Built-up roofing, or tar and gravel, is the century-old system still protecting Ennis buildings that were roofed before single-ply existed, and still a legitimate choice for the right structure.
BUR builds a roof in redundant layers: alternating bitumen and reinforcing felts topped with gravel that shields the assembly from UV and traffic. Existing BUR in Ennis often earns maintenance and restoration over replacement, since the mass and redundancy that made it heavy also made it durable.
We install and service built-up roofing (bur) across Ennis and the surrounding DFW communities. That includes free written estimates, documented inspections, and honest guidance on whether this system actually fits your home and budget.
The Ennis specifics
There is a Ennis version of the Built-Up Roofing (BUR) decision, and it is not the generic one. The ring towns mix housing eras freely: a 1970s ranch, a 1990s two-story, and a this-year build can share one street, and each takes this system differently. That inventory rewards the boring commercial virtues: documented seams, maintained drains, and a membrane matched to the building’s actual use.
Permit-wise, this work in Ennis runs through the city’s building department, and filing it is our job, not yours. When the next core drops through Ellis County, single-ply shows bruise fractures that a chalk circle will not catch; instrument surveys find what walking the roof misses. The same crews run Waxahachie, Midlothian, and Red Oak, so comparable local installs are usually close enough to go look at. If the roof is not a fit for this system, the inspection says so. That answer is free too.
THE SYSTEM
Built-Up Roofing (BUR), up close.
Flat / low-slope membrane. Single-ply and built-up systems chosen by what the roof actually does all day.
PUBLIC RECORD
The local record behind Built-Up Roofing (BUR) in Ennis
How a roof system holds up in Ennis depends on the storms it has to take and the houses it sits on. Here is what the public record shows.
20
Hail days, 1 in.+ since 2006
8
Golf-ball-size hail days
2.5 in.
Largest stone on record
1990
Median year homes built
Hail near Ennis
NOAA's Storm Events Database lists 20 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger reported within 6 miles of Ennis. On 8 of those days, the stones were golf ball size or bigger. Hail that size was reported in 9 of the last 20 years. The largest stones on record nearby measured 2.5 inches (tennis ball size) on April 29, 2026.
April 29, 2026: 2.5-inch hail (tennis ball size)
June 14, 2023: 2.5-inch hail (tennis ball size)
May 16, 2025: 2-inch hail (hen egg size)
April 23, 2010: 2-inch hail (hen egg size)
April 8, 2024: 1.75-inch hail (golf ball size)
How old Ennis homes are
The median home in Ennis was built in 1990, and 37% of the city's 8,646 housing units predate 1980. Many of these houses are likely on their second roof or nearing the point where they need one.
Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database (hail reports since 2006 within 6 miles of Ennis); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates. Data pulled September 2026.
Common questions about built-up roofing (bur) in Ennis
My Ennis building has tar-and-gravel. Replace it?
Not automatically. Sound BUR restores and maintains well; its redundancy is real. A moisture survey tells you whether the assembly beneath the gravel is dry, and that answer decides.
Why did BUR fall out of fashion?
Weight, installation labor, and odor during application. Single-ply installs faster and lighter. Neither of those points makes an existing sound BUR roof bad.
Do you install this on shops and outbuildings near Ennis?
Yes. Barns, workshops, and outbuildings are first-class projects out here, not afterthoughts, and the material conversation (usually metal-forward) covers them alongside the house.
How often does hail hit Ennis?
NOAA's Storm Events Database lists 20 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger reported within 6 miles of Ennis, including 8 days with golf ball size stones or bigger. Hail that size was reported in 9 of the last 20 years. The most recent report was 2.5-inch hail on April 29, 2026.
How old are most homes in Ennis?
The median home in Ennis was built in 1990, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. 37% of the city's housing units predate 1980 and 17% were built in 2010 or later. Many homes here are reaching the age when original roofs come due.
