Roof down payment
 

I will be getting a new roof, insurance is paying for most of it. For others that have done this work I'd like to know what should be the down payment. The roofing company APC is asking for the whole insurance amount less the deductible when we sign paper is this normal ?

Never pay anything up front in Fl for any home repair !!!!!! What happens after the check clears and they go bankrupt or disappear ???

Also, demand a certificate of insurance from any contractor working on your property !!!

I wouldn't pay them any money in advance, or any other contractor who does work for me. I have a friend who had their roof replaced by McGinnis Roofing. The contractor did the entire project and then presented the homeowner with a bill. No upfront or progress payments required.

When we had our roof replaced in Ohio they accepted the insurance amount as payment in full after the job was completed, nothing up front and they covered the deductible. Try another company.

Many companies waive the deductible but this practice is considered insurance fraud.

Zero. If they want down payment, get another roofing company.

Before making the final payment demand that you be furnished with a " Waiver Of Claims And Liens And Release Of Rights" signed by the major suppliers and subcontractors involved in your project. Some contractors will push against this extra bit of paperwork but it is your full right to demand it. Our roofing contractor, which is well known and established in the Tri-county area, presented the waiver upon completion of the job at the time full payment was due. I doubt that he had paid the materials supplier within the 1 day of delivery and installation, but now that is between those 2 parties. It also indicated to me that he probably has an excellent reputation with his supplier which in my mind makes him a better contractor.

A lesson to be learned: Our neighbor had a beautiful driveway covered in pavers this past February by one of the local "well known", "has a display on the Squares Market Nights" companies, no money down, paid on completion and 3 weeks later was notified of a lien placed on her property by the supplier of the pavers for unpaid materials. When called, the contractor told her that "things were a bit tight right now because of "C-19" but all would be good in 2 or 3 months". Now she has a good chance of paying 1 1/2 times for her driveway work.

Had a new roof installed last Thursday. Insurance company sent a partial payment to our address---made out to me, my husband and the roofing company that did the work. The roofing company is coming today to pick up the partial check---I am under the impression that the insurance will send the balance due to us as they did the original check. They held this until the work was complete. The roofing company will then bill us for our deductible. I would not pay anything upfront! We were willing to give them the partial payment once the roofing supplies were delivered but was not necessary. 11-1/2 hours of hard work by 7 men and our roof was completed in one day. The roofing supervisor came by the next day and inspected their work. Still waiting on the County inspector but paperwork is taped to window awaiting them.

Be sure you do NOT sign an 'assignments of benefits' document, as for the down payment this does not sound right, i would withold until the job is done AND the insurance has paid their portion. Also as noted above get the waiver of lines form.

"what should be the down payment"

zero!

In fact, the same company did our roof. APC waited for me to receive the check from our insurer -- we received it weeks after APC finished the roofing. I deposited the check.

Satisfied with the job, I wrote a check to APC.

All good.

Everything everyone said is totally correct Florida is known as a high fraud state for contractors. Zero and a hand shake is reputable

Not with Insurance claims, it does not work this way...also FYI, if Insurance has added the roofer to the payment, you automatically
know the contractor is licensed and insured.

Not a correct request....your payment will be split into 2 checks, the ACV and the recoverable depreciation. You surrender the ACV to them, pay the deductible upon installation, and the depreciation is released by your carrier when they get the COC (Certificate Of Completion) from the building inspector. That check should come to you, not APC, you then give it to them.

Definitely Not Don’t do that
 

The deductible they can ask for prior to starting the job and that’s the normal way it’s done.I just had my room replaced in the summer and it came out great, great workmanship, great crew and the insurance company paid them. So if you have a problem you’ll probably be on your own. 5 Star roofing was here for one day and finished the job.They have done quite a few jobs around my village and everyone is happy with the work and none of them paid for the job upfront. My salesman was Justin Schumaker and he handled all the paperwork through the whole insurance process and we paid when the job was done his phone number is 813-416-5844. :coolsmiley:

Make sure the roofer gets her permit and get a copy of it before they begin

That is important info! Is there anyway you could post a copy of what it all entails. Than you.

Look for your insurance rates to go up. Also look for your neighbors insurance rates to go up! If your roof didn’t leak why did you get it replaced? How come your insurance paid for the replacing Of your roof? Instead of one of the roofing company so it’s been soliciting door-to-door by calling independent contractor to come out an asses if there is any damage of course there was none and of course I watched everything he did.

It's not normal to pay the deductible or any money in advance to a contractor doing work on your house. The insurance claim is between the homeowner and the insurance company. The construction contract is between the homeowner and the contractor. These are two separate contracts. I would never pay money in advance to any contractor who does work on my house. The contractor doesn't even need to know what your insurance deductible is. As another poster said, you should never assign your insurance benefits to a contractor.

