UNIVERSALRoof & Contracting
Tile rooftops across an Orlando lakefront neighborhood
Roofers in Orlando & Central Florida

The Roofing Company Orlando Calls Home

Residential roofing in Orlando shouldn't be complicated — and yet high-pressure sales and gimmicks make many homeowners put off much-needed roofing work. We've been Central Florida's answer for more than 30 years: straightforward roofing, courteous professional service, and Owens Corning Platinum warranties.

$0 Inspectionfree
Orlando (HQ) office
OC Platinum Preferred

Free Roof Inspection

What does your roof need? Pick one to start.

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No obligation. We'll tell you if your roof doesn't need work.

Bryan P.

I recommend Universal because they followed through with everything they told me they would. They’re good people. Kleanthe was my job supervisor and I really appreciate him.

May 9, 2023Verified customer
Bonnie M.

Mike Emrich was our initial contact person right after Hurricane Milton. Although we were out-of-state at the time, he was sent to Tampa, and he was flooded with work, he kept in contact with us and was always quick respond. He organized that a colleague would assess our roof so that we would know the extent of the damage and if the roof was leaking or not. Next, he got us in contact with Damian Crawford who organized the scheduling and repairs. We are very pleased with Mike’s responsiveness, even late into his evening, and also with Damian and his crew. We would definitely recommend them to friends and will return when we need a full roof replacement. Honest assessment and quality work!

Nov 21, 2024Verified customer
Rafael C.

Cory Callahan was very attentive to the requirements I asked for. Sebastian Acevedo was a great Project Manager and made sure that the house received the attention and materials necessary for the installation of the roof. His team was awesome and they did an awesome job. The people in the office also coordinated everything with great attention to detail.

Apr 17, 2024Verified customer

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Roofing services in Orlando

What does your Orlando roof need?

Universal Roof & Contracting is a family-owned Florida roofing contractor, and its Orlando office at 5655 Carder Road serves Central Florida. The team repairs, replaces and inspects residential and commercial roofs — asphalt shingle, metal, tile and flat — and handles storm damage, gutters, soffit and fascia. Every project starts the same way — a free inspection from a licensed roofing contractor in Orlando, FL, with photos and a written report.

Every system this market runs on: tile, asphalt shingles, metal, and specialty low-slope systems — see asphalt shingle, tile, and metal roofing — plus Metlok, our exclusive pressed-steel system.

Residential roofing

Residential Roofing in Orlando

Nearly everything on this page is residential work. Universal is a licensed roofing contractor in Orlando, FL working on Orlando homes — repairs, full replacements, storm response and the free inspection that starts all of it. Every system this market runs on, installed by crews based here rather than dispatched in.

If you own a house in Central Florida and something is wrong with the roof — or you just want to know how much life is left in it — this is the team, and the inspection costs nothing either way.

  • Single-family homesShingle, tile, metal and low-slope additions.
  • Multi-family & townhomesHOA boards, property managers and whole communities.
  • Repairs and full re-roofsFrom one flashing failure to a tear-off down to the deck.
  • Licensed and localCCC057165 · CBC1258484, operating in Florida since 1993.
Why roofs fail here

What Orlando weather does to a roof

Orlando roofs don't age on the national schedule — the weather here writes its own. Four local conditions, and what each one does to the roof over your head:

Amazon-grade storm season

Central Florida's summer thunderstorm frequency equals the world's maximum thunderstorm zones — the Lake Victoria region of equatorial Africa and the middle of the Amazon basin, per the FSU Climate Center. From June through September, wind-driven rain hammers every seam, valley, and flashing line on your roof — most afternoons.

What to look for: Leaks that only show up during hard, wind-blown rain.

The lightning capital

Vaisala named Four Corners, on the Orlando metro's edge, America's most lightning-struck community in 2022 — and Florida still ranks #1 nationwide in lightning density. The storms carrying those strikes are the real roof-killers, and a direct hit is an emergency-tarp call. Our crews handle both.

What to look for: Any new damage after a storm that passed directly overhead.

92°F Julys that cook shingles

Orlando's average July high is about 92°F, per NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals — and month after month of that heat and UV makes shingle granules wear away faster while shingles crack, curl, and blister. It's the slow killer of Orlando roofs: nothing dramatic, just a roof aging years faster than the calendar.

What to look for: Granules collecting in gutters; shingle edges starting to curl.

51 inches of rain a year, plus humidity

An average Orlando year drops about 51 inches of rain — and June and August each bring close to 8 inches. Between storms, Florida humidity keeps a roof from ever fully drying out, feeding mold and mildew anywhere water lingers under a damaged shingle.

