I am done........

If you aren't required by law to give an actual numbers estimate, why are you?

Here is what I would suggest...

Get a contingency contract drafted by a lawyer. In the contract, give them 3 day recision rights. Your contract with them is that you will do the roof for insurance proceeds. In that contract you want to make sure that the customer understands that by doing it for the proceeds that means anything you can collect from the insurance company plus their deductable.

You also need to have in the contract something written in (again if your state laws allow it) that allows you to speak with the insurance company in behalf of the customer.

Don't do any work on that job until the 3 days are over. Don't even open a file in the office.

Once that 3 days is up, get the adjuster scope, and immediately put in for all of the things the adjuster left off. (there will be thousands of dollars worth of items.) Call the adjuster and get a revised estimate from them, order the permit, and then get product delivered.

If the adjuster shows up with a different contractor, or suggests to the homeowner to find someone else after that initial 3 days, go back to the lawyer and sue them for interference with a contract.

You will lock in more jobs and get paid faster. We write Xactimate estimates all day for people all over the nation that do this exact same thing.

Used to lose several storm leads per year but not very many anymore. All my leads are referral and seem to be working with less greedy customers in the past couple years. Have had adjusters sway would be customers way as well as agents. What bothers me the most is when I negotiate with an insurance company to get my price and the homeowner never hires me. My guess is these types have lost their homes by now...

Here's my take on it. Smaller wind or hail storms means less pressure from stormers which mean higher chances of securing a job without a contintincy contract. Larger wind or hail storms mean more pressure from storms which means higher chances of getting jobs stolen out from under you. How do they do it? It's simple, promise a free upgrade, no deductible, keep the money for a few items not repaired, and "We can get to your roof within a week".

We have not had a large hail storm in my area since 2008 and I'm booked solid for two months. After a big hail storm I'm booked out within a month. When customers learn of this they start shopping around for stormer companies with crews at the local motel ready to roll, plus money in pocket.

RandyB1986 Said: CIAK, This one in particular is really challenging my character! I had this job in the bag...and the adjuster came out and approved it and then he had his buddies come in and steal the job so he could get his kickback. Obviously, I cant prove it. It is a challenge to not go over and smack someone in the mouth......

"I had it in the bag". Obviously not.

The only one that you should smack in the mouth is your salesperson, who was too timid to get the signature. When you leave the door open, another aggressive company will gladly walk through it.

My strategy when going after these insurance deals is to make it relatively painful for the homeowners to talk to other roofers. They are going to invest a minimum of one hour with me, possibly more and they will have to be adamant about not signing a contingency agreement. I don't know many people who want to sit with roofing salespeople for an hour. Many of my guys want to do a quick presentation (or no presentation) and figure out whether they will sign or not fast. I think that is bad strategy. If it's too easy to say no, they'll shop three, four or five contractors. My goal on the first appointment is to show them that it's pointless to try to shop contractors.

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.

I've done a lot of roofs for clients that started with a contractor like you and weren't required to sign anything.

Thanks.

What is so hard about getting a contingency contract signed? Why should that scare them off? It's simple: no signature, no meeting with the adjuster. If they won't sign, there's no deal.

I laugh when the sales guys come in and tell me "I've got another one" only to find out that they wouldn't sign. I'd be a rich man if I had a nickel for all the "sure deals" that fell through.

Ask for the signature. If they won't sign, great: find out what the real objection is.

Also, you don't "bid" insurance jobs. You agree to do it for the RCV. I always let the insurance company go first. Some of my guys like to do the job for the adjusters using Xactimate. That's not my style.

I have a consultaion fee for anything that someone is going to use to nogociate. If it's a buyer of a new home, an insurence estimate, or a seller. I make it deductable if I am awarded the work, within a 90 day time period. I don't need practice bidding jobs for someone else. A lot of people can do it cheaper then us, very few better then us. You have to make it clear before you get involved.

I won't deal with ANY insurance company.......they're all scum IMO and are only looking to screw over their customer and any contractor involved. Be up front with your customer if they tell you there's an insurance claim involved. Tell them that YOU are the one to trust here, NOT the insurance company. Trust is everything in every transaction and you'll be amazed how the customer will work with only you if you take the time and effort to let them know the angles involved.

JET

Nope but they are here too.

Dawg was a three letter name starting with c ending in r,they invaded Louisiana after katrina.

We wont deal unless they sign, we tell them its a lot of work and it protects us.We still have insured screw us over,i went to a lawyer and had him rewrite mine.The problem is the other contractors go to the insured and tell them the contracts not valid and they'll put money in thier pocket knowing we recovered the maximun amount on the claim.If the insured wants to profit off the claim it will happen and if you pursue legal action against them they will bad mouth you so the contract is really only good if if the insured feels obligated to you.If they refuse to sign its an indication that they just want you to get them the money so its no loss.

I tarped a 190sq church and talked the adjuster into replacement and they went w/ a big name from STL who moved in after a storm two years ago. It would have been a good job for my 8-9 men but I wasn't looking forward to dealing w/ all that planking anyways!

It's frustrating on the sweet jobs, though.

Over the past years, back in the day when time wasn't like it is today, I've found my answer to a question like this to be "no" I didn't want it more times than I can remember. It often surprises me when I realize this, as up to that point in the negotiation I'd been focusing on "the deal" rather than "whether or not I perceived any value in the situation." When I reflect on some cases that I remember, I realize how my internal rationalization machine had kicked into high gear as I got excited about the essence or transaction. By taking the transaction out of my thought process, I could focus on the essence of value or lack there of. It is only in the bag, "a job" when the contract is signed. As far as collusion I seriously doubt it. Let it go learn. Move on. B) :) :) B) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzLB4xAY10Y&feature=related Deep Down In Florida Where The Sun Shines Damn Near Every Day

CIAK, This one in particular is really challenging my character! I had this job in the bag...and the adjuster came out and approved it and then he had his "buddies" come in and steal the job so he could get his kickback. Obviously, I can't prove it. It is a challenge to not go over and smack someone in the mouth......

Working closely with insurance adjusters I know a few methods used by contractors to secure the contract. First I admire your character in the face of rejection.It challenges our personality. It challenges our character and the way we look at our life. tinner has the right approach. Put it on the H/O. Some contractors try to get a signed contract before the adjuster comes out. The insurance company only has to pay what is determined to be fair and reasonable for the zip code based on their estimating software(usually xactimate 27). Getting an agreement before may in fact take the H/O off the market. What it doesn't do is require the insurance company to pay what ever you determine is the price you are asking. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzLB4xAY10Y&feature=related B) :) :) B) Deep Down In Florida Where The Sun Shines Damn Near Every Day

Charging $25.00 for proposals nearly stopped that for me. And the few that did switch, well, at least I got gas money for the trip. Phone doesn't ring as much, but each ring is almost a signed contract. Closing rate for the ones that pay for a proposal is 92%.