Question 1

How much does the inspection cost?

Accepted Answer

Storm damage inspections and assessments are free.

Question 2

How long does the inspection take?

Accepted Answer

It generally takes 60 – 90 minutes to complete a full inspection of your home, roof, interior and exterior, which includes an attic inspection if applicable to be thorough.

Question 3

What does Home Repair inspect?

Accepted Answer

We start by inspecting interior walls at the ceiling level for any evidence of water stains. Next we check in the attic to see what’s happening under the roof for any early warning signs of a future leak. From there, we do a complete exterior evaluation which includes siding, windows, metal trims, fences, gutters, roofing and outbuildings such as a shed, garage, barn, poolhouse, or other exterior structure. We even inspect your landscaping! Remember, we treat this like a crime scene, and evidence of what happened is sometimes found in unlikely places. Every small detail detected by our Storm Team Experts is important information that your adjuster will likely need to help with your claim, but may not have the time or knowledge to look for him/herself.

Question 4

Why does the inspection take so long? My (insurance adjuster/other contractor/insurance agent/friend/family member) said it would only take about 15 minutes.

Accepted Answer

It would be impossible and an injustice to you to complete a “full inspection” in anything less than 60 – 90 minutes. Oftentimes, insurance adjusters don’t have time to do an in-depth inspection, or simply don’t have the training to do it successfully. Remember that they are hired by the insurance company writing the check, so there is a potential for conflict from the get-go. Whose best interest is it to find ALL THE DAMAGE? We can’t speak for other contractors, friends & family members except to say this, our main concern is you and your home. We are licensed, accredited, trained and certified to complete what we call the ‘CSI’ inspection on your home for storm damage. As experts in the field, second to none, there is no value in taking shortcuts or speeding up an inspection that will benefit you, our client.

Question 5

Do I have to be home for the inspection?

Accepted Answer

Yes! In some instances we can start an inspection on the exterior of your home and have our inspector wrap up the inspection inside your attic and interior, but it does take longer that way because it could require a second trip on the roof for a second look at anything identified in the attic.

Question 6

Should my spouse/partner be present as well?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if possible! Everything we inspect is documented with photographs so that after the inspection is complete, we can show you what we have found to help you make an informed decision on your most valuable investment, your home. If you both aren’t present for the free inspection, you don’t get to hear firsthand our findings, which can leave room for error in the communication cross-over. Remember, we specialize in this. We don’t expect you to. We find that when both decision-making parties are present, it’s most beneficial for everyone. Plus, if we do find that you have damage that could be covered by your homeowners insurance, we have color and style choices to consider and discuss. And this discussion usually involves all parties.

Question 7

Am I obligated to buy anything?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely not! We spend the time to provide a full, comprehensive, expert property inspection because we’re good at what we do and have over 25 years of positive references and testimonials on a wide variety of homes, properties and roofing systems to back that up. Customer service is at the core of our services. We’re confident that if we do find damage, you will decide on your own that we are the best and safest choice to work with in getting your home “Back to Beautiful”. If for some reason we have to “talk you into it”, it’s just not a good fit for either of us. Our service speaks for itself, and we are grateful for the numerous happy clients we have served who provide glowing testimonials, and the numerous referrals they continually provide.

Question 8

What if I don’t have any storm damage?

Accepted Answer

We inspect homes every day that don’t have storm damage and will be the first to tell you NOT to file an insurance claim. There are sometimes hundreds of hours that go into the red tape of an insurance claim, behind the scenes, on our end. It’s a waste of time for everyone to try to force something that’s just not there! Nobody wants to work for free, including us. Our Service Agreement clearly states that the way we get paid is through the actual work performed as allowed by your insurance company. So, to say there is damage when there is not would almost guarantee free labor on our part, dashed hopes for our clients, and a reputation we could not afford to maintain. On the other hand, if we say there is damage and we are willing to take you on as a client, that means we will go to work for you 100% and take that risk of working 100 hours on your claim as per our Service Agreement! You can rest assured that we would not take that risk unless we knew we have the evidence from the ‘crime scene’ that makes for a winning case.

Question 9

Will your inspection damage my home?

Accepted Answer

No! In our inspection phase, we use specialized lighting, chalk that washes away, and a specialized camera app to allow for more annotation. In some cases, AFTER your repair or restoration process has been approved by your insurance company and the project has commenced, things like siding, roofing or flooring may need to be removed from an inconspicuous location to be sent off for lab reports. Again, this would happen only after your insurance company has agreed to make repairs to that item, so it would be getting replaced anyways. In the case of roofing or siding, we patch the spot up where needed to keep you water tight!

Question 10

How long does the insurance claim process take?

Accepted Answer

On average, the process takes 6-8 weeks. We are extremely efficient on our end with producing documentation, photos and reports requested by your insurance company, but unfortunately, we can only go as fast as they can. Sometimes insurance adjusters are bogged down with multiple property inspections simultaneously which can delay your claim. Sometimes your adjuster may disagree. At that point, we call in our expert resources including engineers, public adjusters, appraisers, architects, and attorneys to ensure that you get everything you deserve!

Question 11

What if my insurance company says that I don’t have any damage?

Accepted Answer

This actually happens about 10% of the time and is usually the result of a poorly educated or poorly trained insurance adjuster. There are nationwide reports of insurance agencies being unethical because their profitability bonus is dependent on keeping claims low and hoping you will go away with a simple “no damage”. In any case, if we find damage, we are here with you through the long haul! If we say it’s damaged, it’s damaged! Functional or non-functional, damage is damage and we will produce the documentation required that usually allows for a second opinion look. If that still does not work, (some insurance adjusters pull out the boxing gloves), again, we bring in the big guns for you which can include engineers, appraisers, public adjusters and even property claim attorneys. Home Repair is a proud member of the American PolicyHolder Association (APA), which is a nonprofit 501c4 watchdog organization that promotes integrity, honesty and best practices in the property loss adjustment sector of the insurance industry. The APA promotes best practices with licensing agencies and governing bodies and monitors, identifies and reports on insurance fraud against property owners. The APA also advocates for policyholder benefits and promotes solutions in insurance coverage, the insurance claim process, and the repair and rebuilding process for policyholders in every state.

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