Built-up roofing, or tar and gravel, is the century-old system still protecting Little Elm buildings that were roofed before single-ply existed, and still a legitimate choice for the right structure.
Built-up roofing assembles a roof in redundant layers: alternating bitumen and reinforcing felts, topped with gravel that shields the assembly from UV and foot traffic. Existing BUR on Little Elm buildings often earns maintenance and restoration over replacement, because the mass and redundancy that made it heavy also made it durable.
Estimates come free and in writing, with inspections documented by photo. We never waive a deductible (Texas law), and we do not serve as a public adjuster.
Hail and heavy layers on Little Elm commercial roofs
Within 5 miles of Little Elm, 30 days since 2006 have brought hail 1 inch or larger, and 12 of them reached golf ball size or more. The largest stone, 3.5 inches, fell on June 11, 2023. Gravel-surfaced BUR absorbs a lot of that punishment, but impact can still fracture felts beneath the surface, and instrument surveys find what walking the roof misses.
On a commercial building, what the roof does all day shapes the plan: equipment traffic, ponding zones, and the tenant below. Little Elm’s housing is young, with a 2011 median year built, but on any BUR roof the choice between restoration and replacement comes from the survey, not the calendar. We run BUR service across Denton County, including Frisco and Cross Roads.
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 Little Elm
How a roof system holds up in Little Elm depends on the storms it has to take and the houses it sits on. Here is what the public record shows.
30
Hail days, 1 in.+ since 2006
12
Golf-ball-size hail days
3.5 in.
Largest stone on record
2011
Median year homes built
Hail near Little Elm
NOAA's Storm Events Database lists 30 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger reported within 5 miles of Little Elm. On 12 of those days, the stones were golf ball size or bigger. Hail that size was reported in 15 of the last 20 years. The largest stones on record nearby measured 3.5 inches (teacup size) on June 11, 2023. The most recent report: 1.25-inch hail on September 5, 2025.
June 11, 2023: 3.5-inch hail (teacup size)
April 11, 2016: 2.75-inch hail (baseball size)
March 14, 2024: 2.5-inch hail (tennis ball size)
April 10, 2017: 2-inch hail (hen egg size)
April 3, 2014: 2-inch hail (hen egg size)
How old Little Elm homes are
Little Elm is young by roofing standards: the median home was built in 2011, and 55% of its 19,778 housing units date to 2010 or later. Many of those homes still have the roof the builder installed, now working through its first hail seasons.
Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database (hail reports since 2006 within 5 miles of Little Elm); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates. Data pulled September 2026.
Common questions about built-up roofing (bur) in Little Elm
My Little Elm 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 Little Elm?
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 Little Elm?
NOAA's Storm Events Database lists 30 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger reported within 5 miles of Little Elm, including 12 days with golf ball size stones or bigger. Hail that size was reported in 15 of the last 20 years. The most recent report was 1.25-inch hail on September 5, 2025.
How old are most homes in Little Elm?
The median home in Little Elm was built in 2011, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. 2% of the city's housing units predate 1980 and 55% were built in 2010 or later. Many homes here still have their original builder-installed roof.
