The Restoration Process

If you’ve had the suffered damage to your roof or gutters, rest assured: We’re ready to help you restore it to top condition. We focus only on insurance-based restoration, so we’re experts at handling claims. Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t worry — our staff has handled thousands of claims, and is ready to help you with yours. Here’s what you need to know about the process.
 
Step 1: Filing Your Claim

You’ll need to contact your insurance company’s claim center. This initial call is a critical step that must be completed before the restoration process begins:

• Call your company’s claim center, using the number we provide.
 
• Provide your company with the date loss occurred, or the date of the storm that caused the damage.
 
• Once you’ve filed your claim, your insurance company will assign a claim number. You’ll need this for any follow-up calls, so be sure to write it down. Within the next week, your claim center will assign an adjuster to your case.
 
• Soon, you’ll receive a welcome call and material in the mail from your Direct Exteriors assigned claims manager, who will be your “go-to” person for your claim, and who will order a satellite image of your home’s roof.
 
• Once assigned, you’ll receive a call from your insurance adjuster, to schedule a time for the adjustment. Inform him or her that you’d like your contractor present and provide our office’s contact information to schedule directly with us. (Use our office number, not your claim manager’s, so the adjustment can be scheduled right away.)
 
 

Step 2: The Adjustment

Your claims manager will inform you of the scheduled adjustment date. You do not need to be present, but are welcome to be there for it if you wish. Your restoration specialists will meet with your insurance adjustor and represent you as your contractor. In some cases, your restoration specialist may request his or her manager to be present as well.
 
Rest assured, you’re enlisting a team of experts to help your case: All our managers are licensed adjusters and HAAG engineering-certified roofing inspectors.
 
After the adjuster approves the roof and/or gutters, your specialist will immediately update you if you were not present. He or she will obtain the building permit and post it on your home as required by the city.
 

Step 3: After the Adjustment

After the claim is approved, your insurance company will send you the initial loss data sheet in the mail. Expect this to take up to two weeks.
 
To expedite this process, we begin following up with your insurance company just a few days after the adjustment. In many cases, the loss data sheet can be faxed directly to our office — this is an efficient method, as we can review for any errors and missed items. We may need you to give the claim center permission to send the sheet directly to us. 
 
 

Step 4: The Insurance Loss Data Sheet

Once your claims manager receives the loss data sheet, he or she will review it thoroughly to ensure everything is included.
 
And if we find missing items? We contact the insurance company directly to rectify the mistake. Your claims manager may choose to do this either immediately or, if the items are minor, after completion on the final invoice. This is the preferred method as it’s more efficient — we don’t have to wait for approval before we begin replacement. However, if the errors are excessive it is necessary to get approval prior to beginning.
 
 

Step 5: The Initial Insurance Draft 

Approximately one week after you receive the loss data sheet in the mail, you will receive the insurance draft for the actual cash value of your claim.
 
While you’re waiting for the draft, we will be preparing your roof material and work orders so we’re ready to move forward as soon as it’s received. Once you receive it, call our office to schedule a time for your restoration specialist to come to your home. He or she will help you choose your new roof selections, read through the loss data sheet and complete a spec sheet.
 
Do you have a mortgage? Expect the mortgage company will be included as a payee. But don’t worry — your claims manager will help you obtain endorsement, or handle the process for you. We suggest having your claims manager handle this part of the process — after all, it’s what he or she does every day. Keep in mind that they will need minor assistance from you.
 
Once the draft is fully endorsed, we can schedule your new roof replacement.
  
Step 6: Roof Replacement
 
Your claims manager will schedule the roof replacement to ensure a mutually convenient date, and will advise you of the time it will take to complete replacement — typically just one day. You may choose to be home when we replace your roof, but are not required to be. In fact, we suggest you are not home as the process can be loud.
 
Here’s what you need to be prepared for:

• The material is typically delivered the day before the scheduled start. 

• Replacement may jar your home, so remember to remove items from your walls and secure any treasured breakables.

• Roofing is a dirty job and it will be messy during the installation. In fact, since we recycle shingles — which involves separating them from debris such as wood, wrappers and metal — the mess can be worse than a “throw it in a dumpster” method of removal. But don’t worry — at the end of the day everything will be cleaned thoroughly and magnet swept.

• If you are not home when the installers finish, your claims manager will contact you with an update. If the gutters are being replaced, expect them to be completed within a few days of the roof.
 
Step 7: Roof Inspections
 
Typically, three formal inspections will happen before a project is considered completed.
 
Our Field Project Manager Inspection. Typically occurs within 48 hours of completion, weather permitting. This complete inspection ensures everything meets both building code and our strict standards, and that your property and driveway are perfectly clean. If you are not home, we will leave an inspection card on your door.
 
City Inspection. The field project manager will schedule the permit inspection with the city. If your damage is the result of a storm, a lot of roofs have likely been replaced and this could result in inspection delays. Your field project manager will be present to meet the city inspector for the scheduled permit inspection. Again, if you are not home, the information will be written on an inspection card left hanging on your door.
 

Mortgage Inspection. Your claims manager will contact your mortgage company and schedule a completion inspection. They will also schedule your restoration specialist to be present for this inspection if needed. This inspection can usually be scheduled within a few days of completion and completed within two weeks.

 
Step 8: The Final Invoice
 
After the roof is complete your claims manager will invoice your insurance company directly, and provide you a copy of the invoice. They will contact the insurance company to ensure the invoice was received and monitor the process as needed until verification that the final payment has been released.
 
Your claims manager will update you throughout the process as it may take weeks for the insurance company to approve and release the final payment. You will be informed of when you should expect the payment to arrive. The draft will be sent to your home — once you receive it, contact your claims manager to schedule a final walk through with your restoration specialist.
 

Step 9: The Final Walk Through

We want to make sure you are completely satisfied with both your new roof and the project clean up. So, once you’ve received an invoice and the final insurance draft, your restoration specialist will schedule a time to meet with you at your property, to walk around with you and inspect both your property and your roof.
 
After the walk-through has ensured that the project has been completed to your satisfaction, your restoration specialist will collect the final insurance draft and provide you with a receipt and your written warranty. He or she will explain your warranty and answer any other questions you may have.
 
Again, if you have a mortgage, expect your final draft to include the mortgage company as payee, and your claims manager will handle this for you or assist you as you desire. Once you receive the fully endorsed payment, alert your claims manager. In many cases, we will be able to pick up the final payment in person, or we may ask that you mail it to our office.