Slate in Argyle
Argyle is on U.S. 377 about six miles southwest of Denton. Peters Colony families settled the area in the 1850s, when it was known as Pilot Knob or Waintown, and Census estimates show it growing from 4,399 residents in 2020 to about 6,372 in 2025. Much of it is acreage and estate lots, with newer HOA neighborhoods in between, and a lot of property carries an Argyle address without being inside the town limits.
On estate lots like these, "slate" means one of three things: natural slate on a smaller number of custom homes, synthetic slate on homes designed for the look without the weight, and slate-look designer shingles where an HOA or budget pointed that way. French-country, Tudor and stone-heavy homes carry slate best, and the main house is often one of several roofs on the property. We work on all three kinds, and the first job is telling you which one you actually have, because a lot of slate repair goes wrong when the crew guesses.
Repairs that don't show
- Matched slates: we match color, thickness, size and weathering, and hang replacements with copper or stainless slate hooks or nail-and-bib methods. See slate roof repair.
- Synthetic slate repairs: broken or loose pieces replaced with the same product line where it's still made, and the flashing renewed around them.
- Valleys and chimneys: worn valley metal and chimney flashing rebuilt, usually in copper, with step and counter-flashing cut into the masonry.
- Old tar and caulk patches taken off and replaced with real flashing.
- Hard-to-find slate: when an original slate is no longer quarried, we look for salvaged stock or borrow from a hidden slope. See slate quarries and brands.
- Copper gutters, bays and accents that belong with a slate roof, with copper kept away from steel and aluminum so it doesn't corrode them.
Natural slate, synthetic slate or slate-look?
| Natural slate | Synthetic slate | Slate-look shingle | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Quarried stone, split by hand | Polymer or composite slate such as DaVinci or Enviroslate | A designer asphalt shingle shaped and colored like slate |
| Weight | Heavy; the framing has to be checked first | Much lighter; most homes need no structural changes | Like any heavy-weight shingle |
| Lifespan | Good slate can outlast several sets of flashing | Depends on the product and its warranty | Depends on the product and its warranty |
| Hail | Thick slate holds up well, but very large hail can crack it | Many products publish a UL 2218 impact rating; check the exact line | Choose a Class 3 or Class 4 rated line |
| Repairs | Single slates can be replaced for decades | Pieces can be replaced, but colors change over time | Matched while the line is still made |
More: synthetic vs. real slate, synthetic slate and slate-look shingles.
Going to slate on an Argyle home
Natural slate is heavy. Moving a house from shingles to stone means checking the rafters, decking and attic first, and sometimes reinforcing them. When a job needs it, we bring in an architect to spec the framing; on a new build we can get an architect to spec the roof or build to your plans. If the framing isn't a fit for stone, synthetic slate gets the look on most homes without structural changes, and Enviroslate is much lighter than stone.
Slate also changes the details: copper or stainless fasteners and hooks, copper valleys and step flashing, and a plan for where the roof sheds onto an entry, a walkway or a patio. We put every one of those in writing before you sign.
One property, several roofs
| Building | What we usually recommend |
|---|---|
| Main house | Natural or synthetic slate, repaired or replaced, with copper valleys and flashing |
| Guest house or pool cabana | Matching slate if the framing allows, or standing seam in a color pulled from the slate |
| Barn, shop or arena cover | Standing seam or R-panel in 24 or 26 gauge, formed on our own roll formers (barn roofing) |
| Porch, bay or outdoor kitchen | Standing seam or copper, where the slope is too low for slate |
Because our own crews do slate, tile and metal, the whole property can be handled in one contract and one schedule. Metal lead time is typically 1 to 2 weeks.
How we inspect a roof you can't walk like a shingle roof
Slate breaks under the wrong footstep, so a careless inspection can cause the damage it's looking for. We plan a walk path, step only where the pieces are supported, use roof ladders and pads where needed, and fly a drone over the areas that aren't safe to walk. Every inspection comes with a free digital photo report, so you see what we see. The report separates old breaks, fresh breaks and installation problems, because they lead to very different answers.
Hail and slate around Argyle
NOAA's Storm Events Database lists 62 reports of hail 1.75 inches (golf-ball size) or larger within about 10 miles of Argyle from 2016 through the September 2026 update, one of the highest counts of any town we serve. Storms that hit the town itself:
- March 26, 2017: 2.75-inch hail in Argyle, about a mile from the center of town. NOAA's narrative for that night says amateur radio reported baseball-size hail, driven by severe thunderstorm winds, knocking out car windows in Argyle. Wind-driven hail hits the sides of a house too, so siding, windows and screens get checked along with the roof.
- June 11, 2023: 1.75-inch hail at the center of town, 3.5-inch hail near Bartonville about a mile and a half away, 3-inch hail near Smoots about two miles west, and 4.25-inch hail near Bartonville about five miles away.
- March 14, 2024: 2.5-inch hail in Argyle, about a mile from the center of town, and 2.75-inch hail near Bartonville.
- April 1, 2024: 3-inch hail near Smoots, under three miles west, 1.75-inch and 1.5-inch hail closer in, and 3-inch and 3.4-inch hail around Justin.
- More recently: 2-inch hail at the Roanoke-area airport on May 27, 2024, 1-inch hail at the center of town on May 6, 2025, and 1.5-inch hail near Smoots on November 24, 2025.
