Built-up roofing, or tar and gravel, is the century-old system still protecting Farmers Branch 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 Farmers Branch 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 Farmers Branch 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.
Built-Up Roofing (BUR) in Farmers Branch, specifically
Built-Up Roofing (BUR) behaves differently on Farmers Branch roofs than the brochure version suggests. The neighborhoods skew established: multiple roof generations behind them, big tree canopies overhead, and original decking that deserves inspection before anything new goes on. On those buildings, what the roof does all day, from equipment traffic to ponding zones to the tenant below, drives the membrane decision more than material fashion does.
Like the rest of Dallas County, Farmers Branch wants roofing work documented: permits where required, inspections passed. That paperwork is included, not extra. Hail is the tax every DFW roof eventually pays. Single-ply shows bruise fractures that a chalk circle will not catch; instrument surveys find what walking the roof misses. The install map around Farmers Branch includes Dallas and Irving, and seeing a five-year-old local roof beats any sample board. The next step costs nothing: a documented inspection and a straight answer on whether this system fits.
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 Farmers Branch
How a roof system holds up in Farmers Branch depends on the storms it has to take and the houses it sits on. Here is what the public record shows.
15
Hail days, 1 in.+ since 2006
4
Golf-ball-size hail days
3 in.
Largest stone on record
2001
Median year homes built
Hail near Farmers Branch
NOAA's Storm Events Database lists 15 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger reported within 5 miles of Farmers Branch. On 4 of those days, the stones were golf ball size or bigger. Hail that size was reported in 6 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)
April 3, 2012: 2.75-inch hail (baseball size)
May 24, 2011: 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 Farmers Branch homes are
The median home in Farmers Branch was built in 2001. A large share of the city's 17,260 housing units are now old enough that original roofs are coming due, while 39% were built in 2010 or later.
Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database (hail reports since 2006 within 5 miles of Farmers Branch); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates. Data pulled September 2026.
Common questions about built-up roofing (bur) in Farmers Branch
My Farmers Branch 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 Farmers Branch?
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 Farmers Branch?
NOAA's Storm Events Database lists 15 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger reported within 5 miles of Farmers Branch, including 4 days with golf ball size stones or bigger. Hail that size was reported in 6 of the last 20 years. The most recent report was 1.5-inch hail on May 23, 2026.
How old are most homes in Farmers Branch?
The median home in Farmers Branch was built in 2001, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. 39% of the city's housing units predate 1980 and 39% were built in 2010 or later. Many homes here are reaching the age when original roofs come due.
