Hail. High winds. Torrential downpours. And more hail. All the calling cards of vicious spring storms, like those that occurred in Cincinnati on April 9th, 2015. Did your home and roof sustain damage? You’re not alone—many households are navigating through storm damage contractors in Cincinnati right now, balancing repair costs that insurance will cover with finding a reputable roofer to complete vital work. Roofing Annex has attained GAF Master Elite status as a leading roofing contractor in Cincinnati and can work with you to ensure your roof is repaired and ready to withstand the next storm.
A Storm of Contractors after the Storm
In many cases, the hail has barely stopped falling from the sky before a tidal wave of hungry roofers in Cincinnati begins to crash at your door. With so many options literally banging on your door, discerning which company can best serve your roofing needs can be difficult. When a Cincinnati roofing service comes knocking, here are a few important things to keep in mind:
- Eagerness to begin work doesn’t equate to a job well done. Just because a roofer claims to have a crew and all the necessary supplies on hand doesn’t mean that the job will stand up to your expectations. Take time to understand a company’s background, qualifications, and offerings before you sign on the bottom line.
- Claims of satisfied customers should be investigated. It’s easy for a salesman to claim that they have a roster of many satisfied roofing customers or an entire web page dedicated to testimonials. But unless these roofing services in Cincinnati are willing to share names and contact information for prior customers for you to personally vet, these claims should be taken with a grain of salt.
- Insurance adjustor and contractor inspections should match up. Be careful with roof repair quotes in Cincinnati that are wildly divergent from what your insurance adjustor has found. If you will be using insurance benefits to pay for fixing roofing issues after the recent spring storms, you need to ensure that the estimation of work provided matches up with what your coverage allows.
Roof Repair in Cincinnati by Cincinnatians
Does it surprise you to know that out-of-town workers may come flooding in after a major storm to capitalize on homeowner needs? You may have companies knocking on your door from many towns away or even hailing from out of state. And they may even have enticing offers for you to consider. But here’s why it’s in the best interest of your home and your wallet to work with a roof repair company like Roofing Annex that is a leader in the Cincinnati area.
- “Local roofers” means local references. It’s a lot easier to check on a company’s reputation when they are already a proven leader in Cincinnati. Try the BBB!
- Local contractors can execute more reliable warranties. Most roofing jobs include a warranty. But how difficult will it be for you to get an out-of-area contractor to come back to Cincinnati to make additional covered repairs? Hiring a local roofer brings the peace of mind that comes with knowing, should something happen, that you are covered by a company who is firmly entrenched in the area already.
- Local roofing services know local needs. The storms and weather patterns in Cincinnati are not the same as experienced by other areas around the country. Ensuring that your roof actually meets local standards is something that can only be done by a company located right in your area.
Quotable Quotes
Not all quotes are created equal. As we said above, it’s vital to ensure that a quote received from a Cincinnati roofing service matches a list of covered repairs drawn up by your insurance adjustor. But carefully wading through quotes consists of more steps than just comparing a list of work to be done.
First, ensure that the quote is comprehensive. It should not only include the costs of materials and man-hours, but also an estimate of additional fees and equipment that may be necessary to complete your individual home’s roofing work.
Next, ensure that the quote is competitive. It’s never a good idea to accept the first quote that comes in. Always ensure that you cross compare quotes between several reputable organizations to ensure that you are not being overcharged. On the flip side of that, the cheapest quote may not be the best one for your circumstances. You can discern value versus cost when you thoroughly research the companies behind the quotes.
Finally, ensure that the quote is locked in for a reasonable amount of time. Some companies try to trick homeowners into immediately signing on the bottom line with a claim that the quoted costs are good only for contracts signed on that day. It’s much more likely that being forced into a quick signing will result in exorbitant costs or underperformed work in the long run.
Deciphering the Fine Print
For any contract you sign with a roofing service in Cincinnati, it’s important to understand exactly what you—and the roofing company—are agreeing to do. Is the contract contingent on beginning after insurance funds pay out, or are you, the homeowner, on the hook for all fees for work done before insurance settles? Is the contract time-bound—does it require certain work to be done in a specific timeframe? Can you cancel the contract before work begins if an insurance adjustor finds that damage doesn’t rise to the level of a major repair versus a minor fix?
You need to read the entire contract and ask as many questions as necessary to make you feel comfortable with the agreement being made. Take caution any time you hear that a specific amount will be determined later or a project scope will be outlined as the work is in progress. While scope changes can certainly come up once roofing work is in progress, the major body of work should be outlined and price quoted at the outset.
Ensuring Insurance Assurance
The insurance process can be as tricky to navigate as finding the best roofing company in Cincinnati for your storm repair project. Insurance companies don’t remain liquid and in business by paying out top dollar for every claim filed. Rather, your insurance adjustor will be carefully studying the damage done to your home to determine exactly what work must be done, then setting a payout amount to cover just that work and not a penny more. That doesn’t mean the insurance payout isn’t negotiable, however. Just as you compare a contractor’s quote to an insurance estimate of damages to make sure hidden work or costs aren’t tacked on, you should also compare the insurance estimate back to several different quotes to ensure that important pieces aren’t forgotten.
For instance, was trim surrounding your roof also damaged during the storm? Did hail pierce straight through your roof, damaging your attic or top floor ceiling as well? Will an entire section of roof have to be redone, due to collateral damage, instead of one small area? It’s absolutely okay, and often necessary, to go back to your insurance company to request that adjustments be made to the list of damages already compiled.
When Roofing Annex works with homeowners to recover after storm damage, the company’s motto really comes into play: on top of it all. This includes working carefully with insurance companies to ensure the fullest coverage possible, with homeowners facing the lowest possible out-of-pocket or deductible costs necessary. By focusing on the overall outcome of a storm damage project, navigating the tricky waters of insurance coverage, and creating positive interactions with all customers, Roofing Annex is best suited to become your roofing contact of choice in Cincinnati.
When Qualifications Matter
“GAF Master Elite roofing contractor” is a mouthful to say, but it’s what it means that makes this qualification really matter. To attain this status, Roofing Annex needed to prove adequate licensure and insurance coverage, have a reputation as a top-notch contractor, and commit to going through continuing education to stay on top. These requirements are so strict that less than 3% of roofing companies are able to earn Master Elite status. And Roofing Annex is the only GAF Master Elite and GAF President’s Club Member serving the greater Cincinnati area.
As anxious as you are to begin fixing your home after the storm has passed, performing your own due diligence on company reputations, quote and contract provisions, insurance coverage, and overall capabilities can make the difference between an ideal outcome and a shoddy or overpriced job done on your roof. Roofing Annex wants to earn your business and stay “on top of it all” throughout all of your roofing needs.
Get started with a free quote today to learn more and take a giant step forward in navigating through storm damage contractors in Cincinnati.
