Dakota Roofing & Claims, We Serve Sioux Falls and Eastern South Dakota 605-212-0227
Comprehensive "Storm Damage"
Roof Inspections and
Expert Claim
Support
Hail and Wind Damage
Repair + Replacement
Home + Business
Most our customers have a great storm about the May 2022 hail storm, but they lack notes or pictures of the event. To ensure a successful agreement with your carrier, take pictures, video, and notes of the event including time, place, and direction it came from.
Did you know that your carrier can approve you to have a short term repair, tarp or wood covering to close in your home after a weather event? If you run out and start the DIY repairs it make reduce or remove any potential claim on your home. Let your agent or carrier know you have "damage" and you need someone to help reduce your risk of further damage. If you can't find help, then take pictures before and after your short term repair. If its extensive make sure you get assistance right away.
Its not uncommon to have a low paying claim, or a denial on your roof, gutters, or anything else. Remember you can request that they send another inspector to evaluate again. However it helps if you have a contractor evaluate its authenticity or severity. Have them present when the new inspector comes.
This is one of the most common questions I get. Many times these are not my customers and they are looking for a nonbiased answer. If you have a roofer assist you on your denied, unapproved, or low paying claim, they should be under contract to do your roof. You may ask why? After all isn't if my money? What if I could save money and buy that 75" LCD at Costco with the savings? A couple factors play in here:
1. To help you get the approval, the roofer incurred many expenses to get it approved (time, satellite reports, insurance rebuttal reports, 20 to 100 pictures of the damage, weather report evaluations, many emails, correspondence, estimates, phone calls probably took place to ensure the credibility of the damage and its recovery). In general the roofing company could easily incurred $500 to $1000 in labor, reports, and software updates to get you approved. 2. Your roof claim summary is comprised of your planned scope of work and the associated cost, if you were to bid it you would risk getting a deficient result. 3. If you don't used the same Roofer, you may risk losing the final depreciation.
We are Real and Local for more than 30 years.
We are located downtown Sioux Falls
In the beautiful 8th and Railroad building
East Bank in Sioux Falls, 57103
401 E 8th Street, Suite 209, Sioux Falls, Sd 57103
Office 605-210-7397 Mobile (605) 212-0227 Email: DRCNEWROOF@gmail.com
Where were you when it happened, ever had that feeling?
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, it was a Tuesday Night, it seemed like the hail was as big as Tennis balls. Now it was about 4pm on July 5, 2022 and that swirling wind, the crack of hail on my windshield, then the broken branches as a dodged back and forth on 10th street. Was I having Dejavu? It was about a month ago on May 29th, and we were running around dodging flying tree limbs and business signs. Sioux Falls was experiencing some serious weather and it was dangerous.
For me I live on the west side and driving home in utter amazement, the sky was like no other night. I needed to make sure my family was ok, puppies, kitties, and grand daughters. Crack, Bang, Bang the sound of hail hitting my windshield was completely unnerving, any moment I knew it would break. On the weird side did anyone notice the ominous green sky or the strange shape of the clouds. It seriously looked like Armageddon.
If you are reading and relating to my story you probably were in Sioux Falls or somewhere close. And, you most likely have hail or wind damage and you are trying to figure out what to do next. Its so important to understand the insurance claim process. Most people have one or two experiences with weather related property damage, so it must be as clear as the mud running down 12th street.
Dakota Roofing and Claims has a long history of dealing with and resolving weather related property damage with insurance for our customers. Sure you can say, heh they are not adjusters (public, Independent or other) but we don't need to be. We don't want to be an adjuster, we need to be fluent in the language of insurance and skilled in the trades of Roofing, Gutters, and property damage from weather.
Best New Roof Ever: When we reroof your home, it so important that we get you the best roof ever. We remove it all the way, put the best materials back on, apply all necessary building codes, and make every effort that you will probably never see us again. Sure we can be friends, but only on a casual level. We first make sure you don't have issues again. Impact Resistant Shingles, Synthetic Underlayment (100x stronger than felt), excellent venting to get all that hot air out, and a lifetime warranty you can transfer if you decide to sell.
