Atlantic storms, salt air, and relentless Florida sun — roofs in Fernandina Beach earn their keep. Universal has been roofing Florida homes since 1993.
What does your roof need? Pick one to start.
Get a Free Roof InspectionSchedule Free InspectionGet My Free InspectionBook Free InspectionNo obligation. We'll tell you if your roof doesn't need work.
To whom it may concern, I've had the pleasure of working with Universal roof and contracting, in particular with David Alger. I have found David to be very professional, very knowledgeable, and very expeditious in solving my problems. I highly recommend him and the company for any roofing projects!
In March 2026 Universal Roofing installed my new roof. I worked with David of the Jacksonville office on my quotation. David walked me through all elements of the quotation, answered my questions and provided me with supportive visual material. David was very responsive and a pleasure to work with. He coordinated with the Orlando office who did the installation and I am extremely happy with my new roof and the support David provided. .
If you are looking for an honest assessment, fair pricing, and straight talk about your roof, reach out to Devon at Universal.
Working in the real estate industry, I unfortunately experience less than stellar contractors and repair jobs. My wife and I hired Universal to replace the roof on our home and we could not have been more pleased that we did. The communication was excellent from the start of the project to the finish. The follow through, problem solving, and professionalism exceeded our expectations. This company is one of the good ones! They have earned our trust, and therefore, we will definitively recommend them without reservation.
Devon has been great. He came to my house to try and find a leak and did a very extensive water test to find the issue. Although he could not find the leak initially he provide me his cell and asked me to text him the next time it leaked. When it leaked I texted him and he was able to capture the winds and weather at the time. He then came back out to my house and was able to find the leak. I really appreciate Devon taking the time to really try and find the issue. He was very responsive and attentive.
Great company - they keep their promises and gave me an awesome roof on my house and garage (& replaced hardee board and flashing on adjacent to my screen room) . I highly recommend them to replace your old roof …,but I’d definitely insist on my own magnet to pick up nails they missed !
Our new black shingle roof makes our 1947 home look modern. Very thorough work, they uncovered previous storm damage and worked with our homeowners insurance to get it partially paid for. Great customer service and great quality workmanship!
David is awesome!!! I highly recommend this company. They were fast, clean, and efficient and I have the best shingle on the market!!
David and Carson were very Professional, neat, and very knowledgeable. They both gave us an easy confident feeling while deciding to make such a substantial investment. Kudos to the crew as well for being very efficient, and for cleaning up the mess with great detail.
1 of 3
Universal Roof & Contracting serves Fernandina Beach with every major roofing service — repair, replacement, inspections, storm response, gutters, and all four mainstream roof systems — from our Northeast Florida office. Family-owned since 1993, BBB-accredited with an A+ rating, and Owens Corning Platinum Preferred. This page is the whole picture in one place; every section links to the full service behind it.
Every roofing decision in Fernandina Beach traces back to three forces, and the numbers behind them show why installation quality matters here.
Strong sun breaks down shingle asphalt and fades finishes over time, so Florida roofs need regular checks.
Atlantic salt air corrodes exposed metal fasteners, flashing, and gutter seams. Corrosion-resistant materials matter this close to the coast.
Summer squall lines and the occasional named storm bring hard, wind-driven rain that finds every weak detail.
53.4"
annual rainfall at the Jacksonville station
54%
of it falls June through September
7.6"
in June alone — the peak month
NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals (USW00013889)
Around the First Coast, the roofs that last aren't the ones that never take damage — they're the ones whose owners caught the damage the same season it happened.
We run repair crews through the First Coast year-round. The visit covers the damage plus the field, flashing, and penetrations around it — repairs that buy years beat replacements that weren't necessary yet.
Emergencies get tarped same-visit where access allows, with the permanent fix documented in photos behind it.
Wind-lifted tabs
One good gust finds every marginal fastener. Small patch now, or decking work later.
Granules in the gutters
Shingle surfaces shedding — the field is aging, and it's time to watch it.
Ceiling stains
By the time water shows inside, it's been traveling the deck for a while. Call now, not next month.
Flashing and fastener wear
A common leak point, and one Florida weather works on early.
What actually drives a replacement quote — and how concealed damage is handled if tear-off uncovers it.
A completed Universal replacement — one to three days on most homes.
We install to manufacturer specification with the underlayment and ventilation the warranty actually requires — as an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor (a tier held by fewer than 1% of roofing contractors), we offer warranty protection most roofers can't. The estimate is line-by-line, and the price you approve is the scope we build; change orders only happen when opened decking reveals something no one could see, and you approve those too.
