Built-up roofing, or tar and gravel, is the century-old system still protecting Addison 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 Addison 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 Addison 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.
On the ground in Addison
What Built-Up Roofing (BUR) costs and returns in Addison depends on the houses it goes onto. These are streets where roofs have been replaced before, which leaves layered history, patched decking, and flashing choices from three owners ago. 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 Addison runs through the city’s building department; filing it is our job, not yours. When the next core drops through Dallas County, single-ply shows bruise fractures that a chalk circle will not catch. Instrument surveys find what walking the roof misses. Because Dallas, Irving, and Garland share our dispatch routes, examples of this exact system nearby are easy to arrange. Before you commit to anything, we put the whole thing in writing: findings, grade, price, warranty.
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 Addison
How a roof system holds up in Addison depends on the storms it has to take and the houses it sits on. Here is what the public record shows.
12
Hail days, 1 in.+ since 2006
4
Golf-ball-size hail days
3 in.
Largest stone on record
1998
Median year homes built
Hail near Addison
Reported hail is less frequent around Addison: NOAA lists 12 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger within 4 miles. Fewer reports can also reflect fewer storm spotters in smaller communities, so a quiet record is not a guarantee. Hail that size was reported in 8 of the last 20 years. The largest stones on record nearby measured 3 inches (teacup size) on June 6, 2018. The most recent report: 1.5-inch hail on May 23, 2026.
June 6, 2018: 3-inch hail (teacup size)
June 13, 2012: 2-inch hail (hen egg size)
April 21, 2017: 1.75-inch hail (golf ball size)
May 2, 2011: 1.75-inch hail (golf ball size)
May 23, 2026: 1.5-inch hail (walnut size)
How old Addison homes are
The median home in Addison was built in 1998. A large share of the city's 11,369 housing units are now old enough that original roofs are coming due, while 28% were built in 2010 or later.
Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database (hail reports since 2006 within 4 miles of Addison); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates. Data pulled September 2026.
Common questions about built-up roofing (bur) in Addison
My Addison 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 Addison?
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 Addison?
NOAA lists 12 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger within 4 miles of Addison. Smaller communities have fewer storm spotters, so reports tend to undercount what actually falls. The most recent report was 1.5-inch hail on May 23, 2026.
How old are most homes in Addison?
The median home in Addison was built in 1998, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. 12% of the city's housing units predate 1980 and 28% were built in 2010 or later. Many homes here are reaching the age when original roofs come due.
