Every reroof project tells a story. This one, completed in the Lake Charleston community of Lake Worth, is a good example of what a well-managed concrete tile reroof looks like from the first phone call to the final inspection. It also happens to be a project where the homeowner used the My Safe Florida Home program to offset $10,000 of the cost, so we will walk through that process as well. If you are a homeowner in Lake Charleston or a similar HOA community in Palm Beach County considering a reroof, this post is written for you.
Quick Summary
BLU Roofing completed a full concrete tile reroof in Lake Charleston, Lake Worth. The project involved HOA approval through the Lake Charleston Homeowners Association, a Palm Beach County permit, Eagle Malibu concrete tile in Palm Beach Blend, a single-ply direct-to-deck Polyglass TU Plus underlayment system with reinforced high-flow water areas, ICP Polyset AH-160 foam tile adhesive, and a Solatube RM2400 solar attic fan. The homeowner received the full $10,000 My Safe Florida Home matching grant. The tear-off and dry-in were completed in one day, and the finished tile was installed one week later.
Project Facts
| Community |
Lake Charleston, Lake Worth, FL |
| HOA |
Lake Charleston Homeowners Association |
| Roof Type |
Concrete Tile to Concrete Tile Reroof |
| Tile |
Eagle Malibu Profile, Palm Beach Blend Color |
| Roof Size |
18 Squares |
| Underlayment System |
Single-ply direct-to-deck Polyglass TU Plus, ice and water shield at perimeter, valleys, and wall flashings, CertainTeed SA granulated cap sheet in valleys |
| Tile Adhesive |
ICP Polyset AH-160 two-part polyurethane roof tile adhesive (no penetrations) |
| Additional Work |
Solatube RM2400 solar-powered attic fan installation |
| My Safe Florida Home Grant |
$10,000 matching grant applied (homeowner reimbursed after completion) |
| Permit Jurisdiction |
Palm Beach County Unincorporated |
Table of Contents
- The Estimate Process
- HOA Approval and Permitting
- The My Safe Florida Home Program
- Tile Ordering and Timeline Management
- Tear-Off, Inspection, and Dry-In
- The Roofing System: Products and Process
- Tile Installation and Inspections
- Why We Added a Solar Attic Fan
- Final Details, Cleanup, and Completion
The Estimate Process
This project started with a phone call from a homeowner in Lake Charleston who had been following BLU Roofing on social media and had watched enough of our content to feel confident in reaching out. When a homeowner comes to us already educated about the process, it makes for a much smoother experience for everyone.
Before putting together an estimate, we do a full roof inspection. This is not just a quick look from the driveway. We get on the roof and assess the condition of the existing tile, the underlayment, the flashings, the fascia, the decking, and every penetration on the roof. We also ask the homeowner the right questions: Where are you in the decision-making process? What is your timeline? What is most important to you in choosing a contractor? What concerns do you have about the process? Understanding what matters to the homeowner is just as important as understanding the condition of the roof.
Once the estimate was ready, we sat down together with the homeowner and his wife and walked through the entire scope of work, the materials, the process, and the timeline. We do not email estimates and wait for a call back. We review them in person so every question gets answered before a decision is made.
HOA Approval and Permitting
Lake Charleston is governed by the Lake Charleston Homeowners Association, which requires that any reroof use concrete tile matching the community’s approved materials list. This is common in Palm Beach County HOA communities, and it is something we handle routinely. The HOA had a pre-approved list of tile profiles and colors to choose from, and we worked with the homeowners to select the right option.
They chose the Eagle Malibu profile in Palm Beach Blend, a warm, multi-toned blend that complements the stucco homes throughout Lake Charleston beautifully. We had already completed a roof in this exact color and were able to send them photos of the finished product so they could see exactly what their home would look like before committing. They loved it, and so do we.
We handled the full HOA application: certificates of insurance listing both the association and the homeowner as additional insured, our contractor license, the product specifications, and photos of a completed reference roof. The HOA approved the application promptly.
On the permit side, this project fell under Palm Beach County Unincorporated jurisdiction. We submitted a complete permit application, and the county approved it within a few days. A fast permit turnaround comes from submitting everything correctly the first time. Incomplete applications are the most common reason permits get delayed, and we have a thorough checklist to prevent that.
The My Safe Florida Home Program
This homeowner had already been approved through the My Safe Florida Home program and had a $10,000 grant available. The program provides eligible Palm Beach County homeowners with matching grants for hurricane mitigation improvements, including qualifying roof replacements. For a $20,000 reroof, the state’s 2-to-1 matching grant covers $10,000, meaning the homeowner pays their portion and receives a reimbursement check from the state after the work is complete and passes final inspection.
It is important to understand that the program does not pay the contractor directly. The homeowner pays the full invoice, and then BLU Roofing helps put together the complete reimbursement packet, including the paid invoice, permit documentation, final inspection records, and all required product approval paperwork. We have processed dozens of these packets and know exactly what the program requires to get the reimbursement approved without delays.
