Roofing FAQ

While roofing contractors may have differing opinions, independent organizations, like Roofing Insights, test and review roofing products, yearly. All roof shingle brands are tested and approved if they carry UL and ASTM logos on their products, but that doesn't mean they are created equal. Roof Shingle quality can vary across different categories, such as strength of warranty, color consistency, algae resistance, wind rating, tear-strength, thickness, weight, and impact resistance. Overall, Elite Roofers believe that CertainTeed shingles offers the best all-around performance and quality among roofing shingles. CertainTeed offers different levels of shingles, Landmark being the most popular, but impact resistant and luxury options are also available. Although Shingles are the main feature of the roof, shingles aren't everything. That's why all roofs installed by Elite Roofers are as the complete Integrity Roof System™, with components engineered to perform their best while working together. That's why we can offer the longest and strongest warranties in the roofing industry.

A complete approach to roof replacement is about so much more than just replacing the old worn out shingles with new ones. It requires removal of all the underlayment down to a clean roof deck, inspection of the deck and replacement of any damaged decking, and then application of ice and water shield at the roof's most vulnerable leak points, in addition to replacement of as much flashing as can be done without damaging siding or other exterior cladding. This includes replacing all pipe jack boots, vent caps, collars, and bases, as well as the drip-edge and any other accessories. It's important to ensure ventilation is working properly to enhance the life of the roof system. When all components of a roof system are designed to work as parts of a whole, and installed properly, the roof will last longer, and perform better in harsh weather than roofs where the contractor has mixed and matched different brands of products and allows for a margin of error that is unacceptable to Elite Roofers. Only when following the manufacturer's installation instructions 100% and using all their prescribed materials can a roofing contractor truly say they offer a complete roof system.

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That depends on a number of factors, including:

• Size of the roof, typically measured in squares (100 square feet)
• Steepness of the roof slopes, represented as rise over run (6/12, 9/12)
• Accessories on the roof; number of pipes penetrating the roof, and whether your contractor replaces, re-paints, or just leaves the old ones untouched.
• Flashing, against walls, around chimneys, at dormers, etc., and whether your contractor replaces the flashing, or just leaves the old flashing.
• The type of materials used, 3-tab, dimensional shingles, luxury shingles, impact resistant shingles, metal roof panels, concrete or clay tiles, rolled roofing for low slope applications.
• The type of underlayment installed, felt paper, synthetic, ice and water shield, where it is installed and how it's layered.
• The quality of the contractor you select also makes a difference.

1. Fly-by-night; just in town to knock doors after a storm, new roofer that just popped up, operating out of the house, no free-standing warehouse or office, one man operation with sub-contracted roof installers... or
2. A Real Roofing Company; experienced, insured, licensed, certified, accredited, highly rated and reviewed, will back up their work and be there for the long-haul.

Each municipality, city and county in Texas has different requirements for roof replacement. In many areas, there is no permit required. However, The Woodlands Township requires a permit for roof replacement. Within city limits on Houston, Conroe, Tomball, Friendswood, Katy, and many other cities, a permit is required, and only a roofing contractor who is registered with the city can perform the work without jeopardizing the homeowner. A qualified roofing contractor, like Elite Roofers, will know this before you hire them, and will navigate all the municipal permitting systems for you. 

Surprisingly, no, roofers do not have to be licensed in Texas. This can make it difficult on homeowners to determine whether the roofer they've chosen will do what they say they're going to do, or that the roofing work meets code requirements. Only 10% of roofing contractors in Texas obtain a roofing license, Elite Roofers is licensed by the Roofing Contractors Association of Texas (RCAT).

In Texas, there are no barriers to becoming a Roofer. There are no age, education, experience, or certification requirements. Anyone can go register a business, and start calling themselves a roofing contractor or roofer. Only Plumbers, Electricians, HVAC technicians are required to get a license by the state of Texas. SInce it's so easy to call themselves roofers, many people who have no experience call themselves roofers and knock on doors to find unsuspecting customers.

Know the law. Many roofing scams involve so-called roofers that will knock on your door and then tell you that you can get a free roof by using insurance funds to cover the entire cost of the roof replacement. However, under the law in Texas, homeowners must pay their deductible or face fines and jail time. It is illegal for a contractor to take insurance funds to perform work for a homeowner and not collect the deductible.

Don't sign anything until you've read it, asked questions, and are 100% comfortable with the process, people, product, and contract in discussion. 

Instead, find a roofing contractor by limiting your potential choices by searching for roofers that are licensed, reputable, experienced, insured, manufacturer certified, members of the local chamber of commerce, accredited with the BBB, and have guarantees on their work beyond just their own word.

Most homeowners policies include coverage for roof repairs and roof replacement, when the damage is caused by a storm or other peril. Some policies have different deductibles by peril; sometimes a named storm damaging your home will have a different deductible than fire, flood, hail, or wind. However, most insurance deductibles are lower than the cost of a new roof. If an insured's roof has storm damage that happened during a policy's period of coverage, it's often in the homeowner's best interest to replace the roof through an insurance claim. Additionally, since insurance companies like to reduce risk, they are often willing to discount homeowners premiums for the first five years of a roof's life.

