A tarp is the difference between a roof repair and a roof-plus-ceiling-plus-floor repair. Emergency tarping is priced on the size of the area, the pitch, the time and the access, and it is almost always reimbursed by insurance as mitigation. Here is what to expect.
What Sets the Price
- Area. Tarps are sized to cover the damage plus a margin over the ridge and past the eave so water cannot run under them.
- Pitch and height. Steep or two-story roofs need more safety gear and time.
- Timing. Night, weekend and during-storm calls cost more than a next-morning call.
- Access. Pool cages, dense landscaping and blocked driveways slow the crew.
- Debris. A limb through the roof has to come off before the tarp goes on.
What a Proper Tarp Job Includes
- Reinforced tarp, not a hardware-store blue sheet
- Anchored with furring strips screwed through the tarp into the decking, not sandbags or bricks
- Run over the ridge on the uphill side so water sheds over it
- Extended past the eave so water drains into the gutter
- Photographs before and after for the insurance claim
- A written invoice that names the storm date
Insurance Reimbursement
Florida policies require the homeowner to protect the property from further damage after a loss, and the reasonable cost of doing so is part of the claim. Keep the invoice and the photos. Sunny Roofing’s tarping documentation is written for the adjuster. See insurance claim assistance.
How Long a Tarp Lasts
A properly anchored reinforced tarp holds for weeks, sometimes months, but it is not a roof. Sun degrades it, wind works at the edges and every rain tests the anchoring. The permanent repair or replacement should be scheduled as soon as the adjuster has seen the damage.
What Not to Do
- Do not climb a wet or windy roof.
- Do not nail a tarp through the shingles without strips; every nail is a future leak.
- Do not sign an assignment of benefits with a tarping crew that shows up unannounced after a storm.
- Do not wait: an open roof after a hurricane can fail its mitigation duty and complicate the claim.
Sunny Roofing tarps 24/7 across Central Florida. Call (561) 650-1355. Details on the emergency roof tarping and emergency roofing pages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is emergency tarping covered by insurance?
Usually, as mitigation. Keep the invoice and photos and submit them with the claim.
Can I tarp the roof myself?
You can, but most self-installed tarps fail at the anchoring and create nail holes. If you must, run it over the ridge and anchor with screwed strips, and never in wind or rain.
How fast can you get here?
Same day across Central Florida, 24 hours a day. After a major storm, calls are prioritized by open roofs first.
Talk to Sunny Roofing
Sunny Roofing is a veteran-owned, BBB A+ accredited, Florida-certified roofing contractor (CCC1333142) serving Orlando and Central Florida since 2018. Every job gets a dedicated project manager, a 15-year workmanship warranty and a cleanup guarantee. Book a free inspection online or call (561) 650-1355.