No never pay anything upfront and do not pull the permit, it is up to the contractor to do that.

"Look for your insurance rates to go up. Also look for your neighbors insurance rates to go up! If your roof didn’t leak why did you get it replaced? How come your insurance paid for the replacing Of your roof? "

Because it's cheaper for the company to fix the roof than to fix the roof AND pay many times over for interior damage and mold mitigation.

1. Everyone is right about not paying up front. The only time we sort of did that was with a landscaper, we agreed to three equal payments at various milestones in the project.

2. Before any final payment get that waiver Jim_9922 refered to. We have bought/sold 8 homes and we had that issue twice.

3. I am not sure what approval you may need from the ARB for the roof, but you should confirm that it has been done. The contractor should get it, but you still are the one responsible to be sure it is done. Call them to confirm what is needed and that your contractor has done it.

No down payment

I had my roof done by Sacks...….no down payment. They did the roof, and when finished, I gave them the payment. No problem. Also, they do great work and they picked up all the nails.

Morning,
Just curious, how did you get a free roof? American Integrity is forcing us to change our policy and accept ACV, basically if there is an issue they will only pay 25% of damages (depreciating my roof at 15 years)
They tried to get me to believe that we have (missing shingles) as indicated by their inspector. Guess what... took pics and there are NO missing shingles. Some curled as I am sure most roofs have at this age. On top of that the shingles are warrantied for 25 years!!!
Does anyone have a company that is not trying to rip me off? I would ;love to cancel with them.

My premium as of October 2019 for a courtyard villa is $925! Outrageous. I have owned a home for 50 years and NEVER mad a claim.
My very similar home in NH is $500.

Just had my roof done in April through insurance. Gave my 500.00 deductible up front, then the insurance mailed me a check made out to myself, husband and roofing co. After the roof was done they came by few days later to pick up the check. Skymark Roofing. Great job very satisfied all around. Never ever give anything up front to any contractor.

[QUOTE=inda50;1772137]I will be getting a new roof, insurance is paying for most of it. For others that have done this work I'd like to know what should be the down payment. The roofing company ACP is asking for the whole insurance amount less the deductible when we sign paper is this normal ?[/QUOTE

NOT NORMAL...

Roofing – Facts You Should Know – For Your Best and Safest Choice
1) Told “ROOFER” Did A Great Job! … beware; anybody saying “they just finished and did a great job” doesn’t know what they’re talking about. Most workmanship defects do not show up until at least a year – typically years 3-5.
2) Roofer Recommended – Use My Name… these people are likely getting a $200 kick back from the roofer if you do that.
3) Quick Facts About Roofs
a. BBB (Better Business Bureau) … roofing is one of the biggest complaint areas
b. Warranty… why are manufacturer warranties so long? Because they know 9 out of 10 roofs are void the day they’re installed; scary, 99% of roofers don’t even know that.
c. Roof Performance… what is most important is underneath the shingle – what you don’t see. So – most roofers cut corners there to make money – because you wouldn’t know.
d. Insurance Claims… get three bids? Frankly, that is often ridiculous. Insurance is hoping that you’ll get three bids – choose the cheapest – and they’re off easy. Reality is – if you allow the roofer to negotiate on your behalf – they get whatever price they can justify to insurance – even if the quote to you was significantly lower. Lesson – sign up the BEST ROOFER – not the cheapest!
e. Contractors… almost every contractor in The Villages is a marketing company. The crews doing the work are subcontractors. So – even if they show you certifications, insurance, etc., it is basically crap – because the liability (and quality) is based on the crew. Since these marketing contractors (industry calls them “storm chasers” – that follow the wind and hail – they are off to the next storm – and don’t stand behind their warranties anyway. Their salespeople are NICE - make you FEEL GREAT – and make well over hundred thousand with this sales approach.
4) Some Things I Look/Ask For – Roofs I’ve Helped With:
a. Quality Shingle… avoid IKO, TAMKO, ATLAS (they are not great at honoring their warranties); acceptable is Owens Corning (but it is thin – not as attractive – less dimension); Best are CertainTeed (heavy) and GAF (great technology).
b. Starter Strip… insist it is a “pro grade” – not a common 3 -tab flipped over. And – make sure it is at BOTH the eave and rake edges. The eave and rake get the most wind uplift; the pro grade starter strip provides superior wind resistance.
c. Underlayment. Use synthetics; do not use the common paper (i.e. 15 or 30 lbs. felt)
d. Current Insurance… some contractors pay the first month, and keep using a defunct insurance policy as evidence. Not real common – but when it happens – can be a BIG RISK. (example I know about: Lenox Fine China got fine $6 million – years ago in this situation – when somebody fell of their roof – and the contractor used this insurance scam.)
e. Leak Barrier… some call it “ice and water shield. Make sure it is at ALL vulnerable areas including the valley and around all penetrations. These are “self-healing membranes” and when the house does a slight shift (all homes do), the roof will stay watertight.
f. Metal Flashing… make sure they do not “re-use” the old stuff. You want it custom fit with new metal.
g. Ridge Shingle… do not allow cheap 3 – tab which is common – you want a Pro Grade ridge shingle. When you don’t, you diminish your roof to a 20-year warranty essentially.
h. Fastening… two issues: 1) if they don’t check the air pressure, nails can be too deep (causes tears) or not deep enough (creates holes). MORE importantly, are they keeping the nails INSIDE THE NAIL ZONE. If not, more vulnerable to wind blow off.
i. Wind Mitigation Certification… get it; it can lower your homeowner’s insurance by over a $100 per year.
j. Clean Up… including the gutters. Ideally, have them use a magnet sweeper for the lawn and shrubs to make sure none dropped.
k. Debris Capture… ideally directly from the roof into the container. When they drop and gather in wheel barrels, often nails get lose and can cause safety issues later.
l. Ridge Vent… make sure it is on “all ridges” that are over heated spaces and also make sure it extends to at most 18 inches from each edge. Lots of contractor’s cheat – save money by not extending the vent to the full length. The risk is not enough ventilation, which results in these common issues:
i. Voided Warranty… not enough “exhaust” at the ridge to meet code.
ii. Health Risks… by not creating air flow, warm/moist are is trapped in the attic. The recipe for mold is warm moist air in a dark environment with organic material.
iii. High Energy Costs… 2% moisture in attic ventilation reduces the effectiveness by 1/3
iv. Roof Durability… if the deck (under the shingles) gets too hot, the shingles “fry” out – in Florida, typically lasts about 13 – 18 years max.
m. Hip Roof?... they typically have only a small area of ridge. Therefore, highly recommend solar powered vents to assure “exhaust” ventilation.
Hope this helps. If you want to deal director with a qualified crew – I might be able to help. My deal with them: if they do a roof for a “friend” they give me a $5.00 Starbucks gift certificate. (They wanted to give me more – I will not take it! We compromised on Starbucks.)

