We have created a list of the most commonly missed items on an adjuster’s estimate. Sometimes these items are overlooked by new adjusters or omitted for other reasons. Whatever the case, these items are often legitimate supplement items that should be included in the roofing supplement. One of the easiest ways to make sure these items are covered is to take photos! Some recommended apps for keeping track of jobs and photos are: CompanyCam, Dropbox, or Google Drive.
Here are some of the most commonly missed items:
Code Upgrades
Building codes are constantly changing. They also vary from county to county and state to state. In many cases, insurance adjusters don’t live where they work so they don’t always know the codes for each area. This can lead to items that are required for your roof replacement or other parts of the home to be left off the estimate.
Flashing
When flashings are rusted or damaged they should be replaced, and paid for by the insurer. Step flashing, L flashing, counterflashing, etc. are often left out of the original scope of loss.
Drip Edge
Adjusters often only apply drip edge to the eaves. Ensure this measurement surrounds the full perimeter of the roof, per local code.
Overhead & Profit
We posted before about understanding overhead & profit (O&P) here.
Valley Lining
Valley lining in open and closed valleys is a commonly overlooked item. Whether you use metal or ice & water barrier, this upgrade is usually a covered expense.
Ridge & Hip Cap
Ridge caps come in many different grades and styles, so make sure the proper amount, as well as the proper type of ridge cap shingle is on the estimate.
Starter Strip
Adjuster: “Starter strip is included in the waste, we won’t pay for that..”
Contractor: “I have a materials invoice from my supplier for this job that shows I purchased starter strip separately from X quantity of shingles.”
Adjuster: “I’ll send the money.”
Pool Protection
Draining a pool to perform repairs, then refilling it can turn out to be very costly. Make sure the pool is properly covered before work has started, and be sure to take photos.
Misclassification of shingles
There are many types of shingles available- and no longer available- in today’s market, and sometimes the adjuster will improperly classify the shingle grade, which could end up being hundreds or thousands of dollars difference in pricing for materials and installation.
