Most College Station homeowners will have to deal with storm damage affecting their roof at least once in their lifetime. The insurance claim process can be long and arduous, leaving the homeowner with nothing but the headaches from dealing with a major emergency construction project. Choosing the right College Station roofer helps prevent many headaches down the road as well as makes the overall insurance claim process easy.
One of the first places you should start with an insurance claim is either a trusted roofing company known for its special ability to work with insurance companies or your insurance agent/adjuster. Both the roofing insurance specialist and insurance agents have integrated each others’ processes allowing for a streamlined claim and restoration project.
Many insurance companies like State Farm have developed a network of trusted roofing companies in and around the Brazos Valley. These preferred providers like Schulte Roofing are known to deliver and exceed expectations routinely. Insurance companies like to recommend these companies because their superior workmanship means fewer claims in the future.
Insurance Claim as Additional Money
A common mistake that homeowners in College Station make is treating their insurance claim like additional income instead of a supplement to repair or restoration costs. This mindset tends to lead towards a lowest price – common denominator mentality. Certainly it is wise to reduce costs as much as possible, but homeowners should pay attention to the details of cheaper roofers and the quality of work that comes with them.
Eat the Deductible
“Eating the deductible” is a common tactic that unprofessional contractors use to win roofing bids. Technically, there is no way for a roofing contractor to “eat a deductible”. That hustle tactic is used on unsuspecting homeowners who are not familiar with the insurance claims process. Typically, your insurance company will cover claim costs less depreciation and deductibles. In order for the roofer to still retain business corners must be cut.
One way to eat the deductible is to use substandard materials or neglecting to install all required materials for the roofing system. Common examples include using mill wood instead of certified wood or failing to install proper ice & water shields. Homeowners should think of roofs as roofing systems; where many functional components are designed to work together. Failure of these components leads to failure in the College Station roofing system which means increase repair and maintenance costs.
Signs of a Cheap Roofer
Roofing material manufacturers, insurance companies, and roofing companies all study ballistic testing to determine the exact wear and tear or storms. Deviations outside of these normal damage patterns open the door for all parties to deny warranty claims. The worst part is that usually everyone but the homeowner can directly determine the cause of failure to be poor workmanship. Industry studies have shown that 90% of roofing issues are due to poor workmanship.
Hail damage is extensively studied as it can be one of the costliest forms of storm damage in College Station, TX. Homeowners that use the “lowest bidder” approach will find that their roofs wear much faster than properly built roofs. Things like certified wood and ice & water shields are used, even though they can increase cost slightly, because the roofing system by GAF™ or another manufacturer designed the components to work together. If the proper elements are not installed or there is poor workmanship, then warranty coverage will not be in place, and the homeowner will be left to take up warranty issues with the “lowest bidder”.
How to Avoid Bad Roofers
It is true that a roofer will eventually have to see your roof to give you a qualified quote. However, homeowners should always visit College Station roofers at their location. Working with a local roofing company will give the homeowner a sense of the company’s business processes and professionalism. Many contractors operate out of the bed of their truck. Without a physical address, what guarantees does a homeowner have if warranty coverage is needed?
Some common tips to get the best roofing in College Station include:
- Physical location
- Written, verifiable insurance
- Insurance specialists on staff
- Quality roofing portfolio
- Great reputation
- Neighborhood References
- Awards
- Longevity in Business
- BBB Award and Accreditation
Schulte Roofing has been serving the Bryan/College Station area with professional roofing services with over 100 years of combined roofing experience. For the last 5 years, Schulte Roofing has been voted the best roofing company in College Station by College Station residents (Best of the Brazos Valley, Reader’s Choice Award, and Navasota Examiner). For more information about the insurance claims process, contact Schulte Roofing today.