According to the Texas Department of Insurance -

Home and auto companies can’t charge you more for:

• Claims you file that the insurance company didn’t pay. This includes claims the insurance company denied because your policy doesn’t cover the damage.
• Calling your company or agent to ask questions about your policy or the claims filing process.

And home companies can’t charge you more for:

• Claims for damage from natural causes, including weather.
• Appliance-related water damage claims, if the repairs have been inspected and certified, unless you have three or more claims in three years.

If you notice a leak your roof may need repairs, if you are aware that hail impacted your home, if there have been storms with wind gusts in excess of 60 mph, if you see pieces of shingles in your yard, if you notice your roof has broken or missing shingles, if your roof is over 10 years old and you've never had roof maintenance, or if you had someone knock on your door and inspect your roof but you're not sure if you could trust them, you may want to schedule a roof inspection with a highly qualified roofing contractor.

If your original Solar Panel installers are no longer in business, Elite Roofers works with multiple Solar Panel installers to safely perform the detach and reset of your panels before and after we replace your roof. This is not a free service, so it must be called for in the scope of work for your roof replacement.

Many other roofing companies demand that you get the panels detached and reset on your own, and will demand it on the back of their contracts. Make sure you read the fine print and ask as many questions as you have, before you sign anything.

While most roofing companies will void your workmanship warranty for installing solar panels, Elite Roofers actually offers solar panel systems, so we can work with the solar panel installers to ensure your roof still functions at its best without affecting the warranty. CertainTeed, our preferred roof materials manufacturer, does not void roof warranties for adding Solar Panels to your home. If you want the best roof, and to reduce your energy bills and carbon footprint, contact us about adding Solar Panels at your home.

Yes, if you are not using insurance funds and are paying 100% out of pocket, you can get a roof without paying your deductible. However, most homeowners choose to file a claim when they have damaged roofs, because their deductible is usually much less than the cost of a new roof. When using insurance funds to pay for a new roof, it is required by state law that the homeowner pay the deductible. Roofers who tell you otherwise are breaking the law, and are likely the kind that will cut corners to get your roof replaced "within the budget".

The insurance company can choose to non-renew the policy based on the condition of the roof. If a licensed roofer can provide a photo documented report showing the roof is in good condition, the insurance company may decide to let the homeowner continue having a policy with them. If the roof is in poor condition and needs replacement, it could be considered high-risk and most insurance companies will require a new roof in order to offer an insurance policy. Sometimes, the reason for the poor condition of the roof is storm damage that happened within the policy's period of coverage, and the insurance company will actually pay for bulk of the roof replacement, and the homeowner may only have to pay their deductible.

Not always, no. In most cases, insurance adjusters limit the line items they include on estimates to what they can see at their initial inspection. Most often, there are things left off of the insurance estimate that must be handled through a supplement. Having an experienced claims specialist, employed by your chosen general contractor / roofing contractor, can make a big difference in the final product installed at your home, as a contractor who accepts an under-funded claim may be willing to cut corners to get the job done. Elite Roofers employs a full-time claims specialist at our office, to handle all the back and forth with your insurance company, so that you don't have to.

Unfortunately, sometimes you have leaks or see visible damages on your roof, and you may even live in a neighborhood where your neighbors are getting roof replacements approved by their homeowners insurance. But an insurance adjuster may not always see what you do, and for various reasons, on the first time inspecting your home, they may deny part or all of your claim.

As a homeowner, this can be exceptionally frustrating. Nobody wants to get the run-around from their insurance company, or deal with a disagreeing adjuster. That's why Elite Roofers employs an in-house insurance claims specialist,

Asusena Castro. She has been successful in working with insurance companies to assist homeowners; sending photos of damage, weather reports, repair estimates and any other evidence supporting valid claims.

But when that's not enough, you can get a licensed public adjuster, like the ones who work at K3 Consulting, that can work with your insurance company, to represent your interests in a claim, and they’re very good at it.

And if for some reason that doesn't work, you may want to hire an attorney, like those of The Chad Wilson Group, to get you the best result possible.

If you've have a claim denied, but you don't agree, you have rights. You can file a complaint, and you can also consult the Texas Department of Insurance, regarding those rights.

Call us directly, and we can help. 832-290-2837

While Replacement Cost Value, RCV, will typically be enough to perform all work in an insurance claim, ACV, Actual Cash Value, represents only the depreciated value of an aged asset and is less than the RCV.

Terms you need to know when filing a homeowners insurance claim in Texas:

• Scope of Work - prescribed work for repairs or replacement
• RCV - Replacement Cash Value - the total amount of a claim or total cost to perform the scope of work described in an insurance claim
• Deductible - portion of an insurance claim that is the policy holder's responsibility to pay to their contractor. It is fraudulent to bill an insurance company without paying the deductible.
• Depreciation - value attributed to wear & tear or aging
• ACV - Actual Cash Value - RCV minus Depreciation
• Net Claim - ACV minus deductible; this is typically the amount on the first check / payment provided by the insurance company for a claim.