Roofing is our primary trade. American Prime General Construction is a veteran-led general contractor and roofing contractor that self-performs roofing and carries storm jobs through to full reconstruction when the damage runs deeper. Richardson is not a service area we drive to; it is where we are, at 2100 N Greenville Ave, Ste 106, Richardson, TX 75082.
Richardson also has the oldest housing stock in this corridor. The median home here was built in 1986, and 44.4 percent of all units predate 1980 (ACS 2020–2024, table B25035). Those roofs have absorbed an EF3 tornado, a surveyed 90 mph wind event and repeated two-inch hail, which is why so many claims here turn into an argument about storm damage versus wear. We are not a public insurance adjuster and we do not negotiate claims on your behalf.
Schedule a Free Roof Inspection Call 469-888-8326
Roofing and Storm Restoration Services in Richardson
- Roofing inspections, repair, and replacement
- Hail and wind damage restoration
- Tornado damage reconstruction
- Fire-damage build-back
- Water-damage build-back
- Mitigation and remediation partner coordination
- Interior reconstruction
- Exterior reconstruction
- Construction estimates and documentation
- General contracting and project supervision
Richardson’s storm record, by date
NOAA records 47 hail, wind and tornado events inside Richardson city limits from 2011 through April 2026, the densest in-city record in this corridor. Because Richardson straddles Dallas and Collin counties, reports logged at Renner are Richardson reports. Wind figures below are NOAA measurements, in mph.
| Date | Event | NOAA magnitude | Property damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 20, 2019 | Tornado, EF3 (event 856409) | 15.76 mi track, 1,300 yd wide | $1.55 billion |
| May 28, 2024 | Wind (event 1186739) | 78 kt / 90 mph | $2.0 million |
| Sep 24, 2023 | Hail (event 1142401) | 2.25 in | $100,000 |
| Apr 21, 2017 | Hail (event 695533) | 2.00 in | $200,000 |
| Mar 13, 2019 | Wind, Renner (event 815440) | 67 kt / 77 mph | — |
| Apr 27, 2026 | Hail, most recent (event 1326117) | 1.75 in | $20,000 |
October 20, 2019 — the tornado did reach Richardson
The EF3 that crossed North Dallas that night is usually called the Dallas tornado and is often described as stopping short of here. It did not. NOAA lists Richardson as the end location and tracks the storm through the Richland Park, Lakes of Buckingham, Richland Meadows and College Park subdivisions, past Richardson Square and Huffhines Park, weakening to EF0 and EF1 at Jupiter Road (event 856409).
One correction, because it circulates locally: the separate EF2 of the same evening, with $400 million in damage, was a Garland event (event 856477), not a Richardson one. What Richardson took was the weakening tail of the EF3, across dense neighborhoods of aging roofs, and our tornado reconstruction crews still work that corridor.
May 28, 2024 — a surveyed 90 mph wind event
NOAA is specific: “A wind sensor at Methodist Richardson measured 83 mph, but a NWS Storm Survey determined wind speeds up to 90 mph moved through part of the city,” worst from Hillside Avenue southeast to Bowser Road, with $2.0 million recorded (event 1186739). Wind at that speed creases and lifts shingles at rakes, ridges and eaves without breaking them, so the roof looks fine from the driveway and leaks two summers later — what our wind damage restoration inspections look for.
Hail
Richardson gets large hail often rather than giant hail rarely. The heaviest was September 24, 2023: four in-city reports at 2.25 in, 2.00 in and two at 1.50 in (2.25 in, 2.00 in, 1.50 in). April 21, 2017 produced two 2.00 in reports (event 695521), and April 27, 2026 five from 1.00 to 1.75 in (event 1326117). NOAA’s database lags several months, so a quiet stretch in the record is not always quiet on your roof.
Why Richardson roofs age the way they do
Of 47,960 housing units, 9,616 date to the 1970s, 7,973 to the 1960s and 3,216 to the 1950s, plus 5,156 from the 1980s and 6,825 from the 1990s (ACS table B25034). Median owner-occupied value is $431,400 (table B25003).
Layer count and decking are live questions. On a 1968 house nobody knows what is under the shingles until tear-off starts: multiple layers, patched or spaced sheathing, prior unpermitted repairs. That is why Richardson calls a roof deck inspection, and why we put the decking allowance in the scope up front.
Converted wood-shingle roofs. Amended IRC R904.5 allows repairs with unclassified wood shingles or shakes on an existing unclassified wood roof only “if not more than 25 percent of the roof covering is replaced in any 12-month period,” and amended R902.1 requires a minimum Class C covering (Richardson Code § 6-31). If your home still has wood, conversion is a code question.
Newer infill has the opposite problem. On the 9,088 units built 2010–2019 the carrier has no age argument, so everything rides on our forensic roof inspection and scope documentation.
Roofing permits and inspections in Richardson
When a permit is required — read this carefully
The city’s Roof Repair/Replacement page states that “a permit is required for any roof replacement/recovering or repair which exceeds 25% of the total roof area” (City of Richardson, Roof Repair/Replacement). That figure appears only on the city web page. Richardson’s amendment to IRC R105.2, the exempt-work list, leaves only small detached accessory structures and low decks, so no roofing exemption appears in the codified list (§ 6-31, Amendments), and the city’s NCTCOG amendment package has no R105.2 roofing amendment either (Richardson IRC amendments, PDF). Treat 25 percent as published policy rather than a code section and confirm how it applies to your job with Building Inspection. A full replacement needs a permit either way.
