project less than 6 inches, and downspouts must discharge at least 1 foot from the wall. Soldiers Creek floods from time to time, so water placement near the foundation is worth a look.

A Lake Mary roof passes through several checkpoints in a fixed order: foundation, framing, sheathing, exterior wall coverings, roofing, final. The sheathing inspection can be combined with the dry-in or requested separately once all sheathing and fasteners are done. The roofing inspection covers dry-in, flashing and coverings. Your roofer cannot cover the deck before the sheathing inspection passes.

Two clocks matter. A permit goes invalid if work does not start within 6 months, or stops for 6 months. Active progress means an approved inspection within 180 days. Also, a Notice of Commencement must be recorded and posted before the first inspection.

Who does the work is set by Florida law. A general contractor may install asphalt shingles itself only on a new building of its own construction. Tile, metal and membrane go to a certified or registered roofing contractor, and a builder may not advertise as a roofer without that credential.