If you are a Lake Worth or Palm Beach County homeowner who has already received a My Safe Florida Home inspection report, or if you are curious whether you qualify, we can walk you through the process. For a more detailed overview of the program, see our comprehensive My Safe Florida Home Program Guide.
Tile Ordering and Timeline Management
One of the most misunderstood aspects of a tile reroof is the timeline, specifically the relationship between when you order the tile, when you tear off the old roof, and when the tile arrives. This is where poor planning by a contractor can cause significant delays for a homeowner.
Because the Lake Charleston HOA can take up to 30 days to approve an application, we ordered the tile immediately after the contract was signed, scheduling delivery approximately two to two and a half months out to account for both the HOA approval timeline and the manufacturer’s lead time. The HOA approved the application quickly, which was great, but the more important planning factor was the tile delivery.
We received notification that the tile was ready approximately three weeks ahead of the scheduled delivery date. This is why the following rule is critical: a roofing contractor should tear off a tile roof approximately two to four weeks before the expected tile delivery date. If the tile arrives early and the roof is not dried in and ready, you miss your delivery window and go back to the end of the queue, potentially adding weeks to the project. We were ready. The roof was torn off and dried in on Thursday and Friday, and when the early delivery notification came on Friday afternoon, we were already prepared to receive it.
We had a seven-day window to schedule the delivery date from the moment we received that notification. We coordinated the install crew to pop the lines on Monday, scheduled tile delivery for Wednesday, and had the install crew back on Thursday. The tile was fully installed by Friday morning, exactly one week after the tear-off. That is what efficient project management looks like on a tile reroof.
Tear-Off, Inspection, and Dry-In
On tear-off day, we protect the property first: driveway, landscaping, and anything adjacent to the work area. This project had a zero lot line, meaning the neighboring homes are directly adjacent with no side yard buffer. We introduced ourselves to the neighbor before work began, explained what we were doing and how long it would take, and committed to keeping his side of the property as protected as possible throughout the process. He had been through a reroof himself and appreciated the communication. At the end of the job, he confirmed his property was left in perfect condition.
Aerial view of the tear-off in progress. The old concrete tile and underlayment have been removed, exposing the plywood roof deck. The zero lot line neighbors’ properties are visible on both sides.
The tear-off process involves removing all tile, all underlayment, and the entire roofing system down to the bare plywood decking. Any rotted, deteriorated, or damaged plywood is identified, photographed, and replaced. The same applies to fascia boards. We document everything with photos throughout the entire process using CompanyCam, so there is a complete photographic record of every condition we found and every repair we made.
Once all bad wood is replaced, the first city inspection takes place. This is the sheathing and re-nail inspection, which verifies that the roof deck is nailed to current building code standards and that there is no rotted or deteriorated decking remaining. In Palm Beach County Unincorporated, all inspections are conducted virtually: Peter gets on the roof and walks the inspector through everything live on video. This is a thorough process that gives the inspector a complete view of the work rather than a quick in-person glance.
The Roofing System: Products and Process
Once the sheathing inspection is passed, we begin installing the new roofing system. There is more than one way to build a proper tile roof system, and the right choice depends on the pitch, the climate, and the homeowner’s priorities. On this project, we used a single-ply direct-to-deck Polyglass TU Plus system, which is one of the highest-performing underlayment options available for Florida tile roofs.
We do not treat the entire roof as a uniform surface. The high-flow water areas, the locations where water concentrates and moves fastest, receive additional protection. Here is exactly how we built this system from the deck up:
Perimeter (eaves): Ice and water shield goes down as the first layer around the entire perimeter before the drip edge. The drip edge is then installed on top of this first layer but underneath the Polyglass TU Plus. This layering sequence ensures that water running off the eave edge cannot work back under the drip edge and into the roof system.
Valleys: Ice and water shield is installed as the first layer in every valley. On top of that, we install 26-gauge valley metal. On top of the valley metal, after the full Polyglass TU Plus field is installed, we add a layer of CertainTeed SA granulated cap sheet to fully bulletproof the valley. Valleys carry the highest volume of water on any roof, and they get the most layers of protection accordingly.
Wall flashings: Ice and water shield goes under all roof-to-wall flashings, including the section over the garage on this property.
Penetrations: Additional peel-and-stick membrane is applied around every pipe jack, gooseneck vent, and wall flashing before those components are installed.
Full field: Polyglass TU Plus self-adhered membrane is installed directly to the deck over the entire roof surface, back-nailed to code with all laps properly sealed. This system qualifies as the Secondary Water Resistance (SWR) layer, which is one of the key features that can unlock a homeowners insurance wind mitigation discount.
Top-down aerial view of the completed dry-in. The white Polyglass TU Plus covers the entire deck. The Trim Lock hip and ridge channel metal is installed, and the Eagle Malibu Palm Beach Blend tiles have been delivered and loaded onto the roof in preparation for installation.
