I am done........

RandyB1986 Said:

My problem seems to be some insurance companies are asking for estimates before the adjuster comes out.....then if I price a little high and insurance comes in lower....rather than customer calling to let me know what the insurance paid, they just get other estimates and show them contractors what the insurance paid, they do it for that and I lose out without a chance.

Your estimate should simply be... "I will do the work for insurance proceeds." The cost to the homeowner, regardless of the amount of the final claim, is their deductible. Somehow, folks out there seem to think, that in a disaster, there is some sort of benefit to taking a low bid. That is WRONG!!!

You don't shop for a price, you shop for a contractor. If you are doing it for Insurance proceeds, and your contract with the homeowner says you can go after the things the adjuster missed, (and that check is yours, not the homeowners) then that is all you need.

Now... there are some instances in some states, were you will need to change that a bit. There are laws out now that say only public adjusters and homeowners can negotiate with an insurance company, but you can work around that too.

Let me see if I have a contingency contract template that I can hunt down for you. If I can get it to you, it would just be a template though... You will need to consult a lawyer to make the corrections specific to the laws of your state, or it is just a signed piece of paper.

RandyB1986 Said: helping people get roof replacements only to have them go with another company! From now on I am going to start trying to have them sign some sort of commitment. Anyone have any ideas or suggestions on how I can do this? I dont want to scare a customer away by presenting a contingency contract before helping them....but maybe this is my only option.

My problem seems to be some insurance companies are asking for estimates before the adjuster comes out.....then if I price a little high and insurance comes in lower....rather than customer calling to let me know what the insurance paid, they just get other estimates and show them contractors what the insurance paid, they do it for that and I lose out without a chance.

Anyone have an agreement you present to your customers before working their claim? DO you mind sharing it with me at SSRB87@Yahoo.com.

I just drove by a job I had been working on getting for 3 weeks and a competitors sign is in the yard. The customer called for gutter repair and ended up needing roof, siding, gutters.......I bid it, got her the claim paid....and didnt even get called and told to fk off. Thanks for letting me vent.

so.....did anyone send you a contingency and 3 day recission to help ya out?

Dawg The handshake is in my hand and that usually is the contract between the sub, me, and the owner. Once upon a time . Back in the day when time wasn't like it is today. I had a fairly large roofing business. I stayed in contact with sub installers who were good craftsman. Over the years I have been able to keep them working for me because I pay them very well. When they do work for me I take care of them. NO problems. You get a really good price for the install. B) :) :) B) Deep Down In Florida Where The Sun Shines Damn Near Every Day

CIAK, that's very good to hear. I've thought about getting my adjuster license since you posted about it a few weeks back. I figured it would be something good to fall back on in case I get tired of this rat race once my ol' man calls it quits.

By subbing it out, do you mean that the contract is in your business' name and he is doing the work for you? I guess that would work if you really trusted the guy, but I have trouble finding reliable roofers!

I have the best of these two worlds. When I'm out getting paid handsomely by the insurance carriers for my invaluable contribution. I have a sub work for me on a handshake. I get home the job is done I collect and if I'm not called on to travel about the country being paid again very handsomely I will do a few repairs on a hand shake. Life is good. Now the very Lovely Mrs Ciak is with me traveling.Being paid very very handsomely. Bringing the best of home with me. I'm living much better than I deserve. B) :) :) B) Deep Down In Florida Where The Sun Shines Damn Near Every Day

shinglemonkey Said: I still to this day do zero residential roofs with a signed contract. Hell I still do some commercial roofs on a hand shake.

I did a handshake today and start tomorrow. I usually just get the job without that bit of formality, but this was a Judge, so I guess we needed something formal.

I still to this day do zero residential roofs with a signed contract. Hell I still do some commercial roofs on a hand shake.

Seriously charlotte, if you were indeed the best at what you do, would you not be doing it for your price?

charlotteroofers Said: I have a binding agreement because mine states, Once approved that they agree to have my roofing company complete every repair deemed necessary by their insurance company with no additional cost to them except their deductible..

What about any decking that has to be changed, do you charge above insurance's payment for that? Up until three years ago I hadn't been around any stormers/out of towners. I can't believe how many of them will throw metal over holes or just not change bad decking. I have a clause in every contract that makes plywood extra unless we are changing it all.

It is a shame when a customer tries to burn a good Roofing contractor that came out, gave a free hail damage inspection, met the adjuster, got the roof approved then were told to put in their lowest bid. Hey, it happened to me a few times and I always have a signature or I do not represent them and when they try to burn me I remind them that I have a binding agreement because mine states, "Once approved that they agree to have my roofing company complete every repair deemed necessary by their insurance company with no additional cost to them except their deductible.".

I am the best at what I do and go all out for my customers to ensure that the Insurance Company is paying current xactimate pricing for all items needing repair.

If my customers decide that they want to install their roof themselves or hire another roofing company it states on my agreement that they will only be released if they pay my roofing company $500. for time and services rendered. Most big roofing companies and stormers do this and take a whole lot more up to 25% of their entire claim but to me that would definitely deter them from signing initially

I agree JET........at least in the US it would be that way, not sure about NZ. Seems like a good way to get work though, just crash thru houses and tell them to call their insurance, lol.

Vaa...I had a friend pull into a gas station and do that....his truck rolled into pumps :woohoo:

I did have a customer where his neighbors tree fell thru the customers house, the neighbors insurance wouldn't pay for the damage to the guys house, my customers insurance paid. So I guess that is why you have to lawyer up a neighbor to have a tree cut down if it is in danger of falling on your home.....or else let it fall and have your insurance pay it.

What a mess........

YOUR insurance company should have handled this claim.......no questions asked. To make the injured party go through all of this just jacks up the emotion issue. I'd have a face to face talk with my agent on this one. This guy's your neighbor........

JET

Mike, good to hear from you! Set your parking prake!

A friend had a tree come down on their house this last weekend. What a mess. I do all the repair work on the roofs in that part of their neighborhood. So I go over today to look it over give them my opinion and set up to give them an estimate for a whole roof. I sensed the apprehension at my advice. It was contrary to the adjusters. People are so nervous about dealing with professionals. I sense what I have heard from others on here. The H/O giving off shaky vibes. I know how this whole thing is going to go down before it started. I appreciate and understand the contractor side. This is my second personal encounter with insurance adjusters and H/O's. I already know how the adjuster is going to react and the end result. Interesting set of circumstances knowing and understanding both sides. The key " getting the H/O to understand and that ain't easy with multiple personalities involved. I don't need the job ( will take it if I can) watching the process on the outside looking in. In my best Spock "Interesting" "put the handbrake on when you park up" wise advise Mike B) :) :) B) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzLB4xAY10Y&feature=related Deep Down In Florida Where The Sun Shines Damn Near Every Day

Estimators on Call Said:

Once that 3 days is up, ... order the permit...

This is the best advice that I've ever gotten on this site. It made it all worth it!