Permit
A permit is needed
Florida’s code exempts no building work from permits (FBC Building § 105.2); in Lehigh Acres the reroof permit comes from Lee County’s building department.
Roof Replacement in Lehigh Acres, FL
Half of the 41,605 homes in Lehigh Acres were built before 1998. 37% 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 Lehigh Acres
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
Houses permitted before 2002
A secondary water barrier and deck re-nailing
If your site-built single-family home was permitted before the Florida Building Code took effect (March 1, 2002), a full roof replacement must include a secondary water barrier and re-nailing of the roof deck: at least two 8d nails per rafter, a nail counting as 8d if it is at least 0.113 inch thick and 2¼ inches long (Fla. Stat. § 553.844(3); FBC Existing Building 706.7).
37% of homes in Lehigh Acres were built before 2000 (ACS); the year the house was permitted is what counts.
Source: Fla. Stat. § 553.844; FBC Existing Building, 8th ed. (2023), Chapter 7
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 Lehigh Acres
70% of the occupied homes in Lehigh Acres are lived in by their owners: 26,904 households, the people this line is for. Counting by decade, 1% before 1960, 16% before 1980, 37% before 2000 of the housing was in place, and 63% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 81% detached houses, 9% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 6% buildings of two to four units.
Of the 14 Lee County places on this site, Lehigh Acres has the 10th largest share of homes built before 2000: 37%, against a county range of 28% to 87%.
ZIP codes: 33936 · 33971 · 33972 · 33973 · 33974 · 33976
Lehigh Acres and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 2000 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lehigh Acres | 1998 | 37% | 70% | 9% | 7 |
| Olga | 1995 | 55% | 75% | 17% | 7 |
| Alva | 2007 | 35% | 90% | 2% | 6 |
| Fort Denaud | 1993 | 64% | 78% | 2% | 11 |
| Fort Myers | 2005 | 32% | 58% | 17% | 12 |
| LaBelle | 1987 | 85% | 75% | 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 Lehigh Acres
NOAA’s storm reports show 7 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Lehigh Acres, topping out at 1.5 in on July 1, 2015. The most recent was June 11, 2025.
At the county level, Lehigh Acres shares Lee County’s record of 9 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 Lehigh Acres’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; 81% 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 | Low pitches and long runs | A complete standing-seam system may go over the old roof (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older and historic houses | Never a base for a new layer (R908.3.1.1); heavy |
| 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 | Coating is not a replacement |
Checking a contractor in Florida
A Florida roofer needs a state license, CCC statewide or RC locally; check the number of whoever prices the roof in Lehigh Acres on DBPR before signing.
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 Lehigh Acres
Is a permit required for a new roof in Lehigh Acres, FL?
A permit is needed. Florida’s code exempts no building work from permits (FBC Building § 105.2); in Lehigh Acres the reroof permit comes from Lee County’s building department.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Lehigh Acres?
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 Lehigh Acres built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Lehigh Acres was built in 1998, 37% of homes were built before 2000, 70% are owner-occupied.
How often does hail hit Lehigh Acres?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 7 days within 10 miles of Lehigh Acres 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 Lehigh Acres have?
A Florida roofer needs a state license, CCC statewide or RC locally; check the number of whoever prices the roof in Lehigh Acres on DBPR before signing.
What they will ask on the phone
- Your address or ZIP code in Lehigh Acres
- How many stories the house has, and whether it is detached or attached
- 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.