Hi - I realize this may not be the "correct" forum for this, but I wasn't sure where else to post. I've received excellent honest answers from people in the past here on other DIY forums. I don't have storm damage, but in the case that I do (Being summer time in Minnesota) I want to be prepared before I have 20 people knocking at my door. I've been trying to read as much as I can about this, but perhaps someone can show me an example with some $$'s or something to help it make more sense. I recently read an article talking about the flock of people and how to handle them. There was mention about contractors trying to up the price as much as they can, saying that insurance adjusters won't catch all of the damage, etc. I also am aware of the insurance fraud where the customer is getting a kick back from the contractor because they inflated their invoice to the insurance co. vs. what was provided to the homeowner. Basically I want to know what I should do to get the most bang for my buck. Obviously with storm damage, contracts most likely flock out because it's almost a guarantee that they will get the job. I get that. It also seems that the contractors try to haggle with the insurance companies to find every little piece of damage to try and raise the cost. I get this. There is a very good possibility the insurance adjuster legitimately missed something or is trying to "low ball" the adjustment. I'm happy to have my contractor find any and all damage. The part that I'm confused on, is who should I be contacting first? Insurance company or a contractor? Does it matter? Also, in the article, 1 person said that it would help to get 3 quotes, even though it's covered by insurance. Then, a contractor chimed in and said to NEVER get quotes when there is storm damage. Also, the first person said not to let the contractor see the adjusters estimate where the contract said that they must see the adjusters estimate. Should I let the contractor do all of the paperwork with the insurance company, or does this only open up the possibility for them to "fudge" numbers? Or does it legitimately make the process easier on myself? In the end, I want what's best for me. I want to know that I am getting all damage covered in a fair manner and that the quality of the work and the product I'm getting is the most bang for my buck. I don't want to have the contractor run away with 50% profit just because they got the adjuster to raise the cost somehow and then didn't use that profit to provide me with a better product, etc. This to me would also mean that they are inflating the actual cost vs. what it would cost if they did the work as a "retail" job and not storm damage. The more of this, the more insurance co's pay out and the higher my premiums go! Thanks

In an attempt to educate myself before throwing myself at the mercy of roofing contractors, I come to my fellow DIY'ers for some tips. I will contact the home builder but I'm sure they'll tell me to pound sand since they're well outside the 1 year warranty. The shingles have obviously pulled away due to the sagging. But, the sagging had to begin at some point so I believe the initial install was done incorrectly. I appreciate any helpful hints from folks that have experienced this or similar issues. Thank you! Chris Huffman, TX