Straight answers about tin roofs, HARC & storms.

If your home sits in the Key West historic district, exterior changes — including roofing — are reviewed by the Historic Architecture Review Commission (HARC). The good news is that the classic 5V-crimp metal "tin roof" is the profile HARC knows and favors, because it is what has covered Old Town for generations. We match historic profiles and finishes and prepare the documentation review requires, so the process goes smoothly.

The 5V-crimp metal roof is both the historic Key West profile and a genuinely practical marine roof. In Galvalume it resists salt, sheds heavy rain fast, and carries the look the historic district expects. It has covered Conch cottages for well over a century, which is exactly why it remains the default choice in Old Town.

Yes. Key West is the southernmost city in the country, ringed by saltwater, under intense sun, and exposed to direct hurricanes — the exact conditions that wear out ordinary roofs fastest. Marine-grade metal stands up to all of it, can be engineered to Monroe County's high design wind speeds, and in the 5V-crimp profile fits the historic district too.

For the historic 5V-crimp look, Galvalume (aluminum-zinc coated steel) is the traditional and practical choice and what the district expects. For homes right on the water we may lean toward aluminum or finishes suited to the heaviest salt exposure. We match the metal to your home, your exposure, and any historic review.

Yes. Roofing work in Monroe County requires a permit and inspections — there are no informal roof jobs in the Keys. We pull the permit and handle the inspections as part of every job, plus the HARC documentation for homes in the historic district.

The Keys carry some of the highest design wind speeds in the country — well into the 180 mph range in parts of Monroe County. That means the complete roof assembly (panels, fasteners, underlayment, and edge details) has to be engineered and installed to resist those uplift forces. The rating only holds if the whole system is installed to its approval.

They are similar in spirit but not the same. The Keys are Monroe County, with their own permitting and some of the highest design wind speeds anywhere. We build to the Monroe County requirements that apply to your island and address — not a generic mainland standard — and to HARC where the historic district applies.

A properly installed metal roof is one of the most wind-resistant systems you can put on a home. As the southernmost city, Key West sits squarely in harm's way, so we build to Monroe County wind code with tested fastening, uplift resistance, and approved underlayment. The whole assembly is engineered to stay on when the Keys take a direct hit — which they periodically do.

That is exactly our work. We match the historic 5V-crimp profile, the finish, and the details Old Town expects, and prepare what HARC needs to approve the job. You get a roof that protects the home and reads as authentic to the street.

Marine-grade systems are made for it. Quality Galvalume and aluminum roofs are built to resist corrosion, which is why metal is the material of choice on the coast. For homes right on the ocean, we lean toward aluminum and finishes suited to the heaviest salt exposure.

It can help. Many metal roofing finishes reflect a good portion of the sun's heat rather than absorbing it, which eases the load on your cooling through the long island summer. Proper attic ventilation matters too, and we can talk through both.

It can. A code-compliant roof paired with a wind-mitigation inspection may qualify your home for Florida premium credits — and in the Keys, insurance is a real cost. We provide the documentation an inspector and your insurer will want, though the actual savings depend on your carrier and your home; we do not promise a specific dollar figure.

Key West — Old Town, Bahama Village, Truman Annex, New Town, and Casa Marina — plus Stock Island, Big Coppitt, Sugarloaf, Cudjoe, and Big Pine Key. If you are nearby but not listed, call and ask.

Absolutely. A lot of what we roof in Key West is guesthouses, B&Bs, and vacation rentals, and we coordinate around bookings and absentee owners as a matter of routine. We schedule tightly, communicate by phone and email, and send photos so you know what's happening even when you're off the island.

Properly installed, a quality metal roof commonly lasts decades — often well beyond an asphalt shingle roof, even in a climate as tough as the Keys. Many owners install metal as the last roof they expect to buy for the home.

No louder than other roofs. Installed over a solid deck and underlayment, a metal roof does not produce the drumming people imagine. That bare "tin roof" sound comes from panels over open framing, which is not how a finished residential roof is built.

Metal usually costs more up front than asphalt shingle, but it lasts far longer in the salt and sun and needs less maintenance, so the cost over the life of the roof is often very competitive. Add potential insurance credits and energy savings, and the long-term math frequently favors metal. We also offer financing.

Quality Galvalume and aluminum systems are coated and finished specifically to resist corrosion. Everyday rust is not a concern when the right product is properly installed for our coastal climate.

Sometimes, depending on the structure and what is there — but in the Keys a clean tear-off is often the right call, so the deck and details can be inspected and brought to current wind code. On a historic home it also lets us get the profile and detailing right for HARC. We will tell you which makes sense after the inspection.

No. Metal is generally lighter than concrete tile and comparable to or lighter than layered asphalt, so structural weight is rarely an issue — including on older Conch cottages and elevated homes.

No. Metal roofs do not make a home more likely to be struck by lightning. This is a common myth; a metal roof is no more a lightning target than any other roof.

The classic 5V-crimp Galvalume tin roof, concealed-fastener standing seam, metal shingle and tile-look profiles, and ribbed structural panels — for historic homes, newer homes, and commercial buildings. We match the system to your exposure, your island, and any historic review.

A free roof inspection. We get on your roof, assess its condition, take measurements, and give you honest options and a written quote — plus a plan for HARC if your home is in the district. Call (786) 589-8668 or request your estimate online to get started.