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Cost of a roof to rise 25 percent

Or more. But the tougher building code is supposed to bring insurance discounts.

By IVAN PENN, Times Staff Writer
Published September 22, 2007

Come Oct. 1, the cost for all Florida homeowners to replace their roofs is expected to rise at least 25 percent -- and even more for those who live in coastal communities.

The additional charges are the result of a law the state Legislature passed in May that increased building code requirements to strengthen homes against hurricanes.

While most experts agree that adding such protection can only help, roofers are complaining the state was too hasty in implementing the new requirements.

The change has gotten little attention, and the state's roofing association wanted to delay the law by a year to better understand its implications and educate roofers and the public about the changes.

"This is really big," said Jim Carducci, director of technical services for the Florida Roofing, Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors Association. "There's liability for the consumer as well as the roofer. There's a lot of clarity that needs to be done here."

Also lacking clarity are the insurance implications. What is clear is the consumer will have to pay, but what's unclear is how much of a discount insurance companies will give for the improvements.

Sen. Bill Posey, who championed the changes in the law and other mitigation efforts, said his only regret is that the state had not taken this step sooner.

"We can't bury our heads in the sand," Posey said. "None of it's pretty. ... But the ultimate solution to the property insurance crisis is mitigation."

The idea is that if every homeowner is required to meet the tougher standards as their roofs wear out, within about 15 years almost every roof in Florida will have been strengthened.

Under the new requirements, the roofer must ensure:

• Roof deck attachments and fasteners the connection between plywood sheets and the roof trusses are strengthened or corrected.
• Secondary water barriers (material that covers the joints between plywood sheets on the roof) are installed to reduce leaks if shingles are lost during a storm.
• If the insured value of the home is $300,000 or more and it's in the state's wind-borne debris region -- mostly coastal communities -- roof-to-wall connections must be enhanced, at a cost of up to 15 percent above the re-roofing cost.

John Tillinghast, president of the Pinellas County Roofing Contractors Association, said a 2,500-square-foot roof might cost $6,250 now. With the upgrades after Oct. 1, the same roof might cost some $7,800; in Pinellas, the cost might go to about $9,000.

"People are struggling to pay for the roofs as it is," Tillinghast said.

"Personally, I think they're getting screwed," said Jim Seely, of Tropical Roofing Inc. in St. Petersburg.

"I mean it's a great thing to do. ... But if the regular working man needed a roof and couldn't afford it, but had to do it, he never would be able to afford this."

Tillinghast and Carducci said the part of the new law that requires the roof-to-wall connection poses a particular problem. Roofers are not certified to perform such structural work. A general contractor or someone of similar certification must perform it, which could drive up costs even more.

"It looks like a nightmare," Tillinghast said.

Rodney Fischer, executive director of the Pinellas County Construction Licensing Board, said he agrees with roofers that the logistics of implementing the law need work.

"The goal is a really good goal," Fischer said. "There are some problems with the process. ... It's almost as if a person who doesn't understand the process of roofing did this."

Fischer has long voiced concern about making the Florida building code tougher without the insurance industry doing its part to substantially reduce homeowners rates.

"I think the state of Florida is being manipulated by the insurance industry," Fischer said. "That's my personal opinion."

But Posey said the Legislature took several actions against the insurance industry to help bring relief to homeowners. "We did 60 different things to the insurance companies," he said.

"We beat them every which way we could beat them. The only thing in the long run ... is to lower the risk of loss."

Homeowners qualify for an insurance premium discount if they make the required improvements. But there is no simple formula for the discount. The amount might vary depending on how close the home is to the coast and the surrounding terrain.

"Insurers are required to provide discounts to homeowners," said Jonathon Kees, spokesman for the state Office of Insurance Regulation. "There are a lot of variables that play into it. ...We're still in the process of communicating with insurers."

The tougher roofing requirement was an amendment to the My Safe Florida Home program legislation. Originally, the state was giving qualified homeowners grants up to $5,000 to make repairs, including strengthening their roofs.

But under the new law, the state will require roofs to be upgraded but won't provide cash grants to assist.

"On paper, the stuff sounds like a good idea," said Tillinghast, of the Pinellas roofers association. "It doesn't mean everybody can afford it."

Ivan Penn covers consumer issues and can be reached at ipenn@sptimes.com or (727) 892-2332.

FAST FACTS: Claiming a discount

• The state offers free home inspections and grants to eligible homeowners through its My Safe Florida Home program. The program informs homeowners about their home's ability to withstand a storm and recommends improvements. To apply, visit www.mysafefloridahome.com or call toll-free 1-866-513-6734.
• When you hire a contractor to replace your roof, make sure the person is licensed and signs a mitigation discount form for the work completed. The Department of Financial Services says the form can be used to present to insurers.

If you have problems with the insurer or need help claiming your discount, call the department's consumer toll-free hotline at 1-800-342-2762 (in Florida) or 850-413-3132 (out-of-state).

[Last modified September 22, 2007, 10:24:10]