What to look for: Mildew streaks on the roof or exterior walls; musty attic air.

Know the signs

The problems we actually find on Orlando roofs

Thirty years of roofing in Orlando and Central Florida comes down to the same culprits, over and over. Here's what our inspectors look for — and what you can spot from the ground:

Roofer's gloved hand lifting a worn asphalt shingle showing granule loss

Granules in your gutters

The most easily missed sign of roof damage in Orlando: shingle granules collecting in your gutters. Strong winds, heavy rain, and hail knock the protective granules off asphalt shingles — and once they thin out, the shingle underneath ages fast. Worth checking your gutters once or twice a year.

Brown water stains spreading across a ceiling and crown molding from a roof leak

Ceiling stains, mold & mildew

Mold or mildew on your roof or exterior walls usually means water is getting somewhere it shouldn't. Once water works under damaged shingles, it damages the underlayment — then shows up inside as brown ceiling stains that spread a little more with every storm.

Inspector examining water-stained rafters and roof decking inside an attic

Attic moisture after storms

Most homeowners never think to check the attic after a storm — which is exactly where hidden damage shows first. If your roof took damage, your attic likely has moisture issues, and that hidden damage feeds mold growth long before anything ever drips into the living room.

Storm-damaged roof corner on an Orlando home with broken decking and torn shingles

Wind-torn shingles & hidden storm damage

You can see missing shingles from down the street — it's the damage you can't see that gets expensive. Storm damage can go unnoticed for a long time without a proper inspection. This Orlando home's crushed roof corner is the kind of call our emergency crews take all storm season.

Spotted any of these — or not sure? That's exactly what the free inspection answers.

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Why Orlando homeowners choose Universal

BBB A+ rated, accredited since 2007

We've held BBB accreditation since 2007 and keep an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and we answer for every roof we install.

Family-owned vs. the chains

Is there a difference between a local, family-owned business and a national chain? Absolutely — every project gets the care and attention it deserves.

Every major material

Prompt, professional repairs and replacements in tile, asphalt shingles, metal, and specialty materials like low-slope roofing — installed by an experienced, certified team.

Roof age, by the numbers

When Orlando's roofs were built

A roof's story starts the year its house went up. Here's when Orlando's 152,600 homes were built — and what that means for the roofs on them.

2000 or later
40.9%
1990s
11.4%
1980s
16.3%
1970s
10%
1960s
7.4%
1950s
8.4%
Before 1950
5.5%

Share of Orlando's 152,600 housing units by year built · City of Orlando housing report, 2023 American Community Survey

Read it like a roofer

6 in 10

Orlando homes were built before 2000 — old enough to be on their second roof.

40.9% of Orlando's homes went up in 2000 or later — the city's biggest construction cohort. An original shingle roof from that boom is 15–25 years old today: exactly the age where Florida insurers start asking questions, and where our free inspections find the most fixable problems.

And nearly 1 in 3 Orlando homes predates 1980. Those homes have already been through two or three roofs — and when the next one goes on, Florida law requires hurricane-mitigation details, like a secondary water barrier, that the original roof never had.

Check my roof's age — free
Roof systems, compared

Pick a roof. See how it does in Orlando.

Every system Orlando roofing runs on — compared honestly: how each holds up under Orlando weather, how long it lasts, and what it costs around here.

Orlando home with an architectural asphalt shingle roof framed by palm trees at sunsetPopular choice

Asphalt Shingle in Orlando

The workhorse of Orlando neighborhoods — cost-effective, quick to install, and available in a color for every home. As an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor, we back shingle roofs with the Platinum Protection limited lifetime warranty: full coverage on materials for the first 50 years, and workmanship coverage that reduces after 25 years.

How it holds up here: Florida sun is hard on shingles — heat and UV can shorten their life, so ventilation and installation quality decide where yours lands.

Commonly around 20 years Up to 160 mph wind warranty (OC Duration, installed to spec)
Explore asphalt shingle roofing
SystemTypical lifespanWind rating
Asphalt Shingle~20 yrsUp to 160 mph (OC Duration)
Tile50+ yrsVaries by system
MetalDecadesVaries by system
Metlok50-yr warranty180+ mph
Low-Slope / FlatSystem-dependentUplift-rated (psf)

Wind ratings are product- and installation-specific — a rating is earned by a particular system installed to spec, not by a material in general. For example, Owens Corning's Duration shingle carries a wind warranty of up to 160 mph when installed with the required Owens Corning components, and Metlok is rated 180+ mph. Ask us for the rating of the exact system we quote. For context, the Florida Building Code sets a minimum design wind speed for every address, and your permit lists the one that applies to your home. Sources: Owens Corning (TruDefinition Duration shingle) · Metlok.

