Plano Roofing Why this question comes up so often in Plano
Plano's housing stock skews older than most of its neighbors to the north. The median home here was built in 1993, and roughly 64% of the city's houses went up between 1970 and 1999. McKinney and Frisco are mostly younger stock; Plano is squarely in its second or third roof covering by now, at least arithmetically, if a roof lasts a couple of decades. That math is why permit questions land in homeowners' inboxes so often — a lot of Plano roofs are due, or overdue, around the same years.
The 25 percent line, explained
The city's re-roof handout says that work exceeding 25% of the roof area requires a permit from Building Inspections. Work that stays under that 25% threshold does not. That's the whole rule in one sentence, but it's worth sitting with: it's measured by roof area, not by cost, not by which slope, not by how visible the repair is from the street. A patch after a falling branch might stay under the line. A full tear-off and recover almost never does.
A few things worth knowing about that handout: it's form FM624RY003, last revised September 16, 2016, and it cites the 2015 IRC. That's not the same as saying it reflects current code today — codes and local amendments can move, and this guide doesn't try to guess whether they have. If your project is anywhere near that 25% line, a call to Building Inspections (1520 K Avenue, Suite 140, 972-941-7140) is the fastest way to get a current answer rather than relying on a nine-year-old handout, however accurate it was when written.
What the handout requires once you're over the line
If your job clears 25%, a few specific rules kick in beyond just pulling a permit:
- Wood shake, slate, clay, cement, or asbestos-cement tile coverings must be removed, not covered over.
- No unpackaged shingles — what the handout calls "seconds" — are allowed.
- Individual replacement shingles have to meet a minimum Class C rating.
- Wood shingle and shake roofs need solid wood decking underneath.
- Deteriorated decking or framing gets replaced as needed, not patched around.
The final inspection has included the attic since June 1, 2003, specifically to verify vent piping runs through the roof correctly, rafter positioning is intact, and any HVAC vents got reinstalled rather than left capped. Metal panel, metal shingle, and tile roofs also get a partial final focused on the underlayment before the covering goes on. None of this is exotic, but it explains why a reputable crew wants into the attic before they close a job out — and it's part of why a straightforward roof inspection before you commit to a scope can save a surprise mid-project.
A simple sequence for figuring out where you stand
- Get an honest read on roof area affected — a full tear-off, a decking replacement, or anything involving more than one slope usually points toward the 25% threshold being crossed.
- If you're near the line, call Building Inspections directly rather than guessing from the handout alone.
- If a permit applies, confirm who's pulling it — note that contractors register with the city annually rather than holding a state license, and a homeowner working on their own homestead doesn't need to register at all.
- Ask whether your decking needs attention; older Plano homes with original decking are more likely to need some replaced, which is its own line item worth discussing upfront with whoever handles your roof replacement.
- Budget time for the final inspection, attic included, before you consider the roof finished.
One local wrinkle: the Heritage District
If your house sits in the Downtown Heritage District, the 25% rule isn't the only thing to check. Exterior repair or renovation there generally needs a Certificate of Appropriateness, and staff can approve repair or replacement of non-historic roof materials on their own, while anything touching historic roof materials or primary-facade gutters, soffits, brackets, or rafter ends goes to the Heritage Commission. That's a separate process from the city's standard re-roof permit, and it's worth sorting out early — our guide to roof and siding work in the Heritage District walks through it in more detail.
The takeaway: if your re-roof will touch more than a quarter of the roof area, Plano wants a permit and an attic-inclusive final inspection, so confirm the scope and the current rule with Building Inspections before material shows up on a truck.