Built-up roofing, or tar and gravel, is the century-old system still protecting Midlothian 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 Midlothian 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 Midlothian 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.
What is different in Midlothian
Midlothian gives Built-Up Roofing (BUR) a specific job to do, and it is worth naming. Most of the housing went up in the last two decades, which means first-generation roofs aging out on the same schedule, block after block. On those buildings, the membrane decision is driven by what the roof does all day. Equipment traffic, ponding zones, and the tenant below count for more than material fashion.
The permit runs through Midlothian’s building department; we handle the filing and the inspection scheduling as part of the job. Hail is the tax every DFW roof eventually pays: single-ply shows bruise fractures that a chalk circle will not catch, and instrument surveys find what walking the roof misses. The install map around Midlothian includes Waxahachie and Ennis. Seeing a five-year-old local roof beats any sample board. The estimate comes with the local specifics in writing: scope, grade, timeline, and both warranty layers.
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 Midlothian
How a roof system holds up in Midlothian depends on the storms it has to take and the houses it sits on. Here is what the public record shows.
21
Hail days, 1 in.+ since 2006
7
Golf-ball-size hail days
2.75 in.
Largest stone on record
2007
Median year homes built
Hail near Midlothian
NOAA's Storm Events Database lists 21 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger reported within 8 miles of Midlothian. On 7 of those days, the stones were golf ball size or bigger. Hail that size was reported in 14 of the last 20 years. The largest stones on record nearby measured 2.75 inches (baseball size) on June 12, 2023. The most recent report: 2-inch hail on May 16, 2025.
June 12, 2023: 2.75-inch hail (baseball size)
June 13, 2012: 2.75-inch hail (baseball size)
May 16, 2025: 2-inch hail (hen egg size)
May 24, 2024: 1.75-inch hail (golf ball size)
September 24, 2023: 1.75-inch hail (golf ball size)
How old Midlothian homes are
The median home in Midlothian was built in 2007. A large share of the city's 13,373 housing units are now old enough that original roofs are coming due, while 40% were built in 2010 or later.
Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database (hail reports since 2006 within 8 miles of Midlothian); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates. Data pulled September 2026.
Common questions about built-up roofing (bur) in Midlothian
My Midlothian 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.
Is upgrading from builder-grade shingles worth it in Midlothian?
Usually at the first replacement or claim: Class 4 impact-rated systems earn many Texas carriers' premium discounts, and newer communities' HOA standards generally approve them easily. The math works hardest on homes facing decades of DFW hail.
How often does hail hit Midlothian?
NOAA's Storm Events Database lists 21 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger reported within 8 miles of Midlothian, including 7 days with golf ball size stones or bigger. Hail that size was reported in 14 of the last 20 years. The most recent report was 2-inch hail on May 16, 2025.
How old are most homes in Midlothian?
The median home in Midlothian was built in 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. 11% of the city's housing units predate 1980 and 40% were built in 2010 or later. Many homes here still have their original builder-installed roof.
