Travis County
Austin, Texas Roofing & Property Protection
Know your roof before you sign anything. The Roof Shepherd brings documentation-first inspection, storm damage documentation, and property guidance to Austin homeowners.
Updated November 1, 2026
Read This First
The short version
- Austin, in Travis County, is about 19 miles and 27 minutes by road from our Round Rock base.
- Hail 1.75 inches or larger was reported 77 times near Austin from 2000 to 2026, 23rd of the 207 cities on this site.
- 2008 was the worst season here from 2006 to 2025: 17 reports of hail 1.75 inches or larger, the largest 4 inches on May 14.
- The median home in Austin was built in 1993, and 47 percent of homes here were built before 1990.
- None of its three nearest neighbors had more large hail.
Call or text 512-575-5052 or use Get Help to start with a documented inspection in Austin, Travis County.
Short version: 5 min. Full page: 20 min. Want the detail? Each section below opens with a tap, or switch to Full at the top to open them all.
Austin At A Glance
What homeowners in Austin should know
How Austin ranks for large hail and home age, and who sets permit rules here.
Austin, in Travis County, is about 19 miles and 27 minutes by road from our Round Rock base. Roofing permit rules are set locally, and Texas has no statewide roofing license, so we confirm the rules for your address before work starts.
Growth & Construction
Austin sits within Travis County, an area that has seen ongoing residential growth across Central Texas. New construction and resale inspections both benefit from a documented condition review before any roofing decision. Austin is the Travis County seat and the Texas state capital, a fast-growing metro where Central Texas hail and wind reach a dense, high-value housing stock.
Hail & Storm Exposure
Hail 1.75 inches or larger, golf ball size, was reported 77 times within ten miles of Austin from 2000 to 2026. That ranks 23rd of the 207 Texas cities on this site, and 1st of 71 in the region around Round Rock.
The Homes Here
The median home in Austin was built in 1993, and 47 percent of homes here were built before 1990. Of the other cities on this site, 52 percent have older homes than Austin.
Common Roofing Issues
Austin’s housing stock ranges from 1940s bungalows with original wood decking to 2020s new builds. Each era presents distinct roofing, moisture management, and documentation needs.
Austin Snapshot
Weather history & local facts
Hail and wind on record near Austin, in Travis County, plus a few local facts worth knowing.
Hail and wind on record here
Austin’s verified NOAA record since 2018 includes 3 inch hail at Fiskville on September 24, 2023, 2.5 inch hail at Austin Mabry on April 9, 2024, and 2 inch hail at Fiskville on March 25, 2021. 33 thunderstorm wind events sit inside the same 10 mile window. Peak hail months here: September and April. Across Travis County as a whole, NOAA logged 152 hail events from 2016 through 2025, with hail to 3 inches, plus 85 damaging thunderstorm wind events and 5 tornado reports.
Worth Knowing
Austin’s Congress Avenue Bridge hosts the largest urban bat colony in North America. About 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats emerge at dusk from March through November.
Local Note
Austin is the Live Music Capital of the World, home to the University of Texas Longhorns, and the state capital of Texas since 1839.
What the storm record means locally
Storm facts were checked against NOAA and National Weather Service records and local news from the time.
On record
What has actually fallen on Austin
241 hail events are on record within ten miles of Austin, the largest 4.00 inches on May 14, 2008.
Reading the public storm record
To see the days radar recorded hail near your own address, use our hail history lookup.
| Hail events on record | 241 |
|---|---|
| Reached 1.75 in or larger | 77 |
| Largest stone recorded | 4.00 in · May 14, 2008 |
| Busiest year | 2008 · 35 events |
| Most common months | May and April |
| Strongest gust in the archive | 85 mph · May 28, 2025 |
| Radar hail days, 1 in or larger | 127 days · 2000-2026 · largest signature 4.00 in |
| Preliminary reports, last 12 months | 1 report of 1 in or larger · largest 1.00 in on April 30, 2026 |
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database · Travis County · 2000-2026 · within 10 miles of the Austin centroid. Counts are reported events, so they undercount: a stone that fell where nobody reported it is not in the record.
