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 September 15, 2026
Austin At A Glance
What homeowners in Austin should know
In Austin, roofing permit and inspection rules are set by the city and can vary from one community to the next. Texas has no statewide roofing license, so confirm requirements with Austin’s building department before work begins. The Roof Shepherd documents your roof’s condition and explains your options. If you decide to move forward, The Roof Shepherd manages the whole project, from the contract and materials to the crew, the final walkthrough, and your written workmanship warranty.
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
NOAA’s 30 year record holds 250 verified hail reports within 10 miles of Austin since 1996, squarely on the I-35 hail corridor. The busiest single year in that record was 2008, with 35 reports inside the ring.
HOA & Material Considerations
Many Travis County neighborhoods have an HOA with rules on shingle color, material type and anything visible from the street. Confirm requirements with your HOA before selecting materials.
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 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, approximately 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 and 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
Reading the public storm record
Every figure below is the public storm record for a 10-mile radius around Austin, 2000-2026. It is not an estimate and not a sales figure. If your roof was under one of these dates, that is a documentation question worth answering.
| 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 | 74 mph · May 28, 2025 |
| Radar hail days, 1 in or larger | 134 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 September 7, 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
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 the 1.75-inch severe threshold. 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.
Central Texas Storm Record
Documented storm exposure in Austin
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. 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 NWS-estimated $600 million across Travis and Williamson counties; Georgetown saw verified 2.5 inch hail on April 22, 2025, a benchmark for what Central Texas storms can do.
What the storm record means locally
After major hail events, out-of-state contractors arrive quickly. Documentation before any contractor conversation gives you a written record of visible conditions, and protects your position whether you file a claim or not. The Roof Shepherd documents first. Decisions come after.
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 (Aus)Mueller Municipal Ar 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 August 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 August 13, 2024 to September 11, 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
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
What we cover in this city
The Roof Shepherd is a documentation-first roofing contractor serving Austin homeowners from its Round Rock, Texas base. Every roof gets a documented condition record before any repair or replacement decision, so you decide from evidence, not sales pressure.
Services available in Austin
Services available in Austin
Every service below is available to Austin homeowners, delivered with the same documentation standard.
Roofing
Storm and insurance documentation
Painting, exterior and interior
Austin Zone
How service works in Austin
Who runs the inspection
Every Austin project starts the same way. David Rodrigues, based in Round Rock, Texas, explains what he sees and writes it down first. When a homeowner chooses to move forward, The Roof Shepherd manages the roofing work and subcontractor crews working across the Austin metro do the installation under our direction, so we can fully manage essentially any roofing job in Austin. How every job is managed, and who does the hands-on work, is explained on our project delivery page.
Local Conditions
What is different about working on Austin homes
What roofs face in this market
Austin sits in Travis County, population 993,588. Counting hail reports of every size, the NOAA Storm Events archive logs 241 hail reports within ten miles of Austin from 2000 to 2026, 77 of them at or above the 1.75 inch severe threshold, the size generally associated with roof damage. The largest stone in that record measured 4.0 inches. Counting reports of every size, 2008 was the busiest year in that record, with 35 reports. Activity concentrates in May and April. The strongest recorded wind gust nearby reached 74 mph on May 28, 2025.
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″ |
If your roof was on the house for any of those dates, that is worth documenting whether or not you ever filed anything. A dated condition record is far easier to produce now than to reconstruct later.
Permits are a Austin question, not a Texas question. Texas has no statewide building code for residential roofing. Each city and county adopts its own, so the threshold that triggers a permit, the fee, and whether a deck inspection is required before cover-up are all set locally in Travis County. A contractor who cannot tell you which jurisdiction issues your permit, and who pulls it, has not done this here often. We pull it in our own name.
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
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 Central Texas 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.
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 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
Even though I ended up not replacing my roof, I wanted to leave a review for David, The Roof Shepherd, because his professionalism was outstanding. He provided me with incredible, detailed information, answered all of my questions, and was completely transparent. No high-pressure sales tactics at all. If you want a knowledgeable and honest roofer, I highly recommend giving him a call!"
Owner Response
Mike, thank you for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful review. I appreciate the opportunity to inspect your roof in Austin, Texas, explain its current condition, and provide clear information about the roof replacement that will be needed.
Although you are not ready to move forward with the replacement yet, I respect that the timing must be right for you. My responsibility is to document what matters, answer your questions honestly, and help you understand your options without using high-pressure sales tactics.
Thank you for recognizing the professionalism, transparency, and detailed approach I bring to every roof inspection. Austin homeowners considering a roof replacement deserve accurate information and enough time to make a confident, informed decision.