Fees
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Residential roof recovering (item 27) | $100.00 |
| Re-inspection (item 17) | $50.00 |
| Unpermitted work | Double fees |
From the Building Permit Fee Schedule marked effective 10/01/2025 (Richardson fee schedule, PDF); confirm amounts before budgeting.
Inspections, code edition and registration
Richardson requires two inspections: one “upon installation of the roof deck, (if applicable)” and a final upon completion (Roof Repair/Replacement). The city does not define “if applicable,” so ask the inspector. There is no published mid-roof or nailing inspection, so fastener quality rests on the contractor.
The 2021 International Residential Code is adopted by Ordinance No. 4464, § 2, April 24, 2023, with the 2021 IBC and IECC (Code § 6-30; Adopted Codes). An older city page still lists the 2006 I-Codes (Codes & Ordinances) and a third-party codification still shows the 2015 IBC (elaws § 6-27); the 2021 codes govern.
Contractor registration is required at $100 per year (fee item 22), and the city publishes a registered contractor list homeowners can check (Contractor Registration). Building Inspection is at 2360 Campbell Creek Blvd., Suite 550, 972-744-4180.
Neighborhoods we cover in Richardson
We work the whole city, both county sides. The names below come from the city’s association directory (City of Richardson):
- In the 2019 tornado path: Richland Park, Lakes of Buckingham, Richland Meadows and College Park, all four named in NOAA’s damage narrative.
- Established mid-century: Richardson Heights, Heights Park, J. J. Pearce, Greenwood Hills, Northrich and Crowley Park, where decking condition drives the scope more than shingle selection.
- North Richardson and Renner: Canyon Creek, Waterview Preservation, Breckinridge Farms and the Renner area, where NOAA logged the 77 mph and 69 mph wind events.
HOA approval before material is ordered
The city states that associations “have the legal authority to enact and enforce maintenance and design standards above and beyond those required by City ordinance.” Canyon Creek is the clearest example: its guidelines recommend architectural shingles rated at least 240 lb per square, list approved colors (Driftwood, Estate Gray, Flagstone, Peppermill Gray, Teak), and waive the application for replacement that keeps the existing look (Canyon Creek HOA ARC Design Guidelines, PDF). Changing color or profile means written approval first. See shingle selection.
One Richardson-Based Contractor for the Whole Recovery
Our office is inside the city limits, so an estimator can be back at your house the same week the adjuster asks a question. On older Richardson homes, damage hides in penetrations, valleys and flashing, so our inspections cover the full system, not just the field shingles.
We inspect and scope the construction damage, coordinate qualified mitigation and remediation professionals when specialized services are required, and manage the reconstruction through completion. APGC does not perform mitigation, remediation, drying or abatement itself. See our storm restoration services, complete build-back and siding and window work, our financing options, or contact us.
We also serve nearby communities including Plano, Garland, Dallas and Carrollton; the full list is on our service areas page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Richardson?
The city’s Roof Repair/Replacement page states a permit is required for any roof replacement, recovering or repair exceeding 25 percent of the total roof area. That threshold is published on the city web page but does not appear in the codified exempt list, so confirm how it applies to your job with Building Inspection at 972-744-4180. A full replacement needs a permit either way. The published residential roof recovering fee is $100.
What inspections does Richardson require after a reroof?
Two: an inspection upon installation of the roof deck, where applicable, and a final inspection upon completion. Richardson publishes no separate mid-roof or nailing inspection. Re-inspections cost $50 each.
Which building code does Richardson use for roofing?
The 2021 International Residential Code, adopted by Ordinance No. 4464, Section 2, on April 24, 2023. Richardson amends IRC R902.1 and R904.5 to require a minimum Class C roof covering. An older city page and a third-party codification still list earlier editions; the 2021 codes govern.
Did the October 2019 tornado actually hit Richardson?
Yes. NOAA lists Richardson as the end location of the EF3 tornado of October 20, 2019, tracking it through the Richland Park, Lakes of Buckingham, Richland Meadows and College Park subdivisions and weakening to EF0 and EF1 at Jupiter Road. The separate EF2 that same evening, with $400 million in damage, was a Garland event and should not be attributed to Richardson.
Do you perform mitigation and remediation in Richardson?
Specialized mitigation and remediation work is performed by qualified service providers. APGC coordinates those services with the overall project and manages the repair and build-back portions of the work.
Do you provide fire and water reconstruction in Richardson?
Yes. APGC provides complete interior and exterior reconstruction after the required mitigation or remediation work has been completed.
Can you help document the construction scope?
Yes. We provide photographs, measurements, construction estimates, repair scopes, material specifications, and technical explanations related to the reconstruction work. We do not act as a public insurance adjuster.
If you have found hail dents, granules in the downspout or lifted shingles, start with a documented roof inspection — we will say honestly whether it is a repair or a full replacement. American Prime General Construction, 2100 N Greenville Ave Ste 106, Richardson, TX 75082, (469) 888-8326.