Checked November 1, 2026 against two feeds that do not share the archive's bias: radar hail signatures from the NEXRAD hail detection algorithm (NOAA NCEI Severe Weather Data Inventory, same 10 mile radius, 2000-2026), counted as days with a signature of one inch or larger, and the Storm Prediction Center's preliminary reports for the last 12 months, which are unreviewed and never a competing total. A radar day and a reported event are different units and are not expected to match: the archive needs a witness and undercounts, radar needs none and can flag hail that melted before it landed. What fell on one roof is settled by a documented inspection, not by any of these counts.
Year by year
Hail in Austin, 2006 to 2025
One row per year of hail reports one inch or larger near Austin, newest first, from the weather archive.
Twenty seasons, one row each
One row per year, newest first. Each row counts the hail reports of one inch or larger within ten miles of Austin, from the National Weather Service archive. 153 reports from 2006 to 2025, 66 of them at or above 1.75 inches, golf ball size. Counting only stones of one inch or larger, the busiest year in this table was 2023. If you owned your roof through any of these dates, the row is the reason to know what it took.
| Year | Reports 1 in+ | 1.75 in+ | Largest stone |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | 0 | 1.00 in · May 28 |
| 2024 | 18 | 8 | 2.50 in · April 9 |
| 2023 | 31 | 16 | 3.00 in · September 24 |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | 1.00 in · May 21 |
| 2021 | 9 | 4 | 2.00 in · March 25 |
Show all 20 years (2006 to 2025)
| Year | Reports 1 in+ | 1.75 in+ | Largest stone |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 6 | 0 | 1.50 in · May 24 |
| 2019 | 1 | 0 | 1.00 in · June 6 |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 | below 1 in |
| 2017 | 6 | 0 | 1.50 in · May 11 |
| 2016 | 2 | 1 | 1.75 in · March 24 |
| 2015 | 3 | 1 | 2.00 in · April 18 |
| 2014 | 18 | 4 | 1.75 in · March 28 |
| 2013 | 5 | 0 | 1.50 in · March 20 |
| 2012 | 1 | 1 | 1.75 in · January 24 |
| 2011 | 3 | 0 | 1.50 in · May 25 |
| 2010 | 0 | 0 | below 1 in |
| 2009 | 10 | 10 | 3.50 in · March 25 |
| 2008 | 25 | 17 | 4.00 in · May 14 |
| 2007 | 0 | 0 | none reported |
| 2006 | 12 | 4 | 3.00 in · April 20 |
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, hail events 2006 through 2025 within 10 miles of the Austin centroid. Reports are observer-driven, so a stone that fell where nobody reported it is not in the record, and small towns are undercounted relative to cities. Full calendar years only; the current year is not shown until it is complete.
Local Storm Record
Documented storm exposure in Austin
The worst hail seasons near Austin from 2006 to 2025, year by year.
Hail Frequency
NOAA storm records log 83 hail events within 10 miles of Austin since 2018, 49 of them inside the city’s immediate 6 mile ring. Inside that ring, the largest verified stone measured 3 inches on September 24, 2023 at Fiskville. Since 2018, hail here peaks in September and April.
Largest Recorded
The September 24, 2023 hailstorm caused an estimated $600 million in insured losses across Travis and Williamson counties, by a National Weather Service estimate; Georgetown saw verified 2.5 inch hail on April 22, 2025, a benchmark for what Central Texas storms can do.