Two planning notes from thousands of projects across the First Coast: replace end-of-life soffit, fascia, and gutters with the roof — one mobilization, every connected component sealed at once — and if you have flexibility, fall timing puts a fresh roof over you before storm season instead of after it. Most residential replacements in Fernandina Beach finish in one to three days.
Size, pitch & complexity
Cut-up roofs with dormers and valleys take longer than simple gables — and price accordingly.
Tear-off & decking
How many layers come up, and what the decking looks like once exposed. You approve anything it reveals.
The material system
Shingle, metal, tile, or slate — specified for Florida exposure, not upsold.
Flashing & ventilation
The details that separate a code-minimum job from one that reaches its rated life.
Every Fernandina Beach replacement starts with the free inspection.
In Fernandina Beach we recommend checking your roof twice a year, in spring and fall, plus after any major storm. Our professional inspection is free, with a written report you keep either way.
Field & fasteners
Wear, granule loss, and fastener condition across the whole covering.
Flashing & penetrations
Common leak points, so we check every boot, valley, and transition.
The roof edge
Soffit, fascia, and gutters for rot, separation, and pest entry.
The attic side
Moisture staining, ventilation problems, and daylight where there shouldn't be any.
Coastal corrosion
Salt-air wear on fasteners and flashing gets extra attention on every coastal roof.
What you get is a documented condition file: photos, findings, remaining-life assessment, in writing, free. We built the process for homeowners across the First Coast who want evidence instead of sales pressure — many inspections end with a clean bill and a watch list, and the report belongs to you either way.
Fernandina Beach faces the Atlantic side of Florida's storm ledger — Matthew, Irma, and Nicole all left marks on this coast. After it passes, a five-minute ground check tells you whether to call.
01 Binoculars beat ladders
Everything that matters after a storm is visible from the yard — safely.
02 Count what's missing
Gaps in the shingle field and bent drip edge are the wind's signature.
03 Splash blocks and screens
Granule drifts and shingle fragments wash down first — check where water exits.
04 Watch ceilings for a week
Storm water travels slow paths; a stain can surface days after the sky clears.
05 Make the record
Dated photos from the ground, then our written assessment on top — that's the full file.
Nicole
November landfall at Vero Beach; storm surge and beach erosion damage up the east coast to Jacksonville (NOAA/NHC TCR AL172022)
Matthew
paralleled the northeast Florida coast; significant wind and surge damage from the Space Coast to Jacksonville (NOAA/NHC TCR AL142016)
Irma
more than 7,000 homes damaged in Brevard County; hurricane-force gusts and record flooding around Jacksonville (NOAA/NHC TCR AL112017)
We bring same-week assessments across Nassau County, emergency tarping when the roof needs immediate protection, and a written, photographed damage report — what happened and what fixing it involves, no scare tactics. Material choice is storm strategy too: every system carries its own tested wind rating, so we show you the rating for the exact product before you choose.
Asphalt shingle is the default on many Fernandina Beach homes, but the default isn't automatically the right answer for your house.
We install every mainstream system — shingle, metal, tile, and flat — so the recommendation follows your house and budget, not whichever material a contractor happens to sell. The full comparison is below.
The house & neighborhood
Age, style, and what the street is built around — a roof has to belong where it lives.
Your ownership horizon
Selling in five years and staying thirty produce different right answers.
Budget, now vs. 30 years
Upfront cost against lifetime cost — repairs, energy, and how many more roofs you'll buy.
Installation quality
The same materials last longer or fail early depending on underlayment, ventilation, and flashing work.
Not sure which of these your roof needs?
The free inspection answers it with photos and a written report.
A commercial roof in Fernandina Beach protects inventory, equipment, and people, and it is built under the Florida Building Code, rated among the strongest of the hurricane-coast states by IBHS.
Think in decades, not years: compare lifetime cost, not just this quarter's price. TPO's energy efficiency, metal's wind performance, and modified bitumen's proven simplicity each earn their place depending on the deck, the budget, and how long you plan to hold the building.
Our maintenance plans put inspections, drain clearing, and membrane repairs on a schedule for Nassau County buildings — with the documentation trail kept current, which matters at sale time and any time the roof's history gets examined.
The 25% rule
If more than 25% of a roof section is repaired or replaced within 12 months, the whole section must meet current code, unless the roof was built to the 2007 Florida Building Code or later.
Licensing & permits
Commercial roof repairs and installations require a Florida-licensed contractor, and most need a permit from the local building department.
System choice
TPO for energy efficiency; metal for hurricane resistance and lifespan; modified bitumen where the deck calls for it.
Maintenance cadence
Annual and post-storm inspections, clear drains, prompt membrane repairs — where commercial roofs are won or lost.