Thick natural slate holds up well, but hail that size can crack it, and wind-driven hail hits the sides of the house too. Our photo report separates fresh breaks from old ones, which is what an adjuster needs to see. Texas insurers must offer a premium credit for UL 2218 impact-rated roofs, but each company sets its own amount, and Class 4 earns the largest. We can't promise a discount; ask your insurer for their figure in writing. After a qualifying install we fill out TDI Form PC068 for you. If you file an insurance claim, we document the damage and meet your adjuster on the roof. Texas law requires you to pay your deductible, and a contractor may not waive, absorb or rebate it. We never will. In Texas you generally have 1 year from the date of loss to file; check your policy.
Wind damage around Argyle
- August 27, 2020: NOAA lists several homes in the Robson Ranch community, about four miles away, with minor wind damage to roofs and trees. A retired National Weather Service employee reported 60+ mph winds in the same community on September 19, 2023.
- March 2, 2023: in Argyle, trees were knocked down blocking roads, and power poles were damaged or snapped.
- May 28, 2024: a member of the public measured an 86 mph gust west of Double Oak, about four miles east of Argyle.
- April 30, 2019: an EF-1 tornado formed in open pasture east-southeast of Justin, about six miles west, and crossed Denton Creek near FM 407 with winds estimated at 85 to 90 mph.
On Argyle acreage, wind finds the weak spots on barns, arena covers, shops and open-sided buildings first: loose panel edges, failed closures and old fasteners. We inspect every building on the property, not just the house, and we repair or replace metal panels in 24 or 26 gauge from our own roll formers. See metal roof repair and barn roofing.
Town of Argyle permits and contractor registration
The Town of Argyle's permits page says permits are required before the new construction, addition, alteration or repair of existing buildings and structures, and applications go through the town's online portal. What matters after a storm:
- Every contractor registers first, every year. Argyle requires all contractors to register with the town before performing services within town limits, at $125 the first year and $50 each renewal. The town's permit FAQ says registration needs a valid trade license or driver's license and a certificate of insurance with at least $500,000 in coverage, and the registration form says permits won't be issued if it isn't current.
- Registration isn't a reference. The town says so itself: registration "does not necessarily mean that a contractor is a reputable businessperson." It tells homeowners to check references, require proper permits and inspections, and notes you may choose to pay your contractor based on the town's inspection approvals.
- Confirm the scope. Argyle's list of permit examples doesn't spell out roofs, so we call Permits at (940) 464-7273 for your scope, file whatever the town requires, and give you a copy. A barn, shop or arena cover that has to be rebuilt larger is an accessory structure permit on its own.
- Current codes. Argyle has adopted the 2021 International Residential, Building and Existing Building Codes with local amendments.
- Timing. The town's portal says a permit becomes void if work doesn't start within 180 days or stops for 180 days.
A lot of land with an Argyle address is outside the town limits, and many Argyle neighborhoods have an HOA. Before we file anything, we check which jurisdiction your property is in and prepare the HOA packet with the product sheet, color and impact rating.
Slate adds a lot of weight, so when a job changes the roof covering, we confirm the scope with the town before we start and include the framing details if they're asked for. For HOA neighborhoods, we provide the product sheet, color samples and a photo of a finished roof for architectural review before the permit goes in.
Who repairs and installs slate roofs in Argyle?
Snow Roofing & Exteriors does. Here are the facts you can check before you call anyone:
- 75 years as a family roofing business, and 30 years in the business for owner Blake Snow, who is still on the roofs.
- Over $80 million in completed roofing projects, from small repairs to multi-million-dollar jobs.
- 5.0 stars on Google at all three offices: Bridgeport, Decatur and Rhome.
- Our own roll formers for standing seam and R-panel, in 24 or 26 gauge, with metal lead times that are typically 1 to 2 weeks.
- Our own crew, about 15 road miles (roughly 27 minutes) from Argyle at our Rhome office.
- Snow Roofing & Exteriors is BBB A+ rated.
Photos
The photos below show a slate-look designer shingle roof on a stone home and a metal transition detail by our crews. We never show a street or address.
We're certified with GAF, CertainTeed, Owens Corning, Atlas, Johns Manville, Carlisle, Tropical Roofing Products, Mule-Hide and Enviroshake, and many other roof manufacturers. We give a workmanship warranty from 10 years up to lifetime, depending on the job, in writing. More on Argyle: our Argyle roofing page, tile roofing in Argyle, Enviroshake in Argyle, metal roofing in Argyle, storm damage in Argyle, and nearby slate roofing in Roanoke and Trophy Club.
Product names, ratings and features are as published by the manufacturer and can change. We confirm the current rating and warranty of the exact product before we order it.
Residential warranty: a workmanship warranty from 10 years up to lifetime, depending on the job, with manufacturer warranties up to lifetime. Manufacturer coverage depends on the product and brand, and on the project qualifying for that manufacturer's program. We put the exact warranty for your roof in writing.
Certified, with 30 years installing every major roofing brand, a family roofing business going back 75 years, and over $80 million in completed roofing projects. 5.0 stars on Google at all three of our offices.
Request a free inspection or call (817) 733-9228. Small repairs are welcome too.