Easy low cost upgrades: I know what your thinking, the insurance wont pay for all that, right? Your right and your wrong, many times they will pay for it, and sometimes they will pay for most of it, not bad right. Are you tired of fixing your roof again and again? We have a plan for each customer that wants it one and done. If they desire to stop the knocking on their door every time hail or wind comes. If they are sick paying out that oh so familiar deductible again and again.... Oh my god, just stop the wreckage.
Well we got a plan, its called the one and done plan. Ask us how it works and be ready to be wowed.
Most Experienced Claims Assistance in Sioux Falls. Sure we are tooting our own horn, but why not? At Dakota Roofing, we are more than mere roofers. We have extensive experience working with almost every known insurance carrier in Sioux Falls. Can we work a claim, you bet. We have worked on more than a few thousand claims like maybe 10. So if you have a claim and need help, please do not hesitate to call us.
I want to share with you some of the basics of the claims process, so you can have success in your recovery and let you know the fear and anxiety you are feeling is normal, and its not necessary. Its important to always have your head in the game. So take a breath, read, and if necessary give us a call. if needed.
Ok I am going to give you two list, one the obvious list and the other, the necessary list.
The obvious short list:
1. Pictures or Video: After the storm has subsided, document the date, time, and take a bunch of photos with your camera or smart phone. If you call insurance they want the nitty gritty. Time, Date, and what you think was damaged.
2. The damage list: Make a list, by walking around your property, and vehicles. List any damage or mess you see that was possibly caused by the wind, tornado, or hail. This includes roof, siding, windows, screens, decking, paint, on your home, shed, or vehicles.
3. Cleaning Up: Stop and think! before you start cleaning up this mess, make sure you can get all the documents and pictures from at least 2 or 3 angles before lifting a finger.
4. Open Penetrations: Check to see if you have any open holes or trees through your roof, window, or doors. If so, seek out a company immediately to tarp it, or temporary patch. At this point do not think a quick fix will work.
5. Get the Facts about your policy: Check with your insurance agent to make sure of your coverage.
The general flow of the claims process (first 5 things to understand)
A. Pre-Adjuster Preparation: You will have to document the damage, contact your insurance, and prepare for a flurry of roofing sales people, calling, knocking, and leaving cleaver door hangers at your home.
B. The Adjuster Meeting: You will meet the nicest people called adjusters, and they will tell you how much damage you do not have, don't worry this is 100% normal.
C. The right roofing contractor: You will select a good roofing company that knows what to do with your home, your roof, your adjusters, and the complicated software that everyone in this industry uses.
D. The claim summary: Now that you have documented, met the adjuster, and hired the correct contractor, you will probably get in the mail or email, your claim summary. You get home tear open the paperwork and look for the check. Half the time you will have a check and the other you won't.
The bottom line, how much did I get and will it be enough to get my roof replaced as well as the other stuff that was damaged. Either one of two things happen now, you either say oh my god, they really took care of me, or what the f*&&^^& I can't fix it for that amount of money. This is the good news or bad news, both reactions are preemptive. There is a system in the property claim process and it dictates the labor, materials, and taxes for all parties. Our goal is to know and tell the software all the correct pieces of the puzzle so you can get your entire roof covered. This creates a fair result for all including you.
E. Your insurance check: Listen, its never enough emotionally or mentally. You came home and your house was a wreck, the stress and unknowns are so overwhelming. So now you relax, send all the claim information to your contractor, remember find someone that is amazing at the insurance process and knows how to talk insurance to your adjuster. Everything will work out, it will take time and that's ok.
This is the rule: good things come to those that wait is 100% true in this industry. If your contractor knows the business then he or she will get you everything you need to get the job done right.
F. The contractor response to your insurance claim summary: Your probably thinking, how can my contractor get me more money for my claim? That is the wrong question and wrong presumption. The better question is, how does my insurance adjuster respond to the correct and code compliant response from my contractor? The next question is, why did my insurance company short me $1000's of dollars to get my roof installed? Its easy, they have never roofed a house, owned a construction company, never purchased materials, or have any idea what the building code is for Sioux Falls, South Dakota. They did not deliberately short you, that is all they knew to put into your preliminary claim summary.
