Free Roof Inspection Fort Smith, AR

Free Roof Inspection Arkansas

Here at Luck Roofing, we pride ourselves on giving the most thorough roofing inspections/assessments. We utilize technology such as Company Cam inspection software and hail trace weather data to be able to create scientific based recommendations when we think a homeowner has a potential storm damage claim. One of the biggest complaints that adjusters have in this business is meeting green bean sales representatives who inspected the roof and helped the homeowner file a claim.

Firstly, the very model of sales reps knocking on a door to a complete stranger, to offer a free inspection, then look at the roof and make a damage assessment has a huge conflict of interest. The sales reps commission relies upon the roof being damaged, then eventually approved for replacement via insurance for the sales rep to make a commission. So the rep is always going to lean toward damage, even if it means calling in a claim that has virtually zero chance of approval.

Then, when the adjuster comes out, the sales rep is not prepared for the meeting with proper storm data, or photo documentation, and the rep can’t tell the difference between a blister or hail damage.

Basically, the roofing company and sales rep are setting the homeowner up for failure. Even if the roof is legitimately damaged, the adjuster looses all respect for these sorts of companies and tends to lean toward denial just because they can and want to prove a point.

All residential roofing companies are guilty of this to varying degrees. But to normalize it and approach it with a win–some lose–some mentality is absolutely wrong. We are dealing with peoples homes and life and not properly handling a claim could cost the family tens of thousands of dollars and potentially hurt their finances for years to come.

Handling Your Insurance claims.

Granted, we may knock on your door and offer a free inspection like the other guys, but we are completely different with how we approach the assessment/inspection process.

First off, we are a HAAG certified contractor, meaning the person who meets with your adjuster is actually trained in the same standards that your insurance company uses to train adjusters. To be Haag certified, our inspectors have to go through a complex certification course and have real infield verified experience of inspecting over 100 roofs.

This instantly increases the odds of your claim being approved when you adjuster sees that our inspectors carry the same certifications that they do.

Next, we have a systematized inspection process from the beginning so that we have a record of all photos taken. We use a system called company cam that files all our photos into a check list.

We check everything from the amount of layers on the roof, to whether it has drip edge, meets code requirements, how the decking is, on and on. Below is a list of some things we look for.

1. Overviews of the exterior from the ground
   
2. Damage to any siding, window screens, ac units, fascia metal, splatter marks from hail on fence.
   
3. Downspouts and gutters for collateral damage.
   
4. Granular loss
   
5. Type of shingle, amount of layers of felt or shingles on roof. ( we recommend Atlas Shingles or Malarkey Shingles ) 
   
6. Drip edge
   
7. Starter shingle
   
8. Square test of each slope to see how many hits of hail, or if there’s wind damage,
   
9. Soft metal dents
   
10. Chimneys or sidewalls for flashing
    
11. Caulking of exposed nails.
    
12. Nail pops

Below Shows The Use Of Company Cam Throughout The Before, During, And After Of Jobs We’ve Done. This Tool Is SO IMPORTANT For Documentation!

All those photos are stored and organized strategically into Company Cam. We share a link with a homeowner that they can see us upload those photos in real time. It’s also useful throughout the project to watch the progression.

The purpose of company cam is to get all the documentation up front, so when we sit down with the homeowner to discuss their roof, they can make an informed, educated decision about the current state of their roof and whether they have a potential claim, or if just small repairs are needed.

There are so many homeowners who would’ve had their roof denied, or did when working with another company because the roofer didn’t put in the leg work up front to make sure they could go to bat for the homeowner when the going got tough and insurance wants to fight a legitimate damage claim.

By us getting all that documentation up front, we show up to the adjuster meeting PREPARED. The adjuster wants to see a seasoned Haag certified professional who has his ducks in order and can justify to him or her why this roof needs replacement.

Arkansas is one of the toughest roofing markets in the USA because adjusters here are so use for so long of taking advantage of homeowners with no accountability. There is virtually no appeals process if a claim is denied and a homeowner wants to continue the process to try to get an approval. In other states like Texas, a homeowner can use public adjusters to exert an appraisal appeal process. But here in Arkansas, public adjusters are not allowed.

So that is more the reason why homeowners need to work with us from the beginning. We get all of your ducks in order from the jump so you can put your best foot forward to the insurance company, and the adjuster, who is ultimately the one who can decide to cut you a check.

Just the other day, we had a claim with The Hartford insurance that was denied on an initial inspection from a third party claim rep from Hancock claims. We had already emailed our photo report to the desk adjuster and she got our photos before she got the inspectors. After seeing our thirty page report, she wanted to send out a senior adjuster to make a final determination.

Eric came out from Hancock claims and agreed with our findings. He said he was the person they sent out when there is an issue with a claim that needs more careful review. We had an educated, professional conversation on the roof and after we showed him all the documentation (collected on our initial inspection), he agreed with our findings.

So if you’re a homeowner who is reading this, please call us and give us the shot at inspecting your roof. We promise to be the most thorough and detail oriented company you could work with. As much as you may trust your insurance, the stone-cold truth is that insurance companies fundamentally have a conflict of interest when it comes to your claim: every claim paid takes profits from them. Therefore, having a roofer there to go to bat for you, then standing behind that roofer thorough the process is critical.

We are the ones you can trust. We are family oriented and local to the northwest Arkansas area. We care about giving you the best result. Use the pros, not the c level contractors with green bean sales people who can’t tell a hail hit from a blister.

If you want to read more about the proper things to do during an insurance claim, go to the American policy holder association resources that reiterate what was said above.