Local since day one

A Central Florida roofing company, not a call center

We've been accredited by the Better Business Bureau since 2007, with an A+ rating. We've been Central Florida's answer to residential roofing problems for more than 30 years.

Our headquarters sits on Carder Road in Orlando, which means the crews, the office, and the family that owns the company are all local to this market. When you call, you reach who you need — and when we say we'll be there, we are.

Universal Roofing Facts

  • Headquarters: 5655 Carder Road, Orlando (HQ market since 1993)
  • BBB A+ rated and accredited
  • Owens Corning Platinum Preferred — a tier held by under 1% of contractors
  • Owens Corning Platinum Protection warranties
  • Serving Winter Park, Apopka, Lake Mary, and 180+ Florida communities
Ken, Jade, and Jared Mellick in Universal Roof & Contracting polos in front of a Central Florida home

The Mellick family

Ken, Jade & Jared · Family-owned since 1993

Family-owned · The hometown difference

The headquarters isn't "regional." It's on Carder Road.

Every roofing company says they're local. Ours is literal: the family that owns Universal Roof & Contracting works out of 5655 Carder Road, Orlando — founder Ken Mellick built the company here in 1993, his son Jared took charge in 2015, and his daughter Jade leads the team today. When an Orlando homeowner calls, the decision-makers are minutes away, not states away.

5655 Carder Road, Orlando, FL 32810

Meet the family
As heard on WDBO

In The House — Orlando's roofing radio show

Our own Justin and Corey bring humor and roofing news to the region on In The House, alongside Orlando's leading home improvement advisors on WDBO. Got a pressing roof question? It can get answered right on air — or skip the queue and ask us directly.

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Hire smart

5 things to check before hiring an Orlando roofer

1

A license and insurance you can verify

Florida licenses are public record — ours: CCC057165 · CBC1258484.

2

A written, itemized estimate

Tear-off, materials, labor, permits, and cleanup — every line in writing before work starts.

3

Both warranties in writing

The manufacturer's coverage AND the contractor's workmanship warranty — they are not the same thing.

4

Local references you can drive past

Reachable references and public reviews — completed roofs you can actually go look at.

5

Clarity on who pulls the permits

Every area has its own requirements, and it shouldn't be your job. We handle them on every project.

The process

How it works

1

Schedule your visit

Pick a time — we confirm by call or text.

2

Personal consultation

Your goals, your budget, your roof's actual condition.

3

Inspection & quote

Photos, a written report, and a transparent quote that holds.

4

Convenient scheduling

The install lands on your calendar, not ours.

5

Expert installation

A trained crew, a clean yard, and a roof installation done right.

Know the rules

Three Florida roof rules every Orlando homeowner should know

The 15-year insurance line

Under Florida law (s. 627.7011(5), Florida Statutes), insurers can't refuse to write or renew a policy solely because of roof age while a roof is under 15 years old. Once a roof is 15 or older, the insurer must let you have it inspected before it can require a replacement. An aging roof isn't just a leak risk; it's a coverage risk.

The code got tougher

Florida law now requires two protections older roofs never had on a site-built home's roof replacement: a secondary water barrier over the roof deck, and strengthened deck attachment (re-nailing). A new roof isn't just newer; it's built to a stricter standard than the one it replaces.

What Orlando roofs are made of

Asphalt shingle is a common roof across America, but Florida's wind and sun push many Orlando homeowners toward tile, asphalt shingles, metal, and specialty low-slope systems. We install and repair all of them.

Orlando homeowners ask us

How old are Orlando homes and their roofs?

Orlando's housing skews newer: 68.6% of the city's roughly 152,600 homes were built after 1980, and 40.9% in 2000 or later, per the 2023 American Community Survey. An asphalt shingle roof is commonly expected to last around 20 years, and Florida sun, storms and lightning can shorten that, so even homes built in the 2000s are commonly on, or due for, their second roof.

Will my insurance company drop my Orlando roof because of its age?

Under Florida law (s. 627.7011(5), Florida Statutes), an insurer can't refuse to write or renew a policy solely because of roof age while the roof is under 15 years old. Once a roof is 15 or older, the insurer must let you have it inspected before it can require a replacement. With roughly a third of Orlando homes built before 1980, and even the 2000s construction boom now crossing 15, a written inspection report is the cheapest way to keep that conversation easy. Ours is free.

Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Orlando?

