As you may know, we had an aggressive hail storm in Cokato, Minnesota, recently. As a homeowner, you have a responsibility to address any damage to your home as soon as possible in order to avoid any future damage. However, choosing the wrong contractor for the job and not understanding the insurance claims process can be a very costly mistake. In this article, we will explain in detail what to look for in a contractor, potential red flags, and explain the insurance claim process from start to finish.
What To Look For In A Contractor
Making sure that you hire the right contractor for a roof restoration project is key to having your project completed with the highest level of craftsmanship, and to having a positive overall experience. Here are a few things to consider when determining whether you’re working with a quality contractor that’s going to facilitate the best outcome and bring your home back to its pre-storm condition.
Honesty:
Typically, when a hail storm hits Cokato, Minnesota, companies send out sales reps to knock on doors in the area that the storm impacted. The problem with this is that regardless of whether you have damage or not, a lot of companies will tell you that there’s damage, and convince you to file frivolous claims for their own personal gain. This is problematic for a couple of reasons. Filing claims when there is no legitimate damage can waste a lot of your time, especially if you’re told to file a claim on something that can be easily repaired. This will also increase the chance of your insurance premium increasing.
When you file these frivolous claims, it can also impact your ability to obtain homeowners insurance in the future. We see it all too often: homeowners getting a letter of non-renewal from their insurance company as a result of their past claim history. Prior to signing any contracts with a roofer to handle your storm damage, be sure to check the company’s reviews and see what their past customers have to say about their experience.
Whether The Roofer Is Local:
There have been too many times when we’ve spoken with customers that have reached out to us to fix an issue that a previous roofing company caused. This usually happens when a roofer who is not located in the local community comes in from out of town as a result of a hail storm.
These roofers present a problem because if they’re not a part of the community, and you run into issues later on, they will not be around later to address your concerns. Here at Excel Renovation, we’re proud to be part of the Cokato community, and we back up our work with a two-year workmanship warranty on all of our roof replacements.
Manufacturer Certifications & Warranties:
When you’re working with a roofing company, they probably have a preferred manufacturer whose shingles they are going to install. Many manufacturers typically offer different levels of certifications that roofing companies can achieve. Excel Renovation is honored to be a CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster, which is the highest level of certification that you can obtain from CertainTeed. This certification comes with benefits that allow us to provide the highest level of quality products and experience to our customers.
Two examples of this are:
- A 5-Star Warranty: This warranty provides 50 years of non-prorated coverage. This means that if you have issues with your roof 30 years from now, the full cost of tearing off the roof, disposing of it, and installing the new roof, will be completely covered.
- A 25-Year Workmanship Warranty: This covers the removal of the existing roof and subsequent labor to install a new one. If the company that installed your initial roof was certified by CertainTeed and goes out of business, CertainTeed will ensure that you have another SELECT ShingleMaster install your new roof at no charge.
Experience With Storm Damage & The Insurance Claims Process:
Being able to identify storm damage to a roof, and knowing how to initiate the insurance claims process, are substantially different from a basic repair job. That is why it is so important to ensure that the roofer you hire to handle your restoration project in Cokato, MN, has experience and understands the insurance claims process.
Reliability:
Having a reliable contractor is of the utmost importance! When considering hiring a roofer in Cokato, MN, you should ask for references from previous customers to confirm that their past experience is in line with what you expect for your own home.
On-site, In-House Project Managers:
Having a dedicated employee from the company at the job site to manage the material delivery and production of your project, and oversee cleanup and quality control is a must! Having this additional set of eyes helps ensure that the project is completed efficiently, and the right way. At Excel Renovation, we have a dedicated project manager on every job site!
They Provide High-Quality Materials and Workmanship
The roofing company you choose should be able to provide you with a roof that uses high-quality materials that are meant to last without immediate repairs or replacements. While cheaper materials may seem like a wise economical choice initially, you may end up having to pay more in the long run if those cheap materials fail sooner than expected.
The contractors you hire should also showcase high-quality workmanship. We previously discussed our partnership with CertainTeed and some aspects of the warranties that come along with our certification. That certification would not be bestowed on us unless we exemplified quality work and skill. Our team of roofers have over 17 years of combined experience, and all of them are thoroughly trained and know what it takes to do the job right, the first time!
Timely Repairs Minimize Further Damage
As a homeowner, being impacted by a storm is never convenient. With that said, if your home does sustain hail damage, you are responsible to take the steps necessary to mitigate any further damage that could be caused by not fixing an issue soon after the storm. For instance, if hail broke your window, you need to have a team come board up or replace that window quickly. If not, you may be personally responsible for any water damage that is sustained after that window is broken.
While roof replacements and repairs can be costly, storm damage allows homeowners the chance to receive financing in the form of insurance payouts. However, in order to receive this financing, you will have to go through the insurance claims process. Luckily, our team at Excel Renovation has experience dealing with insurance claims, and one of our experts will walk you through the entire process if you decide to file.
Since we know the process can be stressful, we’ve outlined what to expect below.
The Insurance Claims Process
Below is a brief outline of what to expect during the insurance claims process. But don’t worry, we’ll be there the entire time!
1. Assess The Damage: The first step in the insurance claim process is to have a thorough property inspection and determine if there is in fact hail damage. At Excel Renovation, we provide a full report upon completion of the inspection that documents our findings. This report can be given to your insurance company as proof of the storm damage.
2. Call In The Claim: You will need to notify your insurance carrier of the damage and open a claim with them.
3. Schedule An Inspection With The Insurance Carrier: The next step is to schedule an appointment to have an adjuster from the insurance company come out and inspect your roof and the noted damage.
4. Estimate: The adjuster will provide a proposed estimate to cover the damage and bring your home back to its pre-storm condition.
5. Once that estimate is presented by the insurance company, our team of professionals will review it and address anything that is missing. If something was left out we will submit evidence of damage for adjustment and request that any omitted damages are covered. Having a team with our level of experience can make a huge difference in your outcome when dealing with complex situations like this.
Contact Our Team To Inspect And Repair Hail Damage On Your Roof
We encourage all residents of Cokato to contact Excel Renovation today for a free hail damage inspection. In the best-case scenario, we won’t find any damage, and you’ll be able to have peace of mind. If we do need to move forward with a claim, you can rest assured that we’ve got you covered, and will be there for you every step of the way!
