What are the signs that my roof might need to be repaired or replaced?
Roof damage is almost always impossible to discern from the ground. If you have leaking, then that's a sign there's something wrong. If you see hail dents on your gutters or downspouts, or if your windows are shattered with torn screens from a recent hailstorm, then it's likely your roof has hail damage as well. If you haven't noticed any obvious damage elsewhere, but your area was hit by significant hail recently, it's always worth getting it checked out to make sure everything is in good shape.
If I file a claim for hail or wind damage, will my homeowner's insurance rates go up?
This depends on your policy. Often, if you get significant hail in your area, rates may go up regardless of whether you place a claim or not because insurance companies will deem areas that get hit as "catastrophe areas" and will bump everyone's rates up within that zone. So, if you have enough damage to file a claim, we recommend doing so and are happy to help you with that process. If you are worried about your rates, we recommend getting in contact with your insurance provider and discussing that with them to ensure you will be taken care of in this process.
How much does a new roof cost?
Typically, a new roof is a big expense. It's always cheaper to replace a roof after weather damage, specifically, a recent hailstorm- that way, you only worry about your deductible and have insurance cover the rest. Out of pocket, it can be anywhere from 15,000 to 80,000. If insurance is covering it, all you have to worry about is your deductible!
If insurance is covering my roof and all I'm responsible for is my deductible, do I pay that deductible to my insurance company?
No! You actually pay that deductible to your contractor, which we hope will be us. When your insurance company writes up their estimate for your property, they determine how much everything will cost to replace, and the deductible is your portion that you are responsible for paying in the process of getting your damage fixed. Since your contractor is the one fixing the damage, you pay them your deductible. Often, this enables your contractor to begin ordering materials for your roof to get the process started, and the remaining insurance checks cover the rest of the expenses.
Does my insurance company send the checks to my contractor directly?
No- your insurance company will coordinate with you and will send the checks to you with the expectation that you will then pay us. We can communicate with the insurance company if we need to submit a supplemental estimate or if there's something unclear on the estimate they send, but all the checks go to the homeowner, who is then responsible for paying the contractor with the insurance money.
Typically, for most insurance policies, they send you the money in two steps. (1) They will send you the first check that consists of the actual cash value of what they will be helping you replace. This is typically a smaller check that covers the current value of the things that need replacing. So, if your roof is 30 years old and has seen better days, the actual value will probably not be much. However, once we replace the roof and provide documentation to the insurance company showing that the work has been done, they will (2) send you the second check that consists of the depreciation, which, combined with the actual cash value, covers the replacement cost of the roof (and whatever else they deem in need of replacement/ repair).
Typically, for most insurance policies, they send you the money in two steps. (1) They will send you the first check that consists of the actual cash value of what they will be helping you replace. This is typically a smaller check that covers the current value of the things that need replacing. So, if your roof is 30 years old and has seen better days, the actual value will probably not be much. However, once we replace the roof and provide documentation to the insurance company showing that the work has been done, they will (2) send you the second check that consists of the depreciation, which, combined with the actual cash value, covers the replacement cost of the roof (and whatever else they deem in need of replacement/ repair).
How long will it take to replace my roof?
It depends on how quickly your insurance company gets an adjuster On average, it takes just over a month to actually get the roof done from when our first inspection takes place. Once we have the insurance company's estimate and get things scheduled, and get permits from the county, it takes us only a day or two to put the new roof on.
How long can I expect my roof to last?
We typically recommend using Class 4 Impact Resistance shingles, which are much better at resisting regular sized hail than your average shingle and last a lot longer due to their resistant nature. Of course, no asphalt shingle will up under a bad enough hailstorm- but we think it's a good idea to be as protected as possible with the best shingle technology there is. We carry shingle booklets to jobs so you are able to peruse and pick out which color you'd like for your roof when we meet with you.