The worst hail seasons near Austin, 2006 to 2025
- 2008: 17 reports of hail 1.75 inches or larger, largest 4 inches on May 14
- 2023: 16 reports of hail 1.75 inches or larger, largest 3 inches on September 24
- 2009: 10 reports of hail 1.75 inches or larger, largest 3.5 inches on March 25
Neighborhood Exposure
Active neighborhoods in Austin: Mueller, Bouldin Creek, Hyde Park, Allandale, Circle C Ranch, South Congress, Tarrytown. Hail exposure changes with lot height, tree cover and open ground nearby. A record of your block beats an estimate for the whole area.
How these figures are corroborated
Hail data sourced from NOAA Storm Prediction Center (SPC) filtered reports. Reports reflect spotter-confirmed events of 1″ or larger within 10 miles of city center. Not a formal risk assessment.
Verified Storm Record
Verified hail and wind history that defines Central Texas and the Hill Country, the region Austin sits in. Roof condition changes with every storm season, which is why the homeowner should own the documentation.
September 24 tennis ball size hail
NOAA verifies 2.5 inch hail in Austin on September 24, 2023, a tennis ball size stone.
May 14 softball size hail
NOAA verifies 4 inch hail at the old Mueller airport on May 14, 2008, a softball size stone.
April 20 teacup size hail
NOAA verifies 3 inch hail in Austin on April 20, 2006, a teacup size stone.
June 17 golf ball size hail
NOAA verifies 1.75 inch hail in Austin on June 17, 1997, a golf ball size stone.
Where these figures come from
Figures drawn from public NOAA, National Weather Service, U.S. Census, and Texas Department of Insurance records and contemporaneous reporting. Not a formal risk assessment.
Live NOAA record Since September 2024, NOAA has logged 4 hail reports within 10 miles of Austin, 3 of them inside 6 miles. The largest measured 1 inch on April 30, 2026, about 5.5 miles away. Damaging wind has been reported 7 times in the same period, most recently 60 mph on August 27, 2026. These are NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary reports covering September 30, 2024 to October 29, 2026. A report near a property confirms hail fell nearby. It does not confirm that any particular roof was damaged, and it is not a coverage determination.
About Austin
Local ground truth for Austin properties
Austin sits in Travis County in Central Texas, home to roughly 993,588 residents (Census Bureau estimate, 2024). NOAA storm records log 83 hail events within ten miles since 2018. The largest stone in the full NOAA archive, 2000 to 2026, measured 4″ on May 14, 2008.
Roof age, by the census
How old the roofs in Austin are likely to be
Census figures on when Austin homes were built, which tells you roughly when their first roofs went on.
When the houses went up
Austin has 466,428 housing units in the Census Bureau's latest five-year estimate. The median home was built in 1993. 60 percent were built before 2000 and 47 percent before 1990; 23 percent have been built since 2010. Half or more of the homes here predate 2000. An original asphalt-shingle roof from that era is at or past the 20-to-30-year service life typically cited for asphalt shingles, and many will already be on a second roof, which is worth confirming from a permit or a receipt rather than assuming.
| Year built | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Built 2020 or later | 11,723 | 3% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 96,420 | 21% |
| Built 2000 to 2009 | 80,151 | 17% |
| Built 1990 to 1999 | 60,711 | 13% |
| Built 1980 to 1989 | 80,463 | 17% |
Show all ten brackets (1939 or earlier to 2020 or later)
| Year built | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Built 1970 to 1979 | 63,983 | 14% |
| Built 1960 to 1969 | 33,515 | 7% |
| Built 1950 to 1959 | 19,319 | 4% |
| Built 1940 to 1949 | 9,267 | 2% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 10,876 | 2% |
Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates, tables B25034 and B25035, Austin city. ACS figures are estimates with published margins of error; shares are rounded to whole percents. Year built is the structure, not the roof: it says when the first roof went on, not whether it is still there.
Roofer Near Austin
Everything we cover in Austin
All the work we do, in Austin and in all of Travis County.
What we cover in Austin
Roofing, painting, gutters and home services, in Austin and across Travis County. Austin, in Travis County, is about 19 miles and 27 minutes by road from our Round Rock base.
