Questions Surprise homeowners ask us
Licensing, permits, prices, tile underlayment, foam, hail, insurance, HOAs and storms — the short answers. Anything we missed, call and ask.
Are you licensed and insured?
The crews that work through us hold Arizona Registrar of Contractors roofing licenses (class R-42 for residential) with the bond and insurance the ROC requires, and the license number is on your contract. Arizona requires a license for any roofing job over $1,000 or any job that needs a permit. You can check any contractor's license, bond and complaint history on the ROC's online contractor search in about a minute.
Do I need a permit to re-roof in Surprise?
Not for like-for-like work. The City of Surprise adopted the 2024 codes on January 1, 2026 with a local amendment exempting re-roofing with the same type of material — so a tile lift-and-relay, a shingle replacement and a foam recoat are all exempt. Changing the material or touching the structure or decking needs a permit from the Building Safety Division (623-222-3000), and we pull it. Your HOA is a separate approval.
How much does a new roof cost?
In 2026: a tile lift-and-relay (new underlayment, your tile re-set) runs $4–$6 per square foot — about $8,000–$12,000 for a typical single-story. New concrete tile is $7–$12 per square foot, clay $10–$18, architectural shingles $4–$6, new foam $6–$12, and a foam recoat $1–$3. Every quote itemizes tile handling, underlayment, flashings, decking, permit and HOA paperwork.
My tile roof looks fine. Why would it need anything?
Because the tile isn't the roof — the underlayment under it is. Felt under Arizona tile lasts 15–25 years, and most of Surprise was built 1996–2008. The tile shades the felt from view while the heat cooks it. A free inspection lifts a few tiles and tells you where yours stands.
Do you charge for inspections?
No. Storm inspections and underlayment checks, with photos, are free. A written report for a home sale, purchase or insurance renewal is a small flat fee, credited toward any work.
Do you require a deposit?
Not until you've approved the written price and we've scheduled the work. Arizona law caps the down payment on storm-repair contracts at 50% anyway; most residential jobs are paid on completion.
Will you waive my deductible?
No. A.R.S. 32-1158.02 makes it illegal for a roofer to advertise or promise to pay, waive or rebate any part of your deductible on a storm-repair contract, and a violation is grounds for license discipline. You pay your deductible; we build to the approved scope.
Do you overlay or tear off?
Tear off. Surprise allows a second shingle layer without a permit, but an overlay hides bad decking, traps heat, voids most warranties and doubles the next tear-off. On tile, the question doesn't arise — the tile comes off, the felt is replaced, the tile goes back.
How long does a lift-and-relay take?
Two to three days on a single-story, three to five on a big two-story. The roof is never left open overnight, and in summer the crew is off the roof by early afternoon.
What about my foam roof?
Recoat it every five to ten years — $1,800–$3,800 for a typical Sun City home — and it lasts for decades. Skip two cycles and it's a $10,000-plus re-foam. We core-cut first to check the foam is dry.
Does hail really damage roofs in Arizona?
The October 2010 storm cost $2.7 billion — the most expensive weather event in state history — and inch hail has been reported near Surprise most years since, most recently half-dollar hail in August 2026. It cracks tile corners, bruises shingles and punctures foam, and the damage leaks the next storm, not that night.
Do you work with insurance?
Yes — we document before you file, meet your adjuster on the roof, build to the approved scope and document supplements properly. We don't negotiate your claim (Arizona reserves that for licensed adjusters), we don't take assignments of benefits, and we don't waive deductibles.
Does my HOA have to approve a new roof?
For a material or color change, almost always — Marley Park's Design Review Committee reviews roof changes by home style, and Sun City Grand, Surprise Farms and most others have an architectural process. A lift-and-relay with your own tile is usually a notification. We handle the paperwork either way.
Do you serve Sun City and Peoria?
Yes — Sun City, Sun City West, El Mirage, Youngtown, Peoria, Glendale, Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Buckeye, Waddell and Wittmann, plus all of Surprise.
Do you really answer at night?
24 hours a day, every day. Water through the ceiling at 11 PM in a monsoon storm gets a person on the phone and a tarp crew moving.
Is it too hot to roof in the summer?
Tile surfaces pass 150°F by early afternoon, so crews start at first light and are done by about 1 PM from June through September. Emergency work goes any hour; scheduled work is simply planned around the heat.