Never pay anything up front. If a company can cover the short term carrying cost to buy the shingles and underpayment, I would not rate them very high.

No.

What's wrong with "you do the job, and I will pay you"? Requests for big down payments mean the Contractor (usually) has no credit at the Supply House and must pay upfront for your materials. After all, if you did not pay upon job completion, Fla. law allows him to file a lien against your home. We never asked for any down payments. Owned my own company 24 yrs. in Orlando. 41 yrs. in the business.

I was referring to the fact of the check being made out to me-my husband-and the roofing company--all three names--- Insurance has already informed us that the balance will be paid upon completion of work.

Happy to help, I sent you a PM

Good info thanks

I gave them the whole check. I suppose you can give it to them now or later but make no mistake you WILL give it to the roofers

APC did my roof and they ask for the first half that the insurance company paid you and then the balance/2nd half after the work is finished/approved inspection from the county. What you are saying is very curious in that APC has and is doing several roofs in our neighborhood and no one is having to pay like you are saying.

Very easy answer .. ZERO. And if they have tried to make a deal with you to "absorb" the deductible through the insurance payment, choose another company .. fast

Did your neighbor receive a preliminary notice from the paver supplier that they intended to file a lien against her property? Florida law requires that a notice be sent to the homeowner prior to the homeowner making a final payment to the general contractor. If the paver supplier didn't send the notice, then the paver supplier cannot file a lien. If she did receive a notice, then she shouldn't have paid the contractor.

I have no idea as to exactly went on. We walked by one night and complimented her on the new pavers and asked name of contractor so we could get an estimate and more information. Basically her reply was "they were great, have a good reputation, required full payment on completion, which apparently she did, and couple of weeks later was notified that the lien was being placed."
I will pass on to her your posting for her to follow up as she deems appropriate.
Personally, we have had 2 significant projects completed on our Florida homes. In both I paid 1/4 of the contract upon delivery of the bulk of a significant amount of materials and the beginning of work using the material and paid the final contract amount upon completion and approval by the city inspectors and receipt of waivers

Thanks for your reply. I doubt that a paver supplier would have sent a preliminary notice to a homeowner regarding a possible lien. But, if they did, it should have been a huge red flag to withhold payment from the contractor. I think that the paver supplier may be trying to scare the homeowner into paying them for the pavers, when they know they can't file a lien on the house.