Services available in Austin
Every service below is available to Austin homeowners, as it is anywhere in Texas.
All services
Austin Zone
How service works in Austin
How far Austin is from our base, and who handles your project from start to finish.
Who runs the inspection
Austin, in Travis County, is about 19 miles and 27 minutes by road from our Round Rock base. David Rodrigues, the founder, looks at your Austin roof and writes down what he sees before anyone talks repair or replacement. If you go ahead, The Roof Shepherd runs the job from contract to walkthrough. Our project delivery page explains who does what.
Roofing help in Austin, by need
Each page below is written for Austin: what the work costs here, what the city requires, and what we have on record in town.
Local Conditions
What is different about working on Austin homes
Austin side by side with its three nearest neighbors on this site.
What roofs face in this market
Nearby, from 2000 to 2026: Del Valle 14, Manor 31 and Bee Cave 9 reports of hail 1.75 inches or larger, against 77 for Austin. Of the other cities on this site, 52 percent have older homes than Austin.
| City | Hail 1.75 in+, biggest stone |
|---|---|
| Austin | 77, 4 in |
| Del Valle (12 mi) | 14, 4 in |
| Manor (12 mi) | 31, 3 in |
| Bee Cave (12 mi) | 9, 3 in |
Severe hail: reports of 1.75 inches or larger, 2000 to 2026, within ten miles of each city center (NOAA NCEI Storm Events). Miles are straight-line between city centers.
The largest hail recorded near Austin, by date:
| Date | Largest stone |
|---|---|
| September 24, 2023 | 3.0″ |
| March 25, 2009 | 3.5″ |
| May 14, 2008 | 4.0″ |
| April 20, 2006 | 3.0″ |
Useful locally: NWS forecast for Austin before scheduling work.
Storm figures: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, events within a 10 mile radius, 2000 to 2026. Windstorm territory per Texas Windstorm Insurance Association county designations.
The rules here
Roof permits and code in Austin
What the city's own documents say about a re-roof permit and code here, and the date they were read.
What the city's own documents say
Austin does not require a permit for asphalt over asphalt, with two exceptions: a home in the wildland-urban interface replacing half or more of its roof, and any job replacing more than 128 square feet of decking. That is the city's published guidance; confirm with the building department before work starts. Austin adopted the 2024 IRC by Ordinance 20250410-040, effective July 10, 2025.
Roofing is not a listed registration trade. Austin's adopted Table R301.2 sets the design wind speed at 105 mph and marks ice barrier underlayment as not required, so ice and water shield at the eaves is an upgrade here, not code.
Read at the city's ordinances, fee schedule and permit pages on August 28, 2026, re-checked at least yearly; the city's current document governs if it changes. The full table for thirteen cities, with the three where the website and the ordinance disagree, is on our permits and codes by city page.
Austin Home Guide
What Austin homeowners should know about exterior work
City rules, utility rules and local records that change how siding, paint, fences, solar and outside work get done here. Checked against the sources on each card; the source’s current version governs if it changes.
Local permit rules and records that change how siding, paint, fences, solar and outside work get done here.
What Austin lets you do without a permit
Austin publishes a list of work exempt from a building permit, and it is more generous than people expect. Painting, papering, tiling and similar finish work are exempt. Siding is exempt when it does not exceed one hundred and twenty eight square feet and is not part of a fire resistance rated assembly. A fence is exempt when it is not over seven feet tall, unless the lot sits in a flood hazard area. A window awning is exempt when it projects no more than fifty four inches from the wall and the wall is its only support. Replacing a roof covering is exempt when it does not adversely affect the roof structure. Every one of those has a limit in it, and the limit is where people get caught.
Sources: City of Austin, Work Exempt from Building Permits (page as read 2026-09-15).
