Permit
A permit is needed
Florida’s code exempts no building work from permits (FBC Building § 105.2); in Kathleen the reroof permit comes from Polk County’s building department.
Roof Replacement in Kathleen, FL
Half of the 22,297 homes in Kathleen were built before 1997. 58% predate 2000, and Florida’s reroof rules depend on when the house was permitted.
New Roofing Costs connects homeowners with independent local roofing contractors. We do not perform roofing work.
Call (833) 781-1806 Replacement and new roofs only · homeowners
This number connects homeowners who are planning a new roof or a full roof replacement with independent local roofing contractors. It is not for leak repairs or patch jobs. The call must come from the homeowner who decides on the roof. Calls may be recorded.
The rules for a reroof in Kathleen
Layers
When the old roof must come off
A tear-off to the deck is required where the roof already has two layers, where the covering is tile, slate or wood shake, or where it is water-soaked or deteriorated (FBC Existing Building 706.3).
The 25 percent rule
Partial work can bring in the whole roof
Florida limits partial work: if more than 25 percent of a roof or roof section is redone in 12 months, the whole roof or section has to meet the current code. Roofs built or replaced under the 2007 Florida Building Code or later are exempt; only the new part must meet the code in effect (FBC Existing Building 706.1.1; Fla. Stat. § 553.844(5)).
Source: FBC Existing Building, 8th ed. (2023), Chapter 7; Fla. Stat. § 553.844
Manufactured homes
Say it is a manufactured home
The Florida rules for older site-built houses above apply to “site-built, single-family residential structures” (Fla. Stat. § 553.844(3)); a manufactured home is not one. Tell the person on the line it is a manufactured home.
Source: Fla. Stat. § 553.844
Checked against the code text on October 24, 2026. The state’s code edition and the rest of its rules: roof replacement in Florida.
Homes and roofs in Kathleen
Of 20,330 occupied homes in Kathleen, 15,585 (77%) are owner-occupied. Counting by decade, 3% before 1960, 15% before 1980, 58% before 2000 of the housing was in place, and 42% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 64% detached houses, 26% manufactured homes.
26% of homes in Kathleen are manufactured homes (5,721). A roof on a manufactured home is its own kind of job; tell the person on the line that it is one, since Florida’s reroof upgrades for older houses are written for site-built homes.
Of the 22 Polk County places on this site, Kathleen has the 20th largest share of homes built before 2000: 58%, against a county range of 50% to 97%.
ZIP codes: 33810
Kathleen and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 2000 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kathleen | 1997 | 58% | 77% | 2% | 4 |
| Lakeland | 1983 | 77% | 60% | 4% | 8 |
| Crystal Springs | 1994 | 68% | 89% | 1% | 4 |
| Plant City | 1988 | 69% | 74% | 2% | 8 |
| Combee Settlement | 1974 | 96% | 50% | 0% | 7 |
| Crystal Lake | 1974 | 97% | 46% | 2% | 8 |
Median built: median year the homes were built. Before 2000: share of homes built then. Owners: share of homes that are owner-occupied. Row, twin: share of homes that are rowhouses, twins or townhouses. Census ACS 2020–2024. Hail days: days with hail of 1 inch or larger within 10 miles, 2006–2025, NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
Hail and storms near Kathleen
Within 10 miles of Kathleen, hail of an inch or more was reported on 4 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 1 in on June 14, 2012.
At the county level, Kathleen shares Polk County’s record of 8 storm disaster declarations since 2006, the newest DR-4834 (Hurricane Milton, October 2024). (OpenFEMA.)
Storm reports are what observers logged, not a measure of damage to any roof. When wind or hail damage means a new roof.
What goes on the roof next
HUD’s useful-life figures are for planning; a warranty is a separate promise. For Kathleen’s houses: More in the guides to shingles, metal, slate, tile and flat roofs.
| Material | HUD useful life | Fits a house like | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asphalt shingles | 20 years | Most pitched roofs; 64% of homes here are detached | Wind class set by the design wind speed (IRC Table R905.2.4.1) |
| Metal (standing seam, panels) | 50 years | Roofs that will carry solar later | A complete standing-seam system may go over the old roof (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older and historic houses | Sound slate can be reused (R908.5); broken slate cannot |
| Clay or concrete tile | 60 years | Houses framed for tile | Can’t be roofed over (FBC-EB 706.3) |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Additions and porch roofs | Seams at walls and drainage |
Checking a contractor in Florida
Roofing in Florida takes a state license: Certified Roofing Contractor (CCC), valid statewide, or Registered Roofing Contractor (RC), valid only where the contractor holds a local certificate. 9,419 CCC licenses were active on October 23, 2026. Look up the number of anyone pricing a roof in Kathleen on DBPR.
Contracts, deposits and the right to cancel: Florida roofing licenses. What moves the price: new roof cost in Florida.
Questions about a new roof in Kathleen
Is a permit required for a new roof in Kathleen, FL?
A permit is needed. Florida’s code exempts no building work from permits (FBC Building § 105.2); in Kathleen the reroof permit comes from Polk County’s building department.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Kathleen?
A tear-off to the deck is required where the roof already has two layers, where the covering is tile, slate or wood shake, or where it is water-soaked or deteriorated (FBC Existing Building 706.3).
When were most homes in Kathleen built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Kathleen was built in 1997, 58% of homes were built before 2000, 77% are owner-occupied.
How often does hail hit Kathleen?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 4 days within 10 miles of Kathleen from 2006 through 2025 (NOAA Storm Prediction Center). A report means hail fell nearby, not that a roof was damaged.
What license or registration should a roofer in Kathleen have?
Roofing in Florida takes a state license: Certified Roofing Contractor (CCC), valid statewide, or Registered Roofing Contractor (RC), valid only where the contractor holds a local certificate. 9,419 CCC licenses were active on October 23, 2026. Look up the number of anyone pricing a roof in Kathleen on DBPR.
What they will ask on the phone
- Your address or ZIP code in Kathleen
- How many stories the house has, and whether it is detached or attached
- Whether it is a manufactured home
- What covers the roof now and about when it went on
- How many layers are on it, if you know
- Your timing for a complete replacement
- The year the house was built and the year the roof was last replaced
- That you are the owner and the one who decides
The full list: before you call.