Now The Second Five things
1. Hire a contractor that works for insurance proceeds and your deductible. That way you are only out your deductible and your contractor has the burden to work the rest out with your carrier.
2. Hire Experience: In this business nothing is a guarantee. However if they have strong insurance experience they will work with your company and advocate for you to get the best outcome and ensure you do not get a crappy roof replacement.
3. Make sure the roofer has seen the damage if your hire them, before the adjuster gets there. Its important that you and your roofer are on the same sheet of music before the adjuster gets there. If not, make sure he is at the meeting with the adjuster as well as you. So important, I cannot stress this enough.
4. Do not do bids with 3 contractors: What you say, I heard its smart to always get 3 bids. My agent or maybe my adjuster told me to get 3 bids. Most people are not roofing experts, so how do you know what a good bid is?
This is the wrong approach! In this industry its about the correct amount of insurance funds. Are they enough in description, quantity and funds to provide you a whole product a whole roof. I have yet to see a claim that is 100% correct. Most are 50% to 60% correct. That means the roofer must know how to talk to your insurance to get it all for you. Remember this has nothing to do with your depreciation, it all about the final replacement cost of your roof, not living with the error in your insurance claim.
Looking at multiple bids in various formats will either confuse you or get you stuck in a contract that takes advantage of your lack of knowledge. You need a roofing partner in this process and someone that believes in the cause.
If you randomly get 3 bids, do you know if they are complete, if the materials are quality, if the components on the roof are proper for your home. Are they are going to do it correctly in a transparent process with permits and everything else?
Remember, most of our customers are not accomplished roofers, most people do not know what the full scope is of work on your roof. This is not a weakness on your part, however a roofer giving you an all in bid on a Denny's napkin will not help you with the insurance deficiencies or promise you a quality roof.
A typical home owner does not know how to get 3 quality estimates, and they rely on the roofer to be honest, that can be a mistake. When you have an insurance claim it can be a recipe for problems if you simply take a bid verses working with a roofer than know the insurance.
5. Do not ask that the roofer comp your deductible: Insurance mandates that roofers collect the deductible. During a review process we have to show that it was collected. However, if a sales person from Texas or another state comes in and says, I will pay you to have my sign in your yard, in almost every state it is illegal to comp a deductible. The better plan is to work with a roofer that knows how to work with your insurance, and they can make sure you get a complete roof with your only out of pocket is your deductible.
10 things to know about hail damage storm claims.
Dakota Roofing and Claims
The Following reflects real information from real experiences that affects you and me when Hail Hits Please see the following: I am going to identify real bugs in the Hail/Storm restoration industry These items derive from my real my life experiences as a roofing contractor when you as an owner have damage from hail or wind storms.
Its important to understand, what you as an owner need to do, what a successful Roofing Contractor needs know and provide, and finally how those roles are dramatically different from your insurance adjusters.
The following elements are from our (you and me) most trying times and experiences working together, Roofer and homeowners and trying to explain apparent damage and a solid construction recovery plan to your adjuster, when we are not adjusters.
1st - How do I pay for my my roof when I have wind or hail damage? Loan, Credit Card, or ? A wind or hail storms hits Sioux Falls, SD. Your shingles are flying off the roof. Your first inclination, call a roofer. Well that's me, so we make an appointment to look at your roof. Listen, we are not Adjusters, and in most cases it doesn't take an adjuster to see damage on a roof. So, I am simply saying this, make sure you have a plan if hail hits your roof. If you think your insurance should cover your damage, at a minimum your insurance plan needs to state it will cover it, whether its a replacement or a repair. However it your don't we finance, or can offer you an estimate.
Sanity Check: contact your agent give them the scenario that your roof has hail damage. If the adjuster comes and agrees about the damage, will it be covered in whole or partial. Document the call, ask for detailed information, find the truth before you need it, for real.