The exception that changes a reroof in Austin
The roofing exemption has a condition attached. In Austin’s words, asphalt shingles that replace existing asphalt shingles are exempt unless the property is in the Wildland Urban Interface area and fifty percent or more of the roofing is being replaced. The full rule, the map lookup, the valley and vent details and the city’s fee lines are walked through in our Austin WUI roof replacement guide. The same condition is attached to replacing any roof covering. So a full reroof on a lot inside the WUI area is a permitted job in Austin, not an exempt one. The code applies in the city’s Full Purpose and Limited Purpose areas and took effect for work starting on or after July 10, 2025.
Sources: City of Austin, Work Exempt from Building Permits (page as read 2026-09-15); City of Austin, Wildland Urban Interface Code (page as read 2026-09-15).
What the WUI code asks of the roof itself
Inside the WUI area the roof covering has to be Class A rated, with gaps fire stopped or covered with an approved cap sheet. Repair or replacement of fifty percent or more triggers full replacement. Valleys need metal flashing over approved underlayment. Ventilation openings need ember resistant mesh with one eighth inch openings. Zones A and B get no soffit vents at all, while Zone C allows them under conditions. Gutters are to be noncombustible with leaf guards. None of that is exotic work, but all of it has to be decided before the tear off, not after.
Sources: City of Austin, Wildland Urban Interface Code (page as read 2026-09-15).
What the city charges when a reroof is permitted
Austin’s residential fee schedule lists a Wildland Urban Interface fire plan review at two hundred and fifty dollars, a Wildland Urban Interface fire inspection at four hundred and forty four dollars, a residential roof replacement inspection at three hundred and seventy dollars, and a residential plan review application processing fee of one hundred and six dollars and seventy two cents. The schedule itself says these may or may not apply and are considered case by case, so treat the list as the range of what can land rather than a quote. Which combination a given WUI reroof pays is a question for Development Services on that address.
Sources: City of Austin DSD, Residential fee schedule (schedule effective 2025-10-01, read 2026-09-11).
Sequence Matters
Get the roof documented first. Painting and exterior repairs come after. Condition notes from a roof visit often surface fascia rot, gutter separation, and trim damage that affect painting scope and cost before a single brush stroke is applied.
Google Reviews
Homeowner Reviews
I’ve chosen David with The Roof Shepherd twice for my family’s roofing needs. After he completed my roof, I trusted him again to replace the roof on my mother’s home in Austin, Texas. I’m writing this on her behalf because I helped her throughout the process and saw firsthand how David took care of her.
David patiently helped me understand the insurance claim process and the problems with her roof. After the claim was repeatedly denied, we decided to pay for the replacement ourselves. He helped us choose an IKO Class 3 roofing system to keep the cost manageable.
This roof needed more than new shingles. There were substantial leaks around the chimney that required extensive work on the roof decking, and the chimney had no cricket to help divert water around it. David addressed these problems along with other existing defects during the replacement.
I appreciated the time he spent explaining things and helping us work through our options. Having someone I already trusted take care of my mother meant a lot to me. We’re very happy with the result. There’s a reason I chose David twice, and I would gladly recommend him and The Roof Shepherd.
Owner Response
Michael, thank you for trusting me and The Roof Shepherd a second time, especially when it came to taking care of your mother’s home in Austin.
This project involved several issues beyond simply replacing the shingles, including significant leaking around the chimney, damaged roof decking, and the lack of a proper chimney cricket. I’m glad we were able to correct those problems and install an IKO Class 3 roofing system that made sense for the home and the budget.
I also appreciate you mentioning the time spent explaining the roof conditions, the insurance process, and the available options. Whether a project ultimately goes through insurance or becomes a retail roof replacement, my goal is the same: document what is actually happening, explain it clearly, and help the homeowner make an informed decision.
Thank you again for choosing me twice for your family’s roofing needs and for taking the time to share your experience. It means a great deal to have that level of continued trust.
David The Roof Shepherd™
David was incredibly helpful, responsive, and worked quickly to make sure we were happy and taken care of.
