Should You Get Multiple Quotes for a Storm-Damaged Roof?

Should you get multiple quotes for a storm-damaged roof?

When your roof is damaged in a storm and you are filing an insurance claim, gathering a pile of quotes usually works against you rather than for you. It tends to steer you toward the cheapest contractor, opens the door to poor workmanship, and drags out the repair. With an insurance claim, you are usually better off choosing one contractor you trust who will work directly with your insurance company.

Key takeaways

• On an insurance claim, shopping for the cheapest quote mostly benefits your insurer.
• The cheapest contractor often means cheaper materials and rushed workmanship.
• A good contractor works at the insurance summary price and helps you file supplements for hidden damage.
• Collecting many quotes only stretches out the time you live under a damaged roof.
• Find one trustworthy local contractor with strong reviews instead of chasing bids.

A storm is stressful enough without a confusing, drawn-out process to get your roof put back together. If you have damage and you are filing a claim, one of the first questions we hear from homeowners is how many quotes they should get. Collecting a stack of them feels like the responsible thing to do, but with an insurance claim it can quietly work against you. We have walked a lot of Raleigh-area neighbors through this, so here is what we have learned along the way.

• Quotes and insurance summary pricing
• Cheap workmanship
• How a good contractor handles your claim
• Paying out of pocket for extra damage
• A longer wait with a damaged roof
• FAQ

Quotes and Insurance Summary Pricing

When you file a claim, your insurance company works out what it should cost to repair or replace your roof. That figure is called the summary price. What catches a lot of homeowners off guard is that collecting a bunch of competing quotes mostly helps the insurer, not you. They are happy for you to come back with the lowest estimate, because it lets them pay out less than the number they already set aside.

Some contractors play right into that by submitting a lowball quote to look good to the insurer and win the job. As the homeowner, you want the opposite. You want the full, fair amount your policy owes you, and chasing the lowest bid quietly pulls you toward the cheapest company instead of the one that will do the job right at the price your insurer already agreed to pay.

Cheap Workmanship

Going with the lowest bidder can lead to problems down the road, and we have repaired plenty of roofs for homeowners who wish they had chosen differently the first time. A fair price is perfectly fine, but a bid that comes in unusually low usually means the company is cutting costs somewhere, often on work you will never see once the new shingles are on.

• Reused old flashing. Replacing flashing well takes real skill, because every roof has its own tricky intersections and corners. A budget crew may skip that work and reuse your old flashing instead, even though it may already be worn out. Since flashing is one of the most common places for a leak to start, that shortcut can cause trouble before long.
• A bigger bill later. A cheaper quote feels good in the moment, but repairs to a poorly installed roof pile up, and a bad install can mean another replacement years too soon. Insurance will not cover that second roof, since the cause was the workmanship and not the storm.
• Cheaper materials. To hit a low number, some companies also use lower-grade materials that simply do not hold up as long, which can leave you needing a new roof sooner than you should.

How a Good Contractor Handles Your Claim

The good news is that you do not need a stack of quotes at all. You can hire one contractor you trust, who agrees to do the work for your insurance company's summary price. Since they are not trying to win the job with a lowball number, there is no pressure on them to cut corners, and you are still never paying more than your insurer approved.

If they find damage that was not in the original scope once they get up there, a good contractor will document it and help you file what is called a supplement, a request asking your insurer to cover the additional cost, with photos and measurements to back it up. It also helps to have your roofer meet your insurance adjuster at your home so the two can look at the roof together and agree on the full extent of the damage from the start. Between the summary price and the supplement, the right contractor helps make sure your roof is covered properly, and you never have to juggle a pile of competing estimates to get there.

Paying Out of Pocket for Extra Damage

A cheap quote can really sting if more damage turns up. A low bid covers a set amount of damage and nothing else, so if the contractor finds more once the work starts, the insurer can point back to the estimate they approved and decline to pay for the rest. Suddenly that extra cost is yours to cover.

A contractor working at the summary price spares you that surprise, because they can help you file a supplement for whatever turns up during the job. That way the added damage becomes part of your covered claim instead of a bill you never saw coming.

A Longer Wait With a Damaged Roof

We understand that when your roof is damaged, you want it handled quickly, not stretched out over weeks. Each quote means scheduling a visit, sitting through a presentation, weighing options, and fielding follow-up calls, and doing all of that with several companies only keeps you living under a damaged roof longer. After a storm, that is the last thing you need.

It is much easier to put your energy into finding one company you can trust. Word of mouth is a great place to start, so ask the people around you who they have used and were happy with. Recent online reviews tell you a lot too, since a steady history of detailed five-star feedback is a good sign and a run of complaints is an easy way to cross a company off your list. It is also worth making sure the company is genuinely local, with a real address and a local phone number, so you have someone nearby to call if you ever need them again. Once you have found the company that feels like the right fit, hand them your claim paperwork and let them take it from there.

On Tops Roofing has striven to be a steady, local presence for our neighbors, guiding Raleigh-area homeowners through storm-damage repairs and replacements since 1991. With more than 750 five-star reviews from people who were once standing where you are now, looking up at a damaged roof and wondering what to do next.

FAQ

How many roofing quotes should I get for an insurance claim?

Rarely more than three, and often a single contractor you trust is plenty. Unlike a project you pay for yourself, where comparing bids saves money, an insurance claim pays a set summary price, so what you really want is a quality contractor who works at that price rather than the lowest bid.

What is an insurance summary price?

It is the amount your insurance company calculates to repair or replace your roof. A reputable contractor will agree to do the work for that price, so you are not overpaying, and they can help you file a supplement if they find more storm damage along the way.

What is a supplement on a roofing claim?

A supplement is a request to your insurer for damage that was not in the first estimate but turns up once work begins. A good contractor will help you put it together with photos and documentation so that extra storm damage gets covered instead of billed to you.

Why is the cheapest quote risky on a storm claim?

A low bid often comes with cheaper materials and rushed work, like reused flashing, which leads to leaks and early failure. Insurance will not pay for a second roof caused by poor workmanship, so those savings can cost you much more later.

How do I find a roofer I can trust after a storm?

Ask neighbors who they have used, read recent reviews on Google, and make sure the company has a real local address and phone number. Be cautious of out-of-town storm chasers who are hard to reach once the job is finished.