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.
Nov 25, 2019Verified customer
Robin B.
I called Universal Roof to repair a leak betwee a metal roof and an asphalt roof. It required asphalt shingles be removed so a waterproofing system could be applied. The work was started on time but due to rain and lightning the work was stopped for the day. When the waterproofing system was completed. Heavy rains were forcasted so the General Manager, Brandon,and a two man crew came out at 6 pm on a Friday night to replaced the shingles that were removed before the heavy rains came. The problem area has been sucessfully repaired in a timely manner by the skillfull craftsmen of Universal Roof & Contracting. It is now 2022. My roof is showing signs of wear. I called Universal Roof& Contracting, Charles came out took ample time to accurately assess what work that would be needed and gave an estimate. All the scheduling was put in place. The crew showed up on time and immediately spread tarps around the house to protect my bushes and and plants and catch any roof debris. They did their work in a professional manner, they were polite and courteous and completed the work in one day. After the work was complete the crew spent a long time cleaning up, picking up bits of paper, and searching for nails with magnets. From the start the Project Manager kept me informed of what was found after the old shingles were removed and the best way to address each situation. Attention to detail describes how this crew performed their work from the moment they started to the moment they got in their vehicle to leave. My roof looks just like the ones you see in the brochures.
Aug 31, 2015Verified customer
Gene C.
Universal roof and Contracting installed our new roof last week. We are very pleased with the finished project. We found working with Universal in Jacksonville, FL to be a wonderful experience. Their sales team, on site project manager, installation crew, and follow up team were at all times professional and always willing to answer our questions promptly. A number of our neighbors also had Universal install a new roof for them, and they too were very satisfied. .Without a doubt we will recommend Universal Roof and Contracting to our family and friends.
Aug 31, 2019Verified customer
Ben C.
Ben was the “boss man” on the job and he was available, professional and willing to help. Our overall job required an extra for chimney repair and here again ,Ben was on top of things. I’m willing for prospective clients to come by anytime (phone first)
Jul 15, 2021Verified customer
James D.
Our Salesman, Jon Baker, was a pleasure to work with. He was knowledgeable, courteous and professional. He made us feel comfortable with the work that was needed to be done. Work was done in a timely manner. We would highly recommend Universal to others who need a new roof.
Apr 13, 2022Verified customer
Pedro S.
Outstanding customer service, professional work from day one through the end of the project. No hassles, easy going and very caring personnel, all of them, they worked all the insurance paperwork and made this project very easy for me, no worries. Job completed in one day, well ahead of schedule, and crew left my house clean, what else can you expect, thank you Universal Roofing!
Dec 3, 2018Verified customer
Yala L.
Dear Homeowner in need of a review. Let me be the voice of reason for this important home project. We interviewed upwards of 12 companies. No kidding. We went through a host of emotions trying to figure out who we could trust, who would do quality work, who was affordable and who would provide us with what we so badly needed- a sturdy roof. I originally worked with Charles H. Quality!!!! Man. Quality Professional!!! As the job was coming to an end I met Eddie Alacan- A Blessing with a Capital B. Just good solid Men with integrity. Universal will get All of our Business. Hands down- The Best!!
Feb 16, 2023Verified customer
Bob A.
Sean is great, give him a raise
Jul 8, 2023Verified customer
D S.
We entertained several roofing companies that were referred to us by our neighbors for estimates on a new roof for our home. Marty from Universal answered all of our questions including all follow up questions that we had about the project. Marty was personable, professional and knowledgeable while he was in our home and worked with us on our color scheme. We got a new designer roof and new gutters and had our pool solar panels disconnected and reconnected which was all facilitated by Universal. Marty checked in during and after our roofing project which was appreciated! The crew that worked on our project did a great job. We had a few minor hiccups during our project, however, Daniel from Universal, was quick to resolve them. Daniel took the initiative to come out to our home and took care of everything to ensure we were satisfied. We are extremely particular with our home projects and the crew did a great job at meeting our expectations. We would definitely recommend Universal to anyone looking to get a new roof.
Mar 20, 2023Verified customer
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Universal Roof & Contracting serves St. Augustine 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.
The local conditions
What St. Augustine Does to a Roof
Three forces set the terms for every roof in St. Augustine. Understand them and every material and maintenance decision on this page makes sense.
Sun
Strong sun breaks down shingle asphalt and fades finishes over time, so Florida roofs need regular checks.
Salt
Atlantic salt air corrodes exposed metal fasteners, flashing, and gutter seams. Corrosion-resistant materials matter this close to the coast.
Storms
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)
Caught in time
Roof Repair in St. Augustine
Roof damage in St. Augustine often starts small and moves fast once water finds a path. Catching it early is the whole game.
St. Augustine sits inside our St. Johns County repair territory. Every repair visit ends the same way: the problem you called about fixed, the surrounding field and flashings checked, and photos of both in your inbox.
Active leak? We tarp or seal first and schedule the permanent repair behind it — documented, so you have the record.
Lifted or missing shingles
The classic after a squall line. Caught early it's a focused, inexpensive repair.