The second city inspection, the metal and tin tag inspection, takes place during this phase. The inspector verifies how the valleys are installed and how the drip edge is installed. Again, this is conducted virtually in Palm Beach County Unincorporated.
Tile Installation and Inspections
Before the first tile goes down, two things need to happen. First, the eave enclosure (also called bird stop) is installed around the entire perimeter. This is the component that closes off the open end of the first tile row at the eave, preventing birds, insects, and debris from getting underneath the tile. Second, the Trim Lock hip and ridge channel metal is installed on all hips and ridges. This channel is what the hip and ridge cap tiles will eventually lock into.
Then we pop the lines, which means laying out the tile courses across the entire roof to ensure perfectly straight, evenly spaced rows from eave to ridge. This is done before any tile is permanently set.
Tile installation on this 6/12 pitch roof uses ICP Polyset AH-160 two-part polyurethane roof tile adhesive for the full field. This is a foam adhesive applied in a measured patty pattern directly to the deck, and the tile is pressed into it. There are no nails, no screws, and no penetrations through the Polyglass TU Plus underlayment across the field of the roof. The perimeter row, the first course of tile around the entire eave, receives one screw per tile in addition to foam. This is required because the perimeter row must meet a higher wind uplift resistance standard: if wind is going to lift tiles, it starts at the edge, and that first row needs to hold tight.
Tile installation in progress. The Polyglass TU Plus is visible on the upper section of the roof, and the Eagle Malibu Palm Beach Blend tiles are being set from the eave up using ICP Polyset AH-160 foam adhesive.
The third city inspection is the in-progress inspection, conducted while tile installation is underway. The inspector checks three things: the eave enclosures, the hip and ridge channel metal, and the tile installation method, specifically the foam patty size and pattern. Once we receive the green light, installation continues to completion.
Why We Added a Solar Attic Fan
This homeowner also chose to add a Solatube RM2400 solar-powered attic fan during the reroof, and the timing was ideal. Here is something most homeowners do not know: when you go from a traditional felt underlayment system to a direct-to-deck peel-and-stick system like Polyglass TU Plus, you are significantly reducing the permeability of your roof deck.
With 30-pound felt, hot attic air could escape through small gaps in the plywood and through the felt itself. The permeability was not zero. With a fully adhered peel-and-stick system, the deck is essentially sealed. The permeability drops dramatically, closer to that of glass, which has zero permeability. That is excellent for waterproofing, but it means the attic has one less passive path for heat to escape. A sealed deck combined with a South Florida summer can push attic temperatures well above 140 degrees.
A solar-powered attic fan directly addresses this by actively exhausting hot air from the attic during the peak heat hours of the day. It reduces the heat load on the HVAC system, extends the life of the roofing materials from the inside, and helps manage attic humidity year-round. Installing it during a reroof is the ideal time because the roof is already open and the integration is clean. For a full overview of the Solatube RM2400 and how it works, see our Solatube RM2400 Installation Case Study.
Final Details, Cleanup, and Completion
Once the tile is fully installed, the hip and ridge caps are set and mortared. The mortar mix uses an oxide colorant matched to the tile color, so the mortar joints between the hip and ridge caps and the field tile blend seamlessly into the finished roof rather than standing out as a different color.
The fourth and final city inspection is the final inspection, where the inspector walks the entire completed roof virtually with Peter. They verify the mortar work, the overall installation quality, and that everything is complete per the approved permit documents. Once the final inspection passes, the permit is closed.
After the final inspection, we return to paint all pipe jacks and gooseneck vents to match the tile color as closely as possible. A silver steel pipe jack on a warm terracotta tile roof stands out immediately and makes the roof look unfinished. This is a detail that most contractors skip, and it is one of the finishing touches that separates a truly complete job from one that is just technically done.
The completed Eagle Malibu Palm Beach Blend concrete tile reroof in Lake Charleston. The Solatube RM2400 solar attic fan is visible on the rear slope. The property and neighboring homes were left in pristine condition.
Throughout the entire project, from the first inspection to the final cleanup, the homeowner received real-time updates at every stage. There are no layers of communication at BLU Roofing. When there is an update, the homeowner hears it directly and immediately. That level of communication is something we take seriously on every project, and it is one of the things our clients consistently mention.
After completion, we assembled the full My Safe Florida Home reimbursement packet for the homeowner: paid invoice, permit card, final inspection documentation, product approval paperwork, and all required program forms. The homeowner received the full $10,000 reimbursement check from the state.
If you are a homeowner in Lake Charleston or anywhere in Palm Beach County considering a concrete tile reroof, contact Peter Menke at 561-379-5364 for a free, detailed estimate. We will walk you through every step of the process, handle the HOA and permit applications, and deliver a roof that is built to last.
Written By: Peter Menke
Peter Menke is the owner of BLU Roofing and has been serving the South Florida roofing industry for over 6 years. He founded BLU Roofing to provide homeowners with transparent, accurate data grounded in the reality of Florida’s unique climate and building codes, information that is often missing from generic national roofing advice. License #CCC1337285
