After the storm

A storm hit your street. Now a dozen roofers are knocking on your door. Here's how to tell them apart.

They all have a good pitch. Most of them won't be around if your roof has a problem in three years. Here are the red flags I see on the roofs I replace, and what a good contractor does instead.

A homeowner I worked with

She hired two roofers after a storm. Both of them took her money and disappeared.

The first contractor collected her insurance check and was never seen again. She still had the storm damage, and now she had no insurance money to fix it.

So she paid a second contractor a down payment out of her own pocket. He ran off with it too.

Her house leaked while she tried to recover. It took her years to get back on her feet financially. Neither contractor had a bad pitch. That's the problem.

Why storms attract bad roofers

Using your insurance after a storm is smart. Picking the wrong roofer is where it goes wrong.

You've paid premiums for years, and a hail claim is how that money comes back to you as a new roof. Storm chasers know it too. They follow hail from state to state, sell as many roofs as they can, and leave. Once the last shingle is on, they have no reason to care how it holds up, because they won't be around when it doesn't.

The question to ask isn't who has the best pitch. It's who will still pick up the phone in five years.

Red flag

"We'll cover your deductible."

It sounds like a deal. In Texas it's illegal for a contractor to waive, absorb or rebate your deductible, and it can pull you into an insurance fraud problem too. A roofer willing to break the law to win your job will make that money back somewhere: cheaper materials, rushed installs, underpaid crews.

Texas Business & Commerce Code §27.02

What I do instead

The deductible is yours, and I'll say so in writing.

You pay your deductible. I build a quality roof with the rest of the claim. No side deals, nothing that puts you at risk with your insurance company.

Red flag

Promises that never make it onto paper.

The pitch at your door doesn't matter. What matters is what they'll put in writing. If a roofer gets vague when you ask them to write down what they just told you, keep looking.

What I do instead

If I said it, it's in the contract.

Scope, materials, price and warranty are written down before you sign anything.

Red flag

Different shingles show up on install day.

You were sold one shingle. The bundles in your driveway are something cheaper. Most homeowners never check.

What I do instead

Your materials are named by manufacturer and product line.

Check the bundle wrappers against your contract when they're delivered. I'll walk you through what to look for.

Red flag

The old underlayment stays on the roof.

Some crews strip the shingles, lay new underlayment over the old, and shingle on top. It saves them time and dump fees. It's also a code violation, and it hides the wood underneath.

International Residential Code R908.3

What I do instead

Every layer comes off, down to bare wood.

Then I inspect the deck and replace any rotten or soft decking before a single new shingle goes on.

Red flag

A contingency agreement with a cancellation fee.

Some chasers add a $750 to $1,500 fee if you change your mind and hire someone else. It's pressure to keep you from shopping around. Watch for language saying they'll negotiate your claim "on your behalf" too. In Texas, a contractor can't act as your public adjuster, and a contract that says they will can be voided.

Texas Insurance Code §4102.163 and §4102.207

What I do instead

No cancellation fee. Ever.

My contingency agreement has one job: showing your insurance company that you chose me to work with you on the claim. If the claim isn't approved, it's void. If you decide to go with someone else, I cancel it. No fee, no argument. I'd rather spend my time with homeowners who want to work with me than try to force anyone who doesn't.

Red flag

Nobody answers when something goes wrong.

A warranty is only as good as the company behind it. If they've moved on to the next hail storm, your warranty left with them.

What I do instead

A limited lifetime warranty, from someone who lives here.

I'm not worried about offering it, because I know how my crews install a roof. If a shingle fails, I'm the one who comes back.

How I work with you on a claim

You're in the driver's seat. I sit in the passenger seat and navigate.

You decide when to hit the gas, when to hit the brakes, and which way to turn. My job is to give you the context, the inside knowledge and the experience to make each of those calls with confidence. I'll navigate. You decide where we go and how fast.

The shortcut you can't see from the ground

Why every layer has to come off

Rot hides under old underlayment. If the old layers stay on, nobody sees the deck, and new shingles get nailed into soft, rotten wood.

Nails don't hold in soft wood. The first strong wind pulls those shingles loose, often years after the storm chaser is gone.

When I tear off a roof, I remove the shingles and every layer of underlayment, inspect the wood, and cut out and replace anything compromised. Code requires the full tear-off. For me it's the starting point, not the finish line.

Before you sign with anyone

Six questions to ask every roofer, including me.

A good contractor answers these easily and puts the answers in writing. Hesitation is your answer.

Will you remove every layer, down to the wood?

Good answer: "Yes, all shingles and all underlayment, and it's in the contract."

What happens if you find rotten decking?

Good answer: "I'll show you photos. Your install agreement lists the cost per sheet for decking repair, in writing."

Exactly which shingle am I getting?

Good answer: a manufacturer, a product line and a color, written down. Not "a 30-year architectural."

Who pays my deductible?

Good answer: "You do. Texas law requires it." Any other answer, walk away.

Is there a fee if I cancel?

Read the contingency agreement before you sign. Look for cancellation fees and any language about negotiating your claim "on your behalf."

Where will you be in five years?

Look for a local address and how long they've worked in Central Texas. Then ask who honors the warranty if something fails.

Why I do it this way

Stuff happens in construction. It may not be done right at first, but it's not done until it's right.

What that looks like

On one shingle roof, a low-slope "dead valley" (a flat spot where water collects) was waterproofed with a modified bitumen membrane. One corner where it met a side wall wasn't sealed well, and it leaked into the attic.

I found the cause, then sent my specialty crew to tear out that section and install it again, correctly. We upgraded the metal flashing while we were there, because I wanted no chance of a second leak.

It cost me an extra $4,000. That homeowner and I still have a great relationship today.

I've been in construction for over a decade, and I've always wanted to do every job at the highest level. Some people might call it obsessive. For me, it's peace of mind. Every project runs into surprises, and I want to know that no matter what comes up, you're getting the best work I can deliver.

The best part is running into past clients around town. I never have to duck down an aisle. I'm proud of the work, and I'm always glad to see them.

Get a second opinion before you sign anything.

If someone's already knocked on your door, I'll inspect your roof for free, show you the photos, and tell you honestly whether you have a claim. No pressure and no cost.

Schedule my free inspection Call or text Mark (612) 801-9121