In Fernandina Beach, the roof edge is a common place for water damage to start: soffit, fascia, and gutters can fail quietly before anyone notices.
Contained damage is a focused repair; widespread rot or end-of-life materials are a replacement call — and the smart timing is with a roof replacement or in the fall, ahead of storm season. Material picks for this climate: vinyl soffit for moisture, aluminum fascia for corrosion, seamless aluminum gutters for Florida rainfall.
Soft or spongy fascia
The material underneath is already compromised — past the repair window.
Stains on exterior walls
Water escaping the drainage path and running where it shouldn't.
Sagging, overflowing gutters
Chronic overflow usually means repairs are no longer keeping up.
Rust at the seams
Sectional gutters fail at their joints — seamless aluminum has far fewer of them.
Four systems, four honest trade-offs, installed by factory-trained crews to the manufacturer's specification.
Long service life
About 20 yrs
50+ yrs
Exclusive to Universal| System | Realistic Florida life | Wind rating (installed right) | Cost tier | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metal (standing seam) | Varies by product; ask for the warranty term | Product-specific; we show you the rating | $$$ | Longevity, storms, energy bills |
| Architectural shingle | About 20 years | Class H shingles: rated for design wind speeds up to 194 mph | $ | Value, fast storm repairs |
| Tile (clay/concrete) | Over 50 years | High, code-driven | $$$ | Permanence, the Florida look |
| Metlok (only at Universal) | 50-year limited lifetime warranty | 180+ mph tested wind rating | $$$ | Longevity, high-wind exposure |
What moves every quote regardless of material: pitch and complexity, the product tier within the material, specialist labor where tile demands it, and structural reinforcement when weight requires it. Florida law also requires insurers to offer premium credits for wind-resistant construction features — a wind mitigation inspection documents what your roof qualifies for.
Want eyes on your roof this week?
Free inspection, honest findings, zero pressure — most end with "you're fine."
Every Fernandina Beach project follows the same four steps, whether it's a gutter repair or a full replacement.
We walk the roof and attic line, photograph everything, and put findings in writing — yours to keep either way.
Exactly what's being done, with what materials, for what price — before you sign anything.
Factory-trained crews, manufacturer-spec installation, and a jobsite that gets protected and cleaned.
You inspect the finished work with us, get your warranty documentation, and keep every record from the job.
Storm damage doesn't wait for a convenient budget year — and a necessary roof shouldn't have to either.
We offer financing options for qualified homeowners, and every estimate is free and line-by-line transparent. Ask during your free inspection — no obligation either way.
Family-owned since 1993 — thousands of completed projects, and a reputation built one roof at a time.
State-licensed (CCC057165 & CBC1258484), fully insured, BBB-accredited with an A+ rating, and an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor — a tier held by fewer than 1% of roofing contractors. Factory-trained installers, transparent pricing, free estimates. We also give away a free roof replacement to a local veteran every year — it's who this company has been for thirty years.
In Fernandina Beach plan on about 20 years from architectural shingle and more than 50 from clay or concrete tile with proper care, based on a National Association of Home Builders study. Metal life depends on the product, so ask for its warranty term. The installer's discipline matters more to those numbers than the brand on the wrapper.
Two questions decide it: how contained is the damage, and how much life does the field have left? Contained plus years remaining equals repair; spreading wear or a roof in its last stretch equals a replacement conversation, since patch money on a dying roof rarely buys much time. Either way, our recommendation comes documented.
Photograph what you can see safely from the ground, note the date, and get a professional inspection before small openings become interior leaks. We handle emergency work across Nassau County and put findings in writing with photos.
Not legally. Florida's licensing agency says roof repairs and roof installations require a state license. Ask for the license number before hiring anyone; ours are CCC057165 & CBC1258484.
No honest number exists without seeing the roof — size, pitch, tear-off depth, decking condition, and the material system move the total more than any average can capture. What we promise Fernandina Beach homeowners instead: a free inspection first, then a line-by-line estimate where the approved price is the built price.
Completely. You get the walkthrough, the photographs, and a written condition report at no cost, no strings — the report is yours even if we never hear from you again. Most end with 'you're fine, here's what to watch.'
One to three days for most Fernandina Beach homes, start to magnet-swept yard. Tile, steep, and cut-up roofs run longer; commercial ranges from days to weeks by size. You get a realistic window before work starts — and a heads-up if weather moves it.
Any month works — this is Florida, and roofs can't wait on weather windows anyway. Given the choice, fall wins: easier on crews and materials, and the new roof is in place ahead of storm season rather than behind it.
Photos, honest findings, and a written condition report — free, and yours to keep either way.
