Built-up roofing, or tar and gravel, is the century-old system still protecting Princeton 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 Princeton 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 Princeton 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.
The local case in Princeton
There is a Princeton version of the Built-Up Roofing (BUR) decision, and it is not the generic one. This is growth-corridor stock: recent builds, builder-spec roofs, and owners discovering the difference between the shingle the builder chose and the one they would choose. That inventory rewards the boring commercial virtues: documented seams, maintained drains, and a membrane matched to the building’s actual use.
Like the rest of Collin County, Princeton wants roofing work documented, with permits where required and inspections passed. That paperwork is included, not extra. When the next core drops through Collin County, single-ply shows bruise fractures that a chalk circle will not catch; instrument surveys find what walking the roof misses. Crews rotate through Plano, Frisco, and McKinney on the same routes, which keeps Princeton scheduling flexible. If the roof is not a fit for this system, the inspection says so, and that answer is free too.
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 Princeton
How a roof system holds up in Princeton depends on the storms it has to take and the houses it sits on. Here is what the public record shows.
11
Hail days, 1 in.+ since 2006
3
Golf-ball-size hail days
2.75 in.
Largest stone on record
2014
Median year homes built
Hail near Princeton
Reported hail is less frequent around Princeton: NOAA lists 11 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger within 5 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 9 of the last 20 years. The largest stones on record nearby measured 2.75 inches (baseball size) on May 28, 2024. The most recent report: 1.25-inch hail on March 25, 2025.
May 28, 2024: 2.75-inch hail (baseball size)
November 4, 2024: 1.75-inch hail (golf ball size)
June 15, 2023: 1.75-inch hail (golf ball size)
March 14, 2022: 1.5-inch hail (walnut size)
June 6, 2018: 1.5-inch hail (walnut size)
How old Princeton homes are
Princeton is young by roofing standards: the median home was built in 2014, and 66% of its 8,130 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 Princeton); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates. Data pulled September 2026.
Common questions about built-up roofing (bur) in Princeton
My Princeton 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 Princeton?
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 Princeton?
NOAA lists 11 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger within 5 miles of Princeton. Smaller communities have fewer storm spotters, so reports tend to undercount what actually falls. The most recent report was 1.25-inch hail on March 25, 2025.
How old are most homes in Princeton?
The median home in Princeton was built in 2014, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. 10% of the city's housing units predate 1980 and 66% were built in 2010 or later. Many homes here still have their original builder-installed roof.
