Roofing in The Hammocks, FL

What is on the roofs in The Hammocks

Most homes in The Hammocks sit under one master declaration. It was first recorded in December 1979, and supplements bringing in new land were recorded from 1980 through 1987; by November 1988 the declaration listed neighborhoods such as Oak Lake, Spicewood, Corella, Lakeside, Parkside and Ensenada, so most of the community was platted in the 1980s. The declaration covers detached homes, attached homes that share "connected exterior roofs", rental apartment buildings and condominiums, which is why who handles and insures a roof here depends on the kind of unit you own.⁶

Local rules and history that affect your roof

• If your home is in the Hammocks Community Association, changing your roof's look needs the association's permission, not just the county's. The amended and restated declaration (Article XIV) says any change in the exterior color of a home, "including fences and walls, roofing material, gutters and leaders", requires the written consent of the Architectural Control Committee (ACC).⁶
• Under Article VIII, no exterior change may start without the ACC's prior written approval. You submit an application with a complete set of plans and specifications, and the ACC has 45 days from receiving everything it requested to act; if it does not act in that window, the application is deemed approved. In neighborhoods with their own local association, that association may process the request first and then send it to the ACC, so build both steps into your re-roof timeline.⁶
• Article XI requires each owner to insure the home for its full replacement value with no deduction for depreciation, and for attached homes that coverage includes the common party walls and "connected exterior roofs"; condominium buildings are insured at the condominium level instead. After a storm or other casualty, the owner must either start rebuilding or clear the lot within 30 days of receiving the insurance money, and no later than six months after the damage.⁶
• With 6,527 homes on about 3,800 acres, the Hammocks Community Association is South Florida's biggest HOA. A court put it in receivership in November 2022 amid a fraud case against board members, several of whom later pleaded guilty, and since August 2024 a court monitor has overseen its elections and audits. Confirm the current ACC procedure with the association before you order materials.^7,8

Storms that hit here

• Andrew (1992). In the Miami Herald's first report after Andrew, police listed an area they called "the Hammocks" among four especially hard-hit areas of South Dade. Just south of the community, at Tamiami Airport (now Miami Executive Airport), the official observer watched the wind needle pin a little past the dial's 100-knot mark around 4:45 a.m. and stay there for three to five minutes. The National Hurricane Center concluded the sustained wind there likely significantly exceeded 105 knots (about 121 mph), and conditions kept getting worse for about another half hour.^{9,10,11,12,13}

What this means for a re-roof in The Hammocks

How old the houses are. The median home in The Hammocks was built in 1991; 80% of its 20,355 homes predate 2000 and 11.3% were built in 2010 or later. So most houses here went up before Florida’s first statewide building code took effect on March 1, 2002.^5,14,15,16

Pre-2002 wood-deck houses. When the old covering comes off, the deck gets re-nailed to current code and a secondary water barrier goes on; in the wind-borne debris region, insured homes of $300,000+ may also need roof-to-wall connections (capped at 15% of the re-roof cost).^14,15,16

Repair or replace. Replacing 25% or more of a roof section in 12 months generally means redoing the section to current code — unless that roof was built or replaced under the 2007 code or later.^15,16,17,18

Product approval. In the HVHZ every roofing component needs a current product approval — a Miami-Dade NOA or a Florida approval listed for HVHZ use. Ask for the numbers and look them up yourself.^17,19

Roof age and insurance. An insurer can’t refuse a policy just because the roof is under 15 years old. If it is 15 or older, you can get an inspection first; at least 5 years of remaining life means age alone isn’t grounds to refuse.²⁰