Roof leak
Your roof is leaking. Here is the next hour.
Read the first three steps before you call anyone, including us. They cost nothing, they take ten minutes, and they change what the repair costs.
Licensed underCCC 1334241
The short answer
Move what is under it, put a bucket down, and if the ceiling is bulging, pierce the low point with a screwdriver so the water drains in one place instead of collapsing the drywall. Photograph everything before you clean up, because that is your insurance claim. Then call a licensed roofing contractor. Do not let anyone on the roof in the rain, and do not sign anything a door-knocker hands you.
Water coming in now
Send your number. We call you back.
If there is active water, calling is faster and someone picks up. If you cannot talk right now, leave a number and we call you. No form, no name, no address. We ask on the phone.
(754) 326-9233Do these three things first
01
Photograph it before you touch anything
Wide shot of the room, close shot of the stain, and a shot with something in frame for scale. If you clean up first you have destroyed the only evidence of what happened, and an adjuster who arrives to a dry ceiling is an adjuster deciding against you.
02
Drain the bulge on purpose
A ceiling holding water will come down on its own schedule. Pierce the lowest point of the bulge with a screwdriver and put a bucket under it. A small hole you made is a patch. A collapsed ceiling is a room.
03
Do not put anyone on the roof in the rain
A wet tile roof is the most dangerous surface in this trade, and nothing useful happens up there mid-storm anyway. A tarp goes on after the rain stops. Anyone offering to climb up during it is selling urgency, not repair.
Where South Florida roofs actually leak
Almost never in the middle of the field. Water gets in where the roof stops being a plane.
Flashing at the plane changes
Valleys, hips, chimneys, skylights and the wall where an addition ties in. On a complex roof the metal work is the roof; the covering just sheds the rest.
Around penetrations
Vents, plumbing stacks, air conditioning line sets and solar mounts. A penetration flashed by someone who does not hold a roofing licence is the most common leak we open up.
The flat sections
Carport, screened patio, Florida room. These are low-slope roofs living under a pitched one, they age faster, and they are why a house that looks fine from the street stains a ceiling inside.
Failed underlayment on a tile roof
The tile is fine. The secondary water barrier under it is not. This is the most misdiagnosed roof in the county, because the visible part of it looks perfect.
What insurance will and will not cover
Florida carriers generally cover sudden damage and generally do not cover wear. A tile that broke in a storm is a claim. Twenty-two years of sun on an underlayment is maintenance. The line between them is decided by documentation, which is why the photographs matter more than the phone call. We write what we find, we put dates on it, and we hand you the report whether or not you hire us. If your carrier has already sent a non-renewal letter, that is a different problem with a deadline on it.
Roof requirements from your insurerWhat a repair costs, honestly
Anyone who quotes a roof leak over the phone is guessing, and the guess is always low. What is true: a repair is priced from what has to come off to reach the problem, so a leak reachable from the surface is a different order of money from one under three courses of tile with rotten decking beneath it. Our estimate is written, itemised, and states what happens if we open it and find worse. You keep it whether you hire us or not.
Six Florida state licenses, one contractor
Most home service companies hold one. Every number below is verifiable at myfloridalicense.com.
CCC 1334241
Roofing
EC 13011540
Electrical
CVC 57206
Solar
CBC 1265942
Building
CFC 1431872
Plumbing
CAC 1822245
Air conditioning
Common questions
- Can you come out today?
- Sometimes, and we will tell you on the phone rather than after you have waited. Emergencies are dispatched as crews become available. We do not advertise a guaranteed response window we cannot always keep, and if we cannot reach you quickly enough we will say so and you can call someone else.
- Should I tarp it myself?
- Only after the rain stops, only if you can do it from a ladder without going onto the slope, and only on a low roof. A tarp on a wet tile roof is how people fall. If it needs to be tarped and you cannot reach it safely, that is what we are for.
- A company knocked on my door after the storm. Should I sign?
- No, not on the doorstep. Take the licence number, look it up at myfloridalicense.com, and get a second written estimate. Post-storm door-knocking is legal and some of it is legitimate, but the pressure to sign an assignment of benefits on your own porch is not something an established local contractor needs to do.
- Does one leak mean I need a whole new roof?
- Usually not. A leak at a flashing detail on an otherwise sound roof is a repair. What decides it is the age of the covering and the condition of the decking underneath, which is why we look before we quote. If your roof has real life left in it we will tell you, because we would rather do your replacement in six years than sell you one today you did not need.
- How fast does water damage get expensive?
- Fast. Drywall and insulation hold water, and in this humidity growth starts in a day or two. The repair to the roof is often the smaller half of the bill if the ceiling sits wet for a week, which is the real argument for calling on day one rather than after the next rain.
Homeowners
What people say after the crew leaves
I recently had my roof replaced by Qualitech Home Services, and I couldn't be more impressed! From start to finish, their team was professional, efficient, and highly skilled. The installation was flawless, and the quality of workmanship truly exceeded my expectations. What stood out even more was their financing program, hands down one of the best I've come across. It was flexible, transparent, and tailored to fit my needs without any hidden surprises.
We recently completed a roofing project with Qualitech Home Services, and we couldn't be more pleased with the outcome. The team was professional, efficient, and easy to work with throughout the entire process. We are now ready for the new solar panel installation project that Qualitech will be completing soon.
Qualitech was the best company I reached out to. They are quick, efficient, and reliable. Their prices are great, and they're very honest about their work. Another great thing is the free quote they offer. My husband and I couldn't be happier with our new roof and will definitely use them again in the future.
Get it looked at before the next rain
A written estimate with photographs of what we found, free, and yours to keep whether or not you hire us.