Restructure Roofing wants to remind people to take precautions when cleaning up and making repair decisions. Restructure Roofing always has your best interests in mind.
However, there are always a few that are only interested in making a fast dollar.
To avoid those “bad apples”, Restructure Roofing provides the following tips to homeowners who have experienced property damage:
- Contact Restructure Roofing
- Contact your insurance company immediately to inquire about policy coverage and specific filing requirements. This gets the ball rolling on the claim process.
- Document the damage to your property take pictures or video if possible.
- Do not make any permanent repairs until you get approval from your insurance company. Your insurer might not fully reimburse you for permanent repairs made without their authorization. Restructure can advise you.
- Make any minor repairs to limit further damage to the home. You may be liable for damage that occurs after a storm has passed, so make temporary repairs, such as boarding up broken windows or throwing a tarp over a leaky roof. If you have to make temporary repairs to protect your home from the elements, be sure to save all of your receipts. Restructure can advise you.
- Get references from friends and relatives and contact the Better Business Bureau to obtain Reliability Reports on any roofing contractor you’re considering hiring.
- Understand the difference between warranties and guarantees. The manufacturer warranties their products and roofing contractors have warranties on service. Roofing contractors may also offer customer service guarantees. Get copies of any/all warranties and guarantees.
- Refrain from filing an insurance claim on something that you do not intend to fix. There could be repercussions from your insurance company when you do not make repairs you are being compensated for. Keep in mind that if you hold a mortgage on your home, your mortgage company may have a vested interest in you making the repairs and most will mandate you to make the repairs. Most checks from insurance come to the consumer with both the consumer’s name and the mortgage company’s name. Both need to sign off on the check.
- Some roofing contractors list bids on their own contract to do service work
on your home/property and some do not (basing their pricing on “insurance allowance”). Both are acceptable methods of conducting business.
- Prepare a written contract agreement with any roofing contractor you hire. It should specify the work to be done, the materials to be used, and the price breakdown for both labor and materials. Be aware that anything you sign is a contract. Read carefully and avoid signing an “estimate” or “authorization” form before you have actually decided to hire a particular roofing contractor. Pay special attention to any details in bold, that are underlined or that you need to initial.
- Be sure the name, address, license number and phone number of the roofing contractor appear on all invoices and contracts!
- Any promises made orally should be written into the contract, including warranties on materials or labor.
- Review all documentation before signing on the dotted line and before making any payment. Be sure it specifies the schedule for releasing payments to the roofing contractor. Ask for a start and end date for the work to be done.
- Although you may be anxious to get things back to normal, avoid letting your emotions get the better of you. Don’t be pressured into making an immediate decision with a long-term impact. Make temporary repairs if necessary. Storm victims should never feel forced to make a hasty decision or to choose an unknown roofing contractor.