This is truly amazing video of the recent hail storm here in Oklahoma City. I found this on YouTube and think it really sums up the damage that many of us have in the area. The true power of Mother Nature never ceases to amaze me.
Oklahoma City Hail Storm (Truly Amazing Video)
May 23rd, 2010EMERGENCY Roofing Repairs in Oklahoma City (Or Any Where)
May 17th, 2010With the major storms we received here in Oklahoma City over the last few days, I thought I would write a brief post about getting Emergency Repairs done to your roof after a major wind or hail storm.
What if your roof is leaking? Or a window gets broken and another storm is coming? Will your insurance company pay the bill if more damage occurs and you did nothing to prevent it? Maybe, maybe not. You have a duty to make emergency repairs or contact someone to do emergency repairs especially if you know that there will be more damage if nothing is done. If a tree falls on your house, and you are unable to move it, contact someone who can. Make records of all your conversations. Your insurance company will be happy to pay a contractor to protect you from further damage. Make sure you contact your insurance company and let them know. They will even pay you! Most insurance companies will pay between $250-$300 for you to put a tarp over an area that is leaking, cover siding that has blown off or windows that are blown out. They will appreciate anything you do to help, and will usually pay you for it.
What to Know – Product Quality
April 28th, 2010You might as well upgrade. It may cost you money but it is well worth it. Many contractors will upgrade your materials for free. You just have to ask. Your insurance company, on the other hand, will never upgrade your materials. They are by law however, required to repair your house with comparable products.
Siding – What happens if one side of your house is damaged in a hail storm and the siding needs to be replaced? They have to replace it with the same brand and color as the rest of the house. If they are unable to do so, they will be forced to replace all the siding on your house. Vinyl siding, over the years has gotten much better. In our opinion, many of the vinyl products are better than the aluminum ones. If you are going to change from aluminum to vinyl or replace the existing vinyl, make sure to use at least .042 grade. .040 vinyl siding is inadequate. Your contractor will probably do this for free. If you can talk them into using .044, this is better still. In any case, we highly recommend getting the better materials even if it costs you money. Appraisal value alone will pay for the upgrades eventually. If you are changing from a tile or wood roof to a shingle roof you should be able to save thousands and spend it on other things. Your insurance company doesn’t care where you spend the money as long as you spend the money on the repairs. Remember, recoverable depreciation money has to be spent by the homeowner to be collected from your insurance company.
Roofing – Many roofs have 3-tabs, these are more of a covering than a roof. They generally have a 54-60 mph wind rating, and have 20-25 year limited warranties. Any type of upgrade from this type of roof should be your main priority. The most common upgrade from this type of roof is called Dimensional or Architectural shingles. They have a wind rating from 70-130 mph and range from 30-50 year limited warranties. Typical cost difference is between $250-$600 for your whole roof. We, totally, 100% recommend this. It will add value to your home and when you sell your house, the curb appeal will be far greater. It is a must. Your contractor may even do it for free. Ask. We have personally installed every type of shingle. Brand name dimensional shingles are very similar in quality.
Gutters – Use aluminum seamless! Everything else is inferior. 6″ is better than 5″. 4″x3″ downspouts are better than 2″x3″. That will pretty much sum it up.
Installation Process Info
April 13th, 2010Roof – After being a roofing contractors for nine years, we have learned the most important thing about roofs is the installation of them. Valleys must have either 20″ valley metal installed or ice and water shield, one or the other, no exceptions. Ice and water shield on all eaves in heavy snow zones is recommended. Nails must be used instead of staples. Using air nailers, in our opinion is preferred to hand nailing. The air nailer fasteners have barbs on them to hold them in the roof. Hand nail fastners do not. High wind areas require six nails per shingle. Four is standard. Overlaying a roof is not recommended, but if it has to be done 1-3/4″ nails have to be used. Your insurance company will pay to tear your existing roof off. Overlaying a roof has been found to be half as good as a one layer roof, because it doubles the weight of your roof as well as lessens the life of the shingles. Because they are not on a solid surface, the bottom layer acts as a pad. Wind and moisture will effect the shingles in a detrimental way. We recommend gutter apron on all homes. Your insurance company will not pay for gutter apron if you don’t have them already. It is inexpensive and your contractor may do it for free. Be sure to ask. If your contractor won’t do it for free, pay for it. It’s worth it.
Vinyl siding – Use .042 at least. Going with .044 is a lot better. Just know that .040 is really inadequate!
Aluminum siding – There is no advantage to using aluminum siding rather than vinyl siding. Aluminum siding dents, it can need painted, it can be loud, and it looks kind of plain in our opinion. It also costs more than vinyl. If your adjuster decides that your aluminum siding is damaged, we would consider replacing it with a vinyl product. It could save you a lot of money. Spend that money on the roof, or gutters.