2nd - Isn't roof damage obvious, why would I need help in the process or need assistance? Damage is not clearly defined. Each carrier has their own criteria for hail damage or wind damage. Then, each desk adjuster has their own interpretation, finally the guy on your roof is probably some independent contractor. This is the guy taking pictures, measurements, and finally putting together the report of his findings. Usually based on their spin on damage. What about the roofer: if your lucky and your roofing contractor sees the damage, and understand the process from beginning to end, of course then they have their standards to put it.
Sanity Check: So in summary, damage is not always damage, it's based on many views and standards. If your roofer is like us, after so many roofs, discussing damages and reroof plans to Adjusters, well to get to the point you have a pretty strong idea.
3rd - Don't i have years to file a hail damage claim? I am not ready to file. That is a perfect question for your agent. Please call him or her. I believe each state has a period to file, call your agent to find out. Usually at a minimum its 1 to 3 years. Sometimes we help a homeowner, find damage, and even the adjuster agrees. Only one thing is missing, a valid date of the storm.
Sanity Check: In summary the claim may be turned down because there is no date. Or, the claim is denied because it was too long after the event. Always keep records of damage to your home if its known. Don't risk the wait.
4th - Other roofers say they will eat my deductible, why do you say I have to pay my deductible? For my company, we have to collect a deductible because we are paid by the insurance funds, we work in the process of storm claims, we collect based on the final replacement cost of your roof, not an independent blind bid.
Sanity Check: We are required us to collect the funds based on the claim, including the deductible. If you don't pay the deductible, something has to give and nothing is for free. Remember your final insurance scope is the roofers agreement to complete.
5th - Should I get 3 bids for my roof? My agents says so... Are you funding the full roof replacement on your own? Are the roofers ready to collect funds once you sign a contract, regardless of insurance? Or do you need assistance in the process of your reroof due to hail? When we inspect your roof, we use our experience and knowledge of the industry to advise you, then we stand by our advice and meet with your adjuster one on one to show them what we found (what we showed you before you called the insurance).
Sanity Check: If you know about roofing be sure to write a thorough statement of work and submit to all parties, have each party address every item. Please realize any unknown damage that is not seen will become your problem and not the roofers. If they provide a bid, any deviation would be between you and carrier.
We are not policy experts, we never look at your policy, we are not public adjusters.
We look at damage and know how to work with your adjusters to get it done and done right!
This is what we know: if you make a decision on a contractor that is your decision and you are responsible for the outcome, nobody else. If You have funds from hail or wind damage, chances are great that there will be additional unknown and unseen damages uncovered during the process of your reroof.
Does your contractor know how to present the additional work to your adjuster so that you have coverage for the unknown? If your contractor assisted you in the claims process, they can help you get the needed item presented to your adjuster correctly.
A contractor only has the latitude that you allow them, beware of short cuts, especially if they have no idea how to deal with your adjuster. Contact us for the entire list
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Sioux Falls and the surrounding area:
Quality Roofing and roofing contractors are so important for your home roof repair. You rely on your roof to keep your family safe and secure. No matter what weather, Hail, Wind, Rain, and Freezing your roof is ready to keep you covered and secure. DR&C provides solid results, beautiful products, and great curb appeal. Your roof is important!
Need a Roofing Estimate, and Roofing Contractors to get the job done right? Contact for a free consultation, is your insurance paying enough for your damage, we can provide you that answer.
For Roof Repairs in Sioux Falls, Insurance typically pays about 45% to 60%. They typically rely on home owners to get bids, write their own scope of work. To get a complete roofing ou must have enough funds to get the job done. We can help you get there.
DR&C Roofing Contractors | #1 Quality Services | Sioux Falls, SD
605-212-0227
Your insurance is complicated and you need an experienced company that knows your insurance company. Don't settle for half, it takes 100% to get your recovery complete.
Why is safety important?
Interesting Facts: Are you aware that the many of sioux falls roofing companies do not have or take protective measures for roofing crews or the customers that hired them. To see if your roofer has OSHA fines check your local Osha Data Sheet for reports.