Roofing Contractor in Seminole Heights, FL

Known for its shaded brick streets, independent restaurants, and neighborhood character, Seminole Heights is home to Tampa’s finest collection of historic 1910s, 1920s, and 1930s Craftsman bungalows and historic cottages.

Re-roofing a century-old home in Old Seminole Heights, South Seminole Heights, or Southeast Seminole Heights takes special care. You cannot treat a handcrafted 1924 bungalow with exposed wood rafters like a modern suburban tract home.

We bring experienced carpentry, custom metal craftsmanship, and modern 130+ MPH hurricane engineering to every historic home we touch.

Original Wood Plank Roof Decks vs. Modern Plywood

Modern homes use 4x8 plywood sheets for roof decking. In Seminole Heights, original 1920s homes have individual 1x6 or 1x8 pine planks:

• The Challenge with Old Planks: Over 100 years of Florida heat and humidity, solid wood planks naturally shrink and warp, leaving 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch gaps between boards. Current Florida building code requires nails to grip solid wood without landing in open gaps.
• Our Carpentry Solution: During tear-off, our carpenters inspect every board for old rot and termite damage, replacing broken planks with solid wood. For roofs with wide gaps between planks, we screw down a fresh layer of 1/2-inch exterior plywood directly over the original boards. This provides a rock-solid base that meets modern 130+ MPH hurricane codes while preserving the beautiful wood ceiling structure below.

Protecting Handcrafted Exposed Rafter Tails

The signature look of an authentic Craftsman bungalow is the exposed rafter tails—the carved wood beam ends sticking out under the roof overhangs.

Careless roofing crews using heavy pry-bars can easily gouge, split, or shatter these antique wood beams:

• Our crews strip old shingles by hand along all edges and overhangs to protect your woodwork.
• We use carefully measured nail lengths so nails never poke through the underside into your painted porch ceiling.
• If existing rafter tails have rot from old leaks, our carpenters can repair or custom-carve replacement tails to match the original woodwork.

City of Tampa Historic Preservation Approvals

Homes within designated Seminole Heights historic districts are protected by City of Tampa preservation rules. Installing unapproved materials or the wrong colors can lead to city notices and delays.

We make the historic approval process simple:

• Period-Appropriate Colors: We help you choose architectural shingles in classic historic colors (such as Barkwood, Weathered Wood, or Pewter Gray) or traditional 5V-crimp metal panels that honor your bungalow’s style.
• We Handle the City Paperwork: We put together the photos, product spec sheets, and state approval numbers required by the City of Tampa Historic Preservation office, getting approval before starting work under our Florida license #CCC1331824.

Low-Slope Front Porch Roofs

The wide covered front porch is the centerpiece of the Seminole Heights bungalow lifestyle. Because porch roofs were built with very gentle slopes, standard shingles cannot be used because rainwater would seep under the edges.

We install seamless, self-stick waterproof membranes or white TPO on flat porch roofs, paired with custom-bent metal flashings that tie neatly under the shingles of your main roof.

Sealing Historic Brick Chimneys

Many bungalows feature historic fireplaces made with red brick or river rock. Over time, bricks and mortar expand and contract in the heat, creating small cracks where rainwater can sneak in.

We custom-bend metal and copper flashings that tuck right into the mortar joints of your chimney, sealing it with commercial waterproof caulking so your fireplace stays completely dry during summer downpours.