Built-up roofing, or tar and gravel, is the century-old system still protecting Richardson buildings that were roofed before single-ply existed, and still a legitimate choice for the right structure.
Built-up roofing is redundancy by design: alternating layers of bitumen and reinforcing felt, finished with gravel that shields the assembly from UV and foot traffic. On Richardson buildings with existing BUR, maintenance and restoration often beat replacement, because the same mass that made the roof heavy also made it durable. Building owners get a free written estimate and an inspection documented with photos. We never waive a deductible, since Texas law bars it, and we do not serve as a public adjuster.
Richardson hail and the gravel-surfaced roof
Gravel and multiple plies give BUR a real cushion against hail, and Richardson tests that cushion often. Since 2006 the area within 6 miles has seen 36 days of hail an inch or larger, 12 of them at golf-ball size or above, capped by 3.0-inch stones on April 20, 2023. After a storm like that, the question on a BUR roof is whether impacts reached the felts below the gravel, which takes a close inspection rather than a quick walk across the surface. Richardson is a mature Dallas County city, with a median home built in 1986, and an existing BUR roof in a city this established may have long service behind it. That history is exactly why we assess restoration before anyone talks about tear-off. Our commercial crews also cover Garland and Addison.
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 Richardson
How a roof system holds up in Richardson depends on the storms it has to take and the houses it sits on. Here is what the public record shows.
36
Hail days, 1 in.+ since 2006
12
Golf-ball-size hail days
3 in.
Largest stone on record
1986
Median year homes built
Hail near Richardson
NOAA's Storm Events Database lists 36 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger reported within 6 miles of Richardson. On 12 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 3 inches (teacup size) on April 20, 2023. The most recent report: 1.75-inch hail on April 27, 2026.
April 20, 2023: 3-inch hail (teacup size)
April 11, 2016: 2.5-inch hail (tennis ball size)
June 13, 2012: 2.5-inch hail (tennis ball size)
September 24, 2023: 2.25-inch hail (hen egg size)
April 6, 2018: 2-inch hail (hen egg size)
How old Richardson homes are
The median home in Richardson was built in 1986, and 44% of the city's 47,960 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 Richardson); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates. Data pulled September 2026.
Common questions about built-up roofing (bur) in Richardson
My Richardson 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.
Should we match the original material when re-roofing in Richardson?
Not automatically. A roof on its second or third cycle is a chance to rethink: Class 4 asphalt for the insurance math, metal or premium systems where the home and horizon justify them. We quote the honest options against your actual house.
How often does hail hit Richardson?
NOAA's Storm Events Database lists 36 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger reported within 6 miles of Richardson, including 12 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 1.75-inch hail on April 27, 2026.
How old are most homes in Richardson?
The median home in Richardson was built in 1986, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. 44% of the city's housing units predate 1980 and 21% were built in 2010 or later. Many homes here are reaching the age when original roofs come due.
