A Palm Beach Island estate, preserved — not replaced.
Two large contractors told the owner of this oceanfront estate to tear off and replace the entire roof. Mike McGilvary Roofing inspected it properly, documented every section in a 10-page report, and proved most of the roof had years of life left — then repaired only what had actually failed.
Replace the whole roof? Two contractors said yes.
This approximately $50 million oceanfront Palm Beach Island estate has an aging tile-and-flat roof of the kind that defines the island's architecture. Two large roofing companies looked at its age and recommended the same thing: a full tear-off and replacement — a six-figure project, weeks of disruption, and the loss of the home's original architectural tile.
But roof age and roof condition are not the same thing. Before committing to a replacement that might not be necessary, the owner called Mike McGilvary Roofing — the family-owned contractor known across Palm Beach for inspecting first and replacing only when it's truly warranted — for a real, documented inspection.
Most companies show photos. We show proof.
Mike inspected the entire roof — tile by tile, section by section — and recorded the condition of every area in a 10-page report: aerial surveys, the state of the tiles and underlayment, each point of water intrusion, the flat roof, and the flashing. Comprehensive Roof Inspection No. 52326, documented page by page.
Condition, not age — most of the roof was sound.
The documented finding was the opposite of what a tear-off assumes: the great majority of the roof had years of life left. Only a handful of localized areas had actually failed.
The tiles
The majority of the tiles were in a structurally sound state with ample useful life remaining.
The underlayment
Random inspection across general sections found the underlayment in satisfactory condition with ample useful life — outside the few failing areas.
Cracked tiles & water intrusion
Localized active water intrusion where landscaping debris had cracked the tiles above — each area to be opened and the compromised plywood sheathing replaced.
A high-traffic wear zone
One area had aged faster under heavy foot traffic and showed premature failure — to be opened and rebuilt so it outlasts the rest of the original roof.
The flat roof
The flat-roof sections needed restoration — sealing every vent and penetration and applying a 10-year commercial-grade 100% silicone coating system.
Flashing & loose tiles
Flashing needed maintenance, and broken, cracked, or loose field and cap tiles across the roof needed repair and refastening.
We rebuilt the failures — and kept the roof.
Rather than tear off a sound roof, our crews opened only the compromised sections, replaced the damaged sheathing down to solid wood, rebuilt and re-tiled to match, restored the flat roof, and repaired the flashing.
Every finding, on the record.
The full report documents each area with photographs and a written condition assessment — the kind of evidence a homeowner can hand to an insurer, an adjuster, or a future buyer. This is what proof looks like.
Four pages of a ten-page condition report — documented to the standard behind a 5-Year Roof Certification.
Restored, documented, and certified.
With the failed sections rebuilt, the flat roof restored, and the tiles repaired and refastened, the roof was returned to a structurally sound condition — with a documented remaining useful life of approximately five years, the basis for a 5-Year Roof Certification. The estate kept its original tile roof, and the owner avoided a six-figure replacement that the roof simply didn't need.
“Listen up — Mike McGilvary is the real deal. He is why you read these reviews. What five other contractors said was over $100,000 for a complete replacement, Mike took a different approach with. He doesn’t go looking for the worst part of your roof to scare you into a full new roof — he fixes what needs fixing and works to extend the life of your roof. Mike bid $15K, showed up on time or early for each of his four workdays, documented his work, and gave us an outstanding roof for exactly the price he quoted.”
Your roof deserves the same inspection.
Before you replace a roof on anyone's word, have it assessed on condition — not age, not fear. A free, documented inspection from a family-owned Palm Beach County contractor, licensed since 1974. Whether it's a bungalow or an Island estate, the method is the same.