Yes — roof replacement in Florida is permitted work under the Florida Building Code, and every area has its own requirements: the City of Orlando, Orange County, and each surrounding municipality run their own processes. Obtaining permits shouldn't be your responsibility, so we handle them on every project, in all 180+ communities we serve.

Does lightning really damage roofs in Orlando?

Florida ranks #1 nationwide in lightning density, and Vaisala named Four Corners, on the Orlando metro's edge, the most-struck community in the U.S. in 2022. A strike doesn't need to hit your house to matter: the same storm bands drive wind and rain at every seam of a roof all summer. After any close storm, a free inspection tells you in writing whether it left marks.

What does the Florida Building Code require when replacing a roof in Orlando?

Two protections older Orlando roofs never had: a secondary water barrier over the roof deck, and strengthened deck attachment (re-nailing) as part of the replacement. Florida law requires both on a site-built home's roof replacement — so a new roof here isn't just newer, it's built to a stricter standard than the one it replaces.

What kind of roofs do Orlando homes have?

Asphalt shingle is a common roof across America, but Florida's wind, sun and insurance rules push many Orlando homeowners toward tile, metal and stone-coated steel. We install and repair all of them, plus the low-slope systems on commercial buildings.

Who is Owens Corning, and what does "Platinum Preferred" actually mean?

Owens Corning is the manufacturer that makes the shingles — the same company behind PINK fiberglass insulation. Platinum Preferred is the top tier of their contractor network, held by fewer than 1% of roofing contractors, per Owens Corning. Getting it isn't a sticker you buy: Owens Corning requires at least $1 million in general liability insurance, the licenses and insurance the law requires, a satisfactory business credit rating, and a passed installation workmanship inspection. Here's why it matters to you: only Platinum Preferred contractors can offer the Platinum Protection warranty, where the coverage is backed by Owens Corning — not just by the roofer. Contractors come and go — more than half of new construction businesses close within ten years, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — so a warranty that depends only on your contractor still being in business is worth less than one the manufacturer stands behind. The Platinum Protection coverage can also be transferred to the next owner within 60 days of a sale.

Which Orlando-area cities do you serve?

All of Greater Orlando, from our headquarters at 5655 Carder Road: Winter Park, Apopka, Lake Mary, Oviedo, Sanford, Kissimmee, Winter Garden, and 180+ Florida communities in total. The company was founded here in 1993, and the family that owns it still runs every project from this market.

What kind of experience does Universal Roof & Contracting offer?

Over 30 years — in an industry where more than half of new construction businesses close within ten years (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics), we've stood the test of time. It's all due to our dedication and commitment to you, the customer.

Do you remove the old roof?

Yes — old-roof removal is part of the job. Not every company includes it, and when one doesn't, it tells you something about how comprehensive their work is.

Find out what your Orlando roof actually needs — free

Photos, a written report, and an honest answer — even when that answer is "your roof is fine."

Sources (24)
  1. Universal Roofing Group, Inc., corporate record P93000013124 · Florida Division of Corporations (Sunbiz)
  2. Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Milton (AL142024) · NOAA National Hurricane Center
  3. License CCC057165, Certified Roofing Contractor · Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation
  4. License CBC1258484, Certified Building Contractor · Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation
  5. U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Orlando International Airport (USW00012815) · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
  6. Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), Orlando city, 2023 · U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey
  7. Using cool roofs to reduce heat islands · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  8. Section 627.7011, Florida Statutes (homeowners' policies; roof age) · The Florida Legislature
  9. Section 553.844, Florida Statutes (windstorm loss mitigation; roofs) · The Florida Legislature
  10. Survival of private sector establishments by opening year, construction · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
  11. Thunderstorms · Florida Climate Center, Florida State University
  12. Annual Lightning Report 2022 · Vaisala Xweather
  13. Annual Lightning Report 2025 · Vaisala Xweather
  14. Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components (2007) · National Association of Home Builders
  15. Roofing shingle warranties · Owens Corning
  16. Universal Roof & Contracting contractor profile · Owens Corning
  17. TruDefinition Duration shingles · Owens Corning
  18. Metlok disclaimer and specifications · Metlok
  19. Metlok 50-Year Limited Lifetime Warranty · Metlok
  20. Owens Corning Launches National Roof Deployment Project (2016) · Owens Corning
  21. Owens Corning Roofing Contractor Network requirements · Owens Corning
  22. Universal Roof & Contracting reviews · GuildQuality
  23. Universal Roof & Contracting, Orlando (Google Business Profile) · Google
  24. Universal Roof & Contracting business profile · Better Business Bureau