I sincerely appreciate your trust and recommendation of The Roof Shepherd.
After my family's experience with David and the rest of The Roof Shepherd crew, I don't see a reason to consider another roofing company. They explained to us and showed us, in clear and transparent detail, why we needed a new roof instead of a repair. They walked us through all of our options for materials and the differences in each type, all while easily fielding our questions. We never felt any pressure. Once we agreed on the best option for our family, the rest of the process went super smooth. They arrived to remove the old material and install the new exactly when they said they would. Since David had explained what would happen in our initial meeting, I knew what to expect, and what he said is exactly what happened. No surprises. They were fast, efficient, and the work was high quality. David checked in with us a couple of times to inform us about the progress and what they were doing, which we really appreciated. When they were finished, we went through photos and videos of what they uncovered during the removal of the old material, the installation process, and the finished product so we could see exactly what had happened. The roof looked great! We even had some good ole Texas thunderstorms roll through in the days after the install for a stress test, and everything held up perfectly. All in all, The Roof Shepherd made this such a stress-free and easy experience. We are so happy we made the right choice to work with them. If you need repairs or a new roof, these are the guys.
Owner Response
Bryant, thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed review. It means a lot. This Austin roof installation came together quickly, but the goal was still the same: explain the condition of the roof clearly, walk through the repair-versus-replacement decision, review the material options, and make sure your family knew what to expect before the work started. I'm especially glad the communication, timing, cleanup, and photo/video documentation helped make the process feel smooth and low-stress. A roof replacement is a major decision, and homeowners deserve to see what was found, what was installed, and why it mattered. We're grateful your family trusted The Roof Shepherd with your home. And those Texas thunderstorms right after the install were definitely a real-world stress test. I'm glad everything performed the way it should.
David and his team were the best contractors I have ever hired. His crew did an amazing job efficiently. Coordinating with him was very straightforward. He was extremely professional and respectful of my time. The pricing was competitive and he provided paperwork that awarded me a deduction from my insurance policy. I was extremely grateful to my friends who referred me to him.
Owner Response
Jaclyn, thank you for the kind words. I'm glad our crew completed your Austin roof installation efficiently and that coordinating the project was straightforward from start to finish. Clear communication and thorough project documentation are the standard on every job, and I'm glad they met your expectations. We're grateful to the friends who referred you, and grateful you chose The Roof Shepherd for your home.
Austin FAQs
Common questions in Austin
Does The Roof Shepherd serve Austin regularly?
Austin is an active service zone with full service availability for The Roof Shepherd. Round Rock is home base. The badge on this page shows how often we are in Austin.
How quickly can I get a roof inspection in Austin?
Scheduling depends on current deployment frequency to Austin and the nature of the request. Active leaks and post-storm documentation are prioritized. Contact us with your address and situation for a current estimate.
Does Travis County have HOA restrictions on roofing materials?
Many neighborhoods in Travis County have HOA architectural review requirements covering shingle color, material type, and visible modifications. Confirm requirements with your HOA before selecting materials, and ask us to document the approval process.
What roofing materials hold up best in Austin?
Architectural asphalt shingles remain the most common choice in Travis County. Class 3 and Class 4 impact-resistant shingles are worth discussing given Central Texas hail exposure, particularly for homes carrying higher deductibles.
Is Austin in a hail-prone area?
NOAA records log 83 hail events within 10 miles of Austin since 2018. The largest stone in the full NOAA archive, 2000 to 2026, measured 4 inches on May 14, 2008. Austin sits in the I-35 corridor, one of the most hail-active zones in the United States. Documenting visible roof and gutter conditions after any significant storm is good practice.
How do I get started in Austin?
Use the Get Help form with your Austin address and a description of your concern. The Roof Shepherd reviews each submission and follows up with relevant context before any site visit.
Who is a trusted roofer near me in Austin?
The Roof Shepherd serves Austin with documented inspections, photo condition records, and education-first guidance, based in Round Rock, Texas. Trust is verifiable: BBB accreditation, public reviews, and a documentation record you keep. Call or text 512-575-5052.
How much does roof replacement cost in Austin?
Roof replacement cost in Austin depends on roof size, pitch, material choice, decking condition, and ventilation work. Rather than quoting blind, The Roof Shepherd documents your roof first so any price you evaluate is grounded in your roof’s actual condition.
Still don’t see your question?
Get a straight answer and your real options, no obligation, never a hard sell.
Prefer a person? Call or text 512-575-5052, 8am to 9pm, seven days a week.
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A Roof Shepherd visit in Austin
Nearby
Nearby areas we serve
Cities within our daily route
The Roof Shepherd also documents and serves these Central 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:
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