Highlands homes on the high bank of the San Jacinto River
Highlands got its name because the east bank of the San Jacinto River, where it sits, is higher than the west bank. Most of the land here is on that high bank, and during World War II the community housed military members and war plant workers, so it has been a working town for a long time.
Working in Highlands
Highlands was a station on the Beaumont, Sour Lake and Western Railway by 1908. It incorporated in 1930, but that charter was voided and it went back to being unincorporated, which is how it remains today. The 2020 census counted 8,612 residents. It sits on the banks of the San Jacinto River and the Houston Ship Channel, with Interstate 10 and FM 2100 as the main roads and the historic Lynchburg Ferry close by. In 1965 W. O. Hutson built the Double Trouble Youth Rodeo Arena here.
Being on the high bank helps, but it does not take a house out of the weather. Wind coming up the river and the channel has a long run at the houses, so edges, ridges and fasteners get our attention on every roof. The river also keeps the air damp, which feeds attic moisture when ventilation is poor, so we check for dark spots on the decking and rusted nails from the attic side. A good ridge vent and properly sized intake at the soffits keep that moisture moving.
With its city charter long since voided, Highlands has no city hall and no city permits; county rules on floodplain, septic, driveways and culverts and state rules are what can apply, and we check the address against them before any work starts. Whatever applies, the paperwork stays with your job file. Students here are zoned to the Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District, the same district that serves Baytown. Neighbors include Barrett, Channelview, Sheldon, Crosby and Cloverleaf. On a riverbank lot we keep heavy trucks off soft ground after rain, because ruts in your yard are not part of anybody’s scope.
Highlands has been a railroad stop, a briefly incorporated town and a wartime housing community, and today it is an unincorporated place of 8,612 people. With no city building department, there is no city file of past work on any house here. When we inspect, we look for the clues a permit file would normally hold: patched decking around old vents, a second roof layer, rooms added and tied into the main roofline, and wiring or plumbing that was extended rather than replaced. Expect that walk-through to take an hour or so. We write down what we find and photograph it, so the next person who works on the house has the record this one never had.
The jobs that come up here
Roof replacement is the core job here: tear-off, decking repairs where the attic shows moisture damage, new underlayment and a ventilation plan that fits the house. Owners who want to be done with shingles for good can look at metal roof replacement, which handles wind well when the panels and trim are fastened right and sheds heavy rain quickly. If a storm has already done damage, wind damage roof replacement starts with photographs and an honest read on whether the roof can be repaired instead. If the property has a detached shop or garage, R-Panel metal roofing is a practical roof for it, with exposed fasteners that are easy to inspect and replace when one backs out.
Outside, deck replacement rebuilds a tired deck with new framing and boards, and we check the posts and footings first, because damp soil is where decks fail. We would rather tell you a deck can be saved with new boards on the old frame than sell you a full rebuild. Inside, veteran ADA remodeling covers ramps, wider doors, grab bars and curbless showers for anyone who needs them; a ramp gets a gentle slope and handrails on both sides, measured to the person and the doorway it serves. Home renovation brings an older house’s floors, doors and trim up to date. If the roof and the deck both need work, we do the roof first so falling debris does not damage the new boards.
- Metal roof replacement A metal replacement usually starts one of two ways: a worn shingle roof and an owner who wants something longer-lived, or an old metal roof leaking at its screws.
- R-Panel metal roofing R-panel is the ribbed, screw-down steel panel you see on shops, barns and plenty of barn-style homes around Houston.
- Roof replacement Plenty of roofs that look tired only need a repair.
Plenty of roofs we look at need a repair or nothing at all. If that is yours, you will hear it from us first.
Highlands was once incorporated. Who handles permits now?
No city does. Highlands incorporated in 1930, but the charter was voided and it returned to unincorporated status, so there is no city permit office. Depending on the property, county rules on floodplain, septic, driveways or culverts and state rules can still apply, and we check them before the job is scheduled.
Does living on the high bank keep a Highlands house safe from flooding?
Higher ground helps, and your parcel’s actual floodplain status comes from the county maps and your insurance agent, so check there. For our work, the river matters most through humidity and wind, which is why ventilation and fastening get extra attention.
Why are there rusty nails showing in our Highlands attic?
That usually means moisture condensing on the underside of the roof, often from poor ventilation or a bathroom fan venting into the attic. Left alone it can rot the decking. We find the source and fix the airflow, and only recommend a new roof if the decking has already gone soft.
Can you build a ramp and widen doors for a veteran in Highlands?
Yes. Veteran ADA Remodeling covers ramps, door widening, grab bars, curbless showers and lever hardware. We measure the person’s actual needs first, including chair width and turning radius, and build to that.
Would a metal roof work on an older Highlands house?
Usually, once the framing is checked. Metal is lighter than shingles, so weight is rarely the issue; the question is whether the decking and rafters are straight enough for panels to lie flat. We look from the attic and give you a price for both metal and shingles.
Close by
We also work in Barrett, Channelview, Sheldon, Crosby, Cloverleaf. The whole list is on the Harris County page.
We are based in Cypress and work across twelve counties around Houston. Leland Cannon retired from the Army as a First Sergeant; Geoff Schardien served in the Air Force. The scope you get is in writing, and the person who wrote it answers the phone.