New Roof in Prosper: When Hail Cuts a Builder Roof's Life Short

Prosper is young. Half of its homes were built before 2014 and half after (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024), so the typical house is about 12 years old. On age alone, most roofs here would have plenty of life left.

Hail changes that math. NOAA's Storm Prediction Center logged 146 hail reports within 10 miles of Prosper from 2015 through 2024, and 50 of them were 1.75 inches or larger. Large hail fell in 8 of those 10 years, and the biggest stone, 4.5 inches, came on March 24, 2019. A storm like that can end a roof's life in one afternoon.

About 88% of Prosper homes are owner occupied, by the same Census survey. Most people reading this will be the ones deciding, so it pays to choose materials with the next storm in mind, not just the next sale.

Production homes are built fast, and the roof is one of the last trades on site. Common shortcuts include reused or minimal flashing at walls, too few exhaust vents for the attic size and starter strips that are skipped at the eaves. None of these show on move-in day. They show up years later as leaks or early shingle wear.

A replacement is the chance to fix all of it. Ask the contractor to explain how they will handle flashing, ventilation and edge details, and get it in the written scope. Our post on what happens during a professional roof replacement gives you a picture of a thorough job.