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After Helene and Milton

In 2024, Hurricane Helene's storm surge flooded coastal Pinellas and Hillsborough neighborhoods. Two weeks later, Hurricane Milton brought wind damage and tornadoes across the region. Many homeowners are still repairing, elevating or rebuilding, and insurers are pushing for newer roofs and better wind protection.

Florida rules that affect your project

• Licensing: most structural, roofing, HVAC, plumbing and electrical work requires a Florida DBPR license. Check it at myfloridalicense.com.
• Notice of Commencement: under Florida's Construction Lien Law, improvements with a direct contract price over $2,500 generally need a recorded Notice of Commencement before work starts. Repair or replacement of an existing HVAC system is exempt when the contract is under $15,000.
• The 25% roof rule: the Florida Building Code limits repairs to 25% of a roof or roof section in 12 months unless the whole roof or section is brought up to current code. Since a 2022 change to state law (s. 553.844(5), F.S.), if the existing roof was built, repaired or replaced to the 2007 Florida Building Code or later, only the repaired portion has to meet current code. In practice that usually means roofs permitted after March 1, 2009.
• FEMA 50% rule: in flood zones, if improvements or repairs reach 50% of the structure's market value, the whole building must be brought into floodplain compliance, which often means elevation. Some local governments use a stricter threshold: the City of St. Petersburg and unincorporated Pinellas County use 49%.