Gutters – If possible go with 6″ gutters as opposed to the regular 5″, because 6″ gutters can handle 60% more water. Also, go with 4″x 3″ downspouts as opposed to 3″x 2″, because they can handle twice the amount of water. Only use aluminum seamless. Nothing else is as functional and economical. Of course, copper is awesome, but so is the price! The cost difference between 6″ and 5″ should be very minimal.
Dealing with a Roofing Contractor
March 10th, 2010Dealing with a contractor is relatively easy because you have something they want, money! Their money is essentially guaranteed because it typically comes from the insurance company. So, ask any question you want. If you get direct, reasonable answers, and you respect the estimator, chances are the company is reputable.
The first time you meet with the estimator do not sign anything, NOTHING!
Get their personal phone number or business phone, so that you can contact them. They should be happy to give it to you. If they won’t give it to you, I’d find someone else. Then, during the job if you have any problems you have someone to contact directly. Your estimator typically doesn’t receive all his/her commission until the job is paid in full, so they should be very attentive to your situation.
Look for a local contractor who is licensed bonded and insured….and can provide you with references. Many companies during a large storm are from other parts of the country. This does not mean all out of town contractors are no good, but think of the long term warranty and repair issues that could arise. if you choose a contractor who leaves town after a few months…..you could be left looking for someone to repair shoddy work. You may have no choice but to use an out of town contractor based on the size and damage left by a particular storm. In Hattiesburg, MS after Hurricane Katrina, it would have taken the local construction crews fifteen years to complete all the work.
(I have addressed warranty work in more detail in the warranties section.)
Your Roofs Warranty – What Does it Mean?
March 3rd, 2010You can ask for any length of warranty you feel comfortable with. Two years is standard. We have seen warranties as high as ten years. The question is, are they worth anything? The answer is, probably not. Warranties are typically as good as the paper they are written on.
These are the keys to getting the work done to your satisfaction:
A. When you are dealing with the insurance company, you will get an ACV settlement. After the work has been completed, pay your contractor that amount. Do not pay them in full. Tell them that the insurance company has not sent you the recoverable depreciation yet, even if they have. You should have at least a week or two before your contractor becomes impatient. This will give you some time to inspect your property and test it.
B. The only true way to see if they did a good job is to have mother nature help you! During the first rain, put your raincoat on and check to see if the gutters are leaking. Also, check the ceiling, especially where valleys, and pipes go through the roof. If there are any problems you can request that your contractor come and fix them. You can be sure that they’ll do it if you still owe them money. Once you’re satisfied, then pay them.
C. Roofs do not start leaking after two years. They leak from the beginning, gutters are
Understanding Profit and Overhead
February 2nd, 2010Profit and overhead is a phrase that allows your contractor (general contractor) to request an additional 10% overhead and 10% profit to your original adjustment. The reason the insurance company allows profit and overhead is because of the cost of scheduling and sub-contractors. Each insurance company has different guidelines on payment of profit and overhead. You’ll have to discuss this with your contractor. Many estimators are inexperienced when dealing with insurance companies. If they don’t bring it up, you will need to.
Using the $7,500.00 example from the deductibles page. Your general contractor can ask for $750.00 profit and $750.00 overhead. Only your contractor can ask for this. You cannot. Making your total adjustment $9,000.00.
Here’s a secret: The estimator you’re dealing with is getting paid on commission, typically 10% of the total contract. $670.00-$900.00. He/she will be very helpful and generous in helping you. They want your business!
Hail – See if you Have Damage
January 19th, 2010Hail is caused by cumulonimbus clouds. Updrafts in these clouds cause the droplets of ice to move upward in the storm and grow larger freezing to each other. Until they grow too heavy and the updraft is not strong enough to push the hailstone back into the cloud. Hail is actually a form of snow. Hail ranges in size from a pea to the size of a softball (4-1/2″). In 2003 the largest hailstone on record in the U.S. landed in Aurora, Nebraska measuring 7″ in diameter, and 18.75″ in circumference. The costliest hailstorm in the U.S. was 1.9 billion, April 10, 2001 in St. Louis, Missouri.
Do you have hail damage? Well here are a few clues. Was there any damage to your car? If the hail was large enough to damage your car, your roof, siding and gutters may be damaged also. If you see outward dents in your gutters, definitely. Granules laying in your downspouts, maybe. If you are not sure if you have damage, you should call RoofPro Exterios. We will give you a Free, No-Hassle Roof Inspection and Estimate of the damage. We can help!
If you are sure that you have hail damage to your home. It is time to start looking for a contractor, so you can start getting estimates. We can help!
If you want to know more information keep reading The Roofing Blog here on our website or contact us with questions.
Picture of the U.S. record hailstone – http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/2003/jun/hazards.html
Large Hailstone
Roofing Definition and Terms You Should Know
January 12th, 2010I was thinking today how often we in the roofing business use terms on a daily basis and think everyone understands our language. We sometimes forget that customers of ours have no idea what we are talking about, since they do not get a new roof installed everyday.
