FAQ
What Would You Like to Know?
What signs of roof damage should a homeowner look for after a storm?
Storm damage varies based on severity of the wind or hailstorm that passed through your neighborhood. It can be as obvious as missing shingles or it may be something more subtle such as hail marks that are not visible from the ground. Evidence of wind damage is the easiest to spot. You may notice that your shingles are “lifting”, “folding-up”, or are missing completely. Since straight-line wind usually only travels in one direction, you will probably notice on certain sides of your home where the damages are much worse. These are the sides that directly faced the incoming wind. If this is happening, you can almost guarantee that the other sides will show the same result if and when high wind hits them, as well. When a project manager comes to inspect your roof, they will be looking for shingles that have been creased from being lifted by wind or missing granules caused by hail.
Will my insurance rates increase if I file a claim?
No, your insurance rates should not increase if you file a claim due to weather related damage. However, an insurance company can raise the rates of an entire zip codes that has been affected by storm damage.
How does the payment process work?
There are two major types of residential insurance policies: Actual Cash Value (ACV) and Replacement Cost (RC)
Actual Cash Value:
With the ACV policy, your roof’s value depreciates each year for the life of the shingle. In this policy you will only receive a check for the depreciated value of your roof.
Replacement Cost:
With the RC policy, your insurance will cover the cost of roof replacement minus your deductible. This policy is paid out in two installments. The first check is sent to the policy holder by the insurance company once the insurance adjuster has completed their roof damage assessment. The second check is held until the repairs to your roof are completed. It is sent to the homeowner when the insurance company receives a final invoice of completion.
Will Bercher Roofing cover my deductible?
No, we will not cover your deductible. Roofing contractors who say they will cover the deductible are committing insurance fraud. We at Bercher Roofing pride ourselves on being honest and fair with all of our customers and therefore we do not compromise on our ethics.
Do you need to get more than one estimate?
No, you do not need to get more than one estimate. As the homeowner you can choose the contractor you want to do the repairs. Your insurance company may suggest to get more than one estimate, however, if you get multiple estimates your insurance company will most likely go with the cheapest estimate and not the best quality option.
How long will it take to replace my roof?
An average size roof can be typically be completed in a day.
Use caution when getting approached by door knockers
When a severe hail storm hits an area, most if not all local roofing companies are ill equipped to handle the increased demand on their business. Most of them will be approached by “stormers or fly by night roofers” and offered a significant amount of money to lease their name and phone number and almost all of them will reach some kind of agreement with the stormer.
With bad weather, you can imagine there are a lot of these types of roofing companies. Bercher Roofing has never and will never sell out to stormers! Home improvement contractors will instantly be in the roofing business, as well as anyone else with a phone number and yellow page listing for lease. This leaves you, the consumer, with no idea who you are hiring, where they are from, or what their real reputation is. The local contractor that doesn’t sell out is forced to supplement his labor force from wherever he can, once again leaving you in the dark as to who is repairing your home and how qualified they really are.
Use caution, choose a company that is actually what and who it says it is. Bercher Roofing has been and always will be family owned and operated.