Granules in the gutters
Shingle surfaces shedding — the field is aging, and it's time to watch it.
A stain that wasn't there
Interior spots mean the leak has a head start — water travels the deck before it drops.
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.
A replacement here isn't a shingle swap — it's a system: decking inspected once opened, underlayment and ventilation installed to the manufacturer's actual specification, flashing detailed at every transition. That's what lets an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor (fewer than 1% of roofing contractors hold the tier) back the work with warranties most roofers can't offer.
You see the whole scope line by line before signing, and the approved price is the built price unless tear-off uncovers concealed damage no one could see — which you approve before we fix it. Most St. Augustine homes are finished in one to three days. If the roof edge is also near end-of-life, we'll tell you, and doing soffit, fascia, and gutters with the roof saves a second mobilization.
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 St. Augustine replacement starts with the free inspection.
A St. Augustine roof should be checked twice a year, in spring and fall, and after every named storm. Our inspection costs nothing and ends with a written, photographed report 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.
Every inspection ends in writing: photographs of what we found, where it is, and what it means — no driveway verdicts, no pressure. The honest outcome of most St. Augustine inspections is "you're fine, here's what to watch." When something does need attention, you get it documented with photos, so the decision is yours to make on evidence.
St. Augustine 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 Stay off the roof
Post-storm decks hide soft spots. Everything below can be checked from the ground.
02 Field, ridge, edges
Scan all three from the yard — wind works the perimeter and peaks hardest.
03 Gutters tell the truth
Granules, torn shingle pieces, detached sections — the evidence collects there.
04 Inside, look up
Ceiling corners and closets show water first, sometimes days later.
05 Date, photograph, call
Your ground photos plus our documented assessment make the complete record.
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 St. Johns 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.
Drive St. Augustine and you'll see many shingle roofs. Sometimes that's the right call; sometimes it's just the default. Four things decide which.
63.0% of occupied homes in St. Augustine are owner-occupied, and the median owner-occupied home value is $439,800 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, 2020–2024). Ours is the math of protecting that investment: the right system, installed to specification, maintained on a schedule.
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.
A commercial roof in St. Augustine 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.
Commercial decisions in St. Augustine come down to decades-math: purchase price against energy costs, storm resilience, and maintenance across the building's life. We'll show the comparison for your specific building rather than defaulting to whichever membrane is on the truck.
Then maintenance decides everything: annual and post-storm inspections, drains kept clear, membrane and flashing repairs done promptly. Our plans put all of it on a documented schedule so the roof's history is always current and provable.
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 St. Augustine, 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.
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 St. Augustine project follows the same four steps, whether it's a gutter repair or a full replacement.
01
Free inspection
We walk the roof and attic line, photograph everything, and put findings in writing — yours to keep either way.
02
Line-by-line estimate
Exactly what's being done, with what materials, for what price — before you sign anything.
03
The build
Factory-trained crews, manufacturer-spec installation, and a jobsite that gets protected and cleaned.
04
Final walkthrough
You inspect the finished work with us, get your warranty documentation, and keep every record from the job.
Budget
Paying for It
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.
Straight answers
St. Augustine Roofing Questions
How long do roofs last in St. Augustine?+
Realistic numbers for St. Augustine: architectural asphalt shingle about 20 years and clay or concrete tile more than 50 years with proper care, based on a National Association of Home Builders study. Metal life depends on the product, so ask for its warranty term. Installation quality decides which end of the range your roof lands on.
Repair or replace — how do you decide?+
Localized damage on a roof with life left: repair. Widespread wear, repeating leaks, or a roof near the end of its lifespan: replacement is often a better value than repeated patching. We put the recommendation in writing with photos so you can decide without pressure.
What should I do right after storm damage?+
Three things: stay off the roof, photograph what's visible from the ground with the date, and get professional eyes up there quickly, because even small openings let water reach the decking. We run storm assessments across St. Johns County with tarping available the same visit where roofs need immediate protection.
Can a handyman repair a roof in Florida?+
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.
What does a roof replacement cost in St. Augustine?+
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 St. Augustine homeowners instead: a free inspection first, then a line-by-line estimate where the approved price is the built price.
Is the inspection really free?+
Yes, genuinely: no fee, no obligation, and you keep the written report and photos either way. It's how we've introduced ourselves to Florida homeowners since 1993 — many inspections end with good news and a watch list.
How long does a roof installation take?+
Most residential replacements finish in one to three days. Tile and complex roofs run longer, and commercial projects range from days to weeks by size. We give you a realistic window up front.
What time of year is best for roof work here?+
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.
What is the 25% roof rule in Florida?+
Under the Florida Building Code, repairing or replacing more than 25% of a roof section within 12 months generally means the whole section must be brought up to current code. Roofs built to the 2007 code or later are exempt: only the repaired part must meet current code.
What is the 25% rule for roofing?+
Under the Florida Building Code, repairing or replacing more than 25% of a roof section within 12 months generally means the whole section must be brought up to current code. Roofs built to the 2007 code or later are exempt: only the repaired part must meet current code.