So I decided to create an incomplete list of terms that came to mind that you as a roofing customer may not know or understand….but should know. So, please use this page to eductae yourself on some of the terms you may here or see when dealing with a roofing contractor or company.
ACV - (Actual Cash Value) This is calculated by your Replacement cash value(RCV) minus depreciation.
Adjuster - A person who works for the insurance company to evaluate damage to your property.
Deductible - The amount of your financial responsibility when a claim has been paid by your insurance company. The amount can be found in your declarations page in your insurance policy.
General Contractor - A general contractor is licensed to work on more than one trade, for example roofing and siding or roofing and gutters.
Gutter apron – A metal strip that goes under the shingles and either over your eave or into the gutter.
Ice and Water Shield – A water proof membrane that adheres to the deck of your roof.
Overlaying - To put an additional layer of shingles on top of your existing roof.
Public Adjuster - A person who works for you. Generally, they are involved when you have an extensive amount of damage to your home or property.
PWI - (Payment When Incurred) This is a line item on your insurance adjustment. It usually has to do with tearing off the existing roof. When PWI is in your insurance adjustment, it is an option. The insurance company is telling you how much they will pay for doing a particular type of work.
RCV - (Replacement Cost Value) This is determined by your local prices for construction. Most policies have an endorsement for this, meaning your insurance company will pay for the full replacement cost. Check your policy, it will be on the endorsments page.
Recoverable Depreciation - This is determined by the RCV minus the ACV. Your adjuster will figure how much it costs to repair or replace your property. For example a roof that costs $5,000.00, usually has a life of 25 years. The roof has been on the house for 10 years. The adjuster will depreciate the roof 40%. So he will pay you an ACV of $3,000.00, holding back $2,000.00 until you get the roof done. If you do not use all of the $2,000.00, the insurance company will keep the difference. If you don’t have the roof replaced, you can keep the $3,000.00, but remember your roof is no longer insured.
Sub-contractors – Many times when you use a general contractor they will use sub-contractors to do some of the work. This is typical and most of the time has more to do with paperwork than anything else.
3-Tabs - This is a type of roofing that has little rain slots. The rain slots are mainly there to give the roof some definition and pattern. This is more of a covering than a roof, if you can upgrade from this type of roof we highly recommend it.
Manufacturer warranty - You have a warranty on the product used, this is given by the manufacturer. This guarantees the product against manufacturer defects. Typically, after five years, the manufacturer warranty is pro-rated, even if it has a 50-year warranty. We have rarely seen any manufacturer defects in our experiences.
Workmanship warranty - This is given by your contractor on the installation of the product. After you have work done you need to check out everything and have any problems fixed immediately. After the first year of exterior home repairs, there are almost no problems that will occur.
Roofing Deductilble – The Inside Story
December 22nd, 2009This is where homeowners make the biggest mistakes. Insurance companies put a deductible in your policy so that you won’t make frivolous claims. It works. When you do have a valid claim and need a contractor, you also have something the contractor wants. They want to put a sign in your yard to advertise to your neighbors. It is possible that there are some stipulations in your area regarding yard signs. You will have to inquire about that before signing any contracts. I have paid people thousands of dollars to put a yard sign in their yard for as little as one day. OK. Here is how it works. You’ve already filed a claim and had your insurance adjuster out. The adjuster has given you a settlement or an adjustment. Let’s say $7,500.00. He has decided the entire roof, all the gutters and one side of your siding needs replaced. (We will handle the question of, “I don’t want my house to be patched!” in product quality later.) He has paid you ACV (actual cash value) of $4,500.00, and set back $3,000.00 for recoverable depreciation. So, you decide to get three estimates. Contractor A – gives you an estimate to complete the repairs for $7,800.00. Contractor B – gives you an estimate for $5,450.00. And, contractor C – gives you an estimate for $6,700.00. Your deductible is $500.00. Now how much is your insurance company willing to pay?
Contractor A – $7,000.00
Contractor B – $4,950.00
Contractor C – $6,200.00
See, you pay $500.00 to the contractor you decide to hire. So, who are you shopping for? THE INSURANCE COMPANY!!! You don’t necessarily need to pick the lowest estimate. In fact, chances are you don’t want to. The saying “you get what you pay for,” was probably assigned to home repairs. You’ve decided on Contractor C. The estimator was considerate and seemed trustworthy, important factors when dealing with home repair. Once you’ve decided on a contractor, allow them to see your adjustment from the insurance company. The estimate from your contractor and the adjustment from your insurance company probably differ somewhat in size and scope. Your estimator and adjuster probably don’t measure exactly the same. So, there will have to be some changes made by your contractor. At this time, you enter into negotiations with your contractor over the time, spot, and cost of the space in your yard to advertise. This will also help you, because your contractor will want to do a good job in order to impress your neighbors. Thus, your contractor pays you to do work on your house.
