Roofing question

[Bocefus78]

I have a hail damaged roof, screens, and downspouts. State farm came out and made a claim estimate. My question is this:

What is an approximate price per square of roof installed? I know it will vary by region but I need a ballpark.

Details: 7 pitch, 1350 sq ft of roof, standard 3 tab shingles. Standard box vents, no ridge vent, no drip edge. 2 story home.

The reason for the question is that the quote that State farm gave me seems awful low. I have heard that they are notorious for underpaying claims. I'd rather not disclose the dollar specifics until I have conformation that they are waaaaay off.

FWIW, I have not cashed the 1st check they sent....I know better. I have a roofer coming out to give me a quote. He allegedly trianed alot of the state farm adjusters and also said that they underpay.

 

[BrotherBart]

A Google search for roofing forums will give you a lot of information on cost and State Farm also. I just paid a little over $300 a square for 30 year dimensional shingles, drip edge, ice and water shield at the eaves, ridge vents and chimney flashing on a 5/12 roof. Gutters and downspouts ran around six bucks a linear foot. I probably could have gotten it cheaper but I knew who I wanted to do the job from the get go.

Here is a cost calculator.

http://www.homewyse.com/services/cost_to_install_shingle_roof.html

 

[BrotherBart]

Here is probably a better calculator for what you are looking for. It nailed mine (pun intended) within three hundred bucks total.

http://www.homewyse.com/costs/cost_of_asphalt_shingles.html

 

[lukem]

I want to say mine roof was about $300 - $350/square (100 square feet), including a tear-off. That was 3 years ago and I know at the time asphalt was pretty high.

This was for about 30 square of architectural, drip edge, and ridge vent on a single story ranch with an all hip roof. The guy I used can usually underbid everyone else by a pretty substantial margin, so that number might be on the low side.

 

[Hogwildz]

Get 2 or 3 quotes from reputable local roofers, copy them and forward the copies to State Farm.
They are required to pay what it takes to make you whole, not what they think or guess.

 

[TMonter]

Get 2 or 3 quotes from reputable local roofers, copy them and forward the copies to State Farm.
They are required to pay what it takes to make you whole, not what they think or guess.

Totally agree here. Get quotes and make sure they pay for what it costs to replace what you have and to make sure it's done right.

One of the tricks I like to use when selecting who to use is to talk to the local builder's supply and ask them who they would use on their own house.

 

[Locust Post]

Depending on the age of your damaged roof they may take betterment (depreciation) because they owe to put you back to preloss. This could vary depending on state laws and policy language. I just heard on the radio today that more insurers will be looking into policy changes to possibly charge different deductibles and apply more exclusions around weather damage. That should not affect you now unless they have already amended your policy which they would have notified you of.

 

[BrotherBart]

Here is one insurance company's pretty good explanation of depreciation.

"This calculation technique also applies to most of the structural components of your house that wear out over time, such as the roof. If your house has a 25-year composition shingle roof, it would depreciate at 4% a year under normal conditions. If the roof is 10 years old at the time of your loss and it requires replacement, we would subtract 40% depreciation (10 years x 4% a year) from your replacement cost estimate to determine the actual cash value of your roof. Please keep in mind the condition of an item may also factor into the depreciation calculation."

 

[Butcher]

Screw the insurance company. Get 3 local contractors out and get bids. Find the one you feel most comfertable with and have a good long talk with your insurance adgent or claim adjuster. Stand yer ground. They dont bargin on the price of your premiums do they? They are just trying to rip you a new one. Just sayin.

 

[BrotherBart]

It all depends on whether you have an "actual cash value" policy or a "replacement cost" policy. With an actual cash value policy they will depreciate the roof based on age. You will just get that less the deductible. With replacement cost policies they will first cut a check for the depreciated amount less your deductible and then after the job is done they will cut a second check for the "recoverable depreciation" which is the difference. Leaving you only out the deductible.

Any reputable roofer knows how this stuff works.

 

[charly]

I had State Farm for 25 years ,,, Zero claims for Auto and home owners, in the mist of moving someone robbed 1500 dollars worth of tools from our garage... State Police came, I gave them a complete list of what was gone... State farm said after all these years, no receipts , no money.. Told them to go pound salt! Could have used the SP report to get my money as if I was lying I would be falsifying a report. I just dropped them.. They sent letters etc, wondering why we dropped them, called them and told them what I thought , they acknowledged nothing.. Insurance means nothing unless they pay,,, they're banking on they won't have to.. Save your money, don't use State Farm...at least not here in NYS.. All my paper work was with my tools,,, so because I was organized keeping my stuff with my tools I got screwed! Now I take pictures of my tools...

 

[Bocefus78]

I do have replacement cost coverage. They have already issued a check for the depreciated amount. They pay the rest upon completion to the contractor. Other bids are in the works. Per those calculators from BB, Their estimate will barely cover the roof, let alone vents, screens, downspouts, and my damaged AC coil (fins only). The thing is, in my county, labor prices are thru the roof because everyone around here is made of money. Seriously higher than most areas. I wonder how accurate those calculators are in this category.

 

[Hearth Mistress]

Don't fret, just get quotes and call your adjuster. I went through the same thing here with Sandy damage. The adjusters use calculators to do initial claim values but after the contractor came out, he was able to show how wrong the initial adjuster costs were WAY off for the labor and materials in this area. The adjuster worked with my contractor and in the end, almost $100k later, working since mid March, they finished everything June 28th, and the insurance even waived my deductible since we lived in the house during the construction (which I don't recommend, especially during the roof! It's LOUD)

In fact,my adjuster liked my contractor so much and he knew that he could trust him, he just recommended him for another job for siding replacement not too far from me.

Be upfront, but have your facts in place, the can't argue reality

 

[Locust Post]

If this was a big wide spread hail storm the insurance co probably had adjusters from other parts of the country and they are using a generalized estimating program or referencing what we call "red book". They are just trying to get the inspection done and something started so you can at least see that they are servicing you. BUT they should have explained the process and how they would come to an agreed price with a contractor. I don't do residential damage but I used to do mobile/manufactured home damage and several years ago was out in your neck of the woods on a big hail storm.