Owner Response
Thank you, Harvey. I truly appreciate your trust and the five-star review. It was a pleasure helping you with your GAF roofing system and roof installation in Austin, Texas. Clear communication, responsive service, and making sure homeowners feel taken care of remain priorities at The Roof Shepherd. Thank you again for allowing us to help protect your home.
David of The Roof Shepherd is super knowledgeable and he's by far the most detail-oriented guy I've met. He was very thorough, very quick to answer all my questions (and I had a lot!). He knew all the details of city-specific requirements, like Austin's wildland-urban interface (WUI) code, that most roofing companies in the metro are simply unaware of. His quote, which was very competitive, by the way, was also the most detailed and left no room for misinterpretation. Even though I ended up going with another company due to time constraints on my side, I was extremely impressed by the whole experience, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend The Roof Shepherd to anyone who needs roofing work done.
Owner Response
Basile, thank you for such a thoughtful review. I enjoyed working through your questions and putting together a detailed roofing estimate for your home in Austin, Texas. You deserved clear answers about the materials, scope of work, and requirements relevant to your property so you could make an informed decision.
I completely understand that timing played a part in choosing another company, and I appreciate you recommending me even though we didn’t move forward together. Helping homeowners understand their options is a big part of why I built The Roof Shepherd.
I wish you the best with your roofing project. If questions come up down the road, I’m always happy to help.
David The Roof Shepherd
Nearby
Nearby areas we serve
Nearby cities we also serve
The Roof Shepherd also documents and serves these nearby Texas communities. Distances are straight-line miles from the center of Austin, and each hail figure is the count of NOAA-verified hail events within 10 miles of that city since 2018:
Field Videos
From the field in Austin
Field videos from real roofs, each with a short note on what the inspection or the work showed.
Dead Valley Roof in Austin, Texas
Dead valley roof problems in Austin, Texas can create concentrated drainage areas that deserve close inspection.
Watch on YouTubePiss Poor ModBit Install in Austin
Ponding water on a modified bitumen roof in Austin, standing long after rain because of the install and the drainage.
Watch on YouTubeAustin FAQs
Common questions in Austin
Does The Roof Shepherd serve Austin regularly?
Yes. Austin is about 19 miles and 27 minutes by road from Round Rock, our home base. We work across Texas, and Travis County is part of that.
How often does large hail hit Austin?
Hail 1.75 inches or larger, golf ball size, was reported 77 times within ten miles of Austin from 2000 to 2026. That ranks 23rd of the 207 Texas cities on this site, and 1st of 71 in the region around Round Rock. The largest stone on record within ten miles from 2000 to 2026 measured 4 inches, on May 14, 2008.
When is hail season in Austin?
From 2000 to 2026, hail within ten miles of Austin came most often in May and April. The busiest single year in that record was 2008, with 35 reports of every size.
What was the worst recent hail year in Austin?
2008 was the worst season here from 2006 to 2025: 17 reports of hail 1.75 inches or larger, the largest 4 inches on May 14. The table on this page lists every year.
How does Austin compare with nearby towns for hail?
Nearby, from 2000 to 2026: Del Valle 14, Manor 31 and Bee Cave 9 reports of hail 1.75 inches or larger, against 77 for Austin.
How old are the homes in Austin?
The median home in Austin was built in 1993, and 47 percent of homes here were built before 1990. Of the other cities on this site, 52 percent have older homes than Austin.
What is the strongest wind on record near Austin?
The strongest thunderstorm wind gust reported within ten miles from 2000 to 2026 was 85 mph, on May 28, 2025.
How much does a new roof cost in Austin?
It depends on the roof’s size, pitch, material, decking and vents. We look at your roof in Austin first, so any price you weigh fits its real condition. Our price guides for all four trades are on the RPGs page.
Next Step
Where to go from here
Serving Austin, TX and the communities around it. Pick the next thing you want to read, or the region you want to see.