Any storm can be tragic. This is especially true of the storms ravaging the Oklahoma City metro this season. We have a strong and experienced roofing crew in OKC working hard to reach as many homeowners as possible to help get their homes back in shape.
An experienced roofing team is on the side of the homeowners. Yes you have to do your due diligence and make sure your contractor is reputable. You have to do the research and read reviews especially — from homeowners that have already done business with the contractor you’re thinking about hiring for your job. But remember that the reputable contractor is going to be working hard for you, to help you identify all the damage and get you back in your home (or repaired if you’re in your home) as soon as possible.
Getting a new roof is exciting but also cause for apprehension. Many people don’t know what to expect from the process. Here is typically what goes on during the roofing construction process.
Step 1 – Setup the Job Site
Innovative starts by having a dumpster placed in your driveway. Next, we string tarps from the eaves to the ground to protect your valuable landscaping and prevent stray nails and debris from landing along the home’s foundation.
Step 2 – Prepare for the Noise
When work actually starts on the roof, expect to be dealing with a lot of noise. Many homeowners choose to get out of the house for the day to avoid the noise. It may sound like elephants are walking on the roof, but we assure you that the noise is completely normal.
Step 3 – Remove Existing Roof and Inspect/Repair Roof Decking
Once the original roof covering is removed, we make a thorough inspection of the roof decking. Any rotted decking will be removed and replaced with either a half-sheet or whole sheet of plywood. If you did not previously have a ridge vent, you can expect to hear a saw running as the roofers open up the top of the roof for the vent.
Step 4 – Install Ice Guard
Once the necessary repairs have been made to the new roof decking, the next step in your roof replacement will be rolling out ice guard along the lower edges of the roof. This protective layer will adhere to the roof to protect the decking in the event of ice dams. Above the ice guard, rolls of synthetic roofing felt will be laid out. You can expect to hear the steady tapping of a nail gun during this process.
Step 5 – Install Flashing, Valleys and Shingles
Flashing and valleys are installed now, along with the chosen shingles. As the shingles are put in place, you can expect to hear not only footsteps but also the steady pounding of a nail gun. This process will be loud. Unfortunately the noise is unavoidable.
Step 6 – Clean Up
The final step in the process will be the clean up. The team of roofers will go through the yard with magnets to ensure that all nails and metal debris have been picked up. They will pick up any stray pieces of shingles in the yard. The final step in the process will be removing the dumpster from your property. This usually takes a day or two.
If you have any questions on these steps, please contact us at 866-750-8097. In St. Louis, you can reach us at 314-546-4047 and in Oklahoma City, 405-445-7493
In picking a St. Louis roofer, one of the most important factors in making the choice should be based on how happy past customers have been. If previous customers are happy, then there is a good chance that you will be happy with your new roof as well.
That’s why Innovative has placed so much emphasis on asking for reviews and referrals. If you look at the St. Louis roofers on YP.com, you can see that there is a review section as part of the listing. Innovative Construction has over 10 TIMES the number of reviews that any other roofer in St. Louis. . . 114 on YP.com alone.
Having this number of reviews in the St. Louis roofing category shows a couple of things. First it demonstrates that people were happy, and secondly it shows that the Innovative representative established a strong enough relationship with the homeowner to obtain the review. This reflects on the project management methods, keeping the homeowner informed throughout the roof replacement process.
In making a decision about a roofing contractor, visit Google, YP.com, BBB, Angieslist.com and other review sites to read the comments from previous customers. This will give you important insight on what you can expect from your roofing contractor.
Now, just because a roofing contractor does not have any reviews doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t necessarily use that contractor. Certainly there quality contractors with no reviews posted anywhere online. But when making a decision, you have limited knowledge. You’re trying to make the best decision you can with the knowledge you have. Therefore, unbiased reviews posted online become a key factor in making your decision.
You have to ask yourself, do I trust this company to do a good job for me? How can I be assured that this company will deliver on their promise? Reviews help build trust so you can make a good decision.
You can see Innovative Construction and Roofing St. Louis Roofing Reviews at:
Understandably manufacturers want to assure end users that their products are being installed properly by contractors that can be trusted to do the job correctly. CertainTeed is a leading supplier of commercial roofing materials. They created the Silver Star certification to recognize roofing contractors that have established a proven record of quality workmanship and good business practices. Silver Star Roofing Contractors meet the stringent requirements for workmanship and financial stability set by CertainTeed Commercial Roofing. To become a SilverStar Roofer, roofing contractors must:
Carry workers’ compensation and liability insurance coverage and be properly licensed according to the regulations in force governing commercial roofing contractors in their markets
Have been in business at least three years, OR CertainTeed must have inspected at least three roofing projects
Submit a complete company credit history and be credit-worthy based on CertainTeed’s sole determination
Must adhere to the code of ethics.
Becoming certified by product manufacturers is an important factor in homeowners and business owners developing the trust in any roofing contractor. It is essential for building a long-term roofing and construction business and Innovative will continue to renew our certifications with the industry’s leading manufacturers. For more information see Certainteed.com.
With so many storms happening in the midwest where we are — in St. Louis and Oklahoma City especially — incurring damage to your home due to a storm is certainly stressful. Here are some things to keep in mind regarding your homeowners policy. If you have homeowners insurance, damages to your roof are covered.
There are two primary types of policies: Replacement Cost Value (RCV) and Actual Cost Value (ACV). Every insurance policy has a deductible. The deductible is the portion of your claim that is not covered by your insurance company. Note that you are responsible for your deductible – a specific amount or a percentage of your home value (usually 1-2%).
After the adjuster has been out to your home, it takes approximately 2 weeks to receive your first check. If the estimate is LESS THAN your insurance coverage (ACV + depreciation), you can notkeep the money. Submitting an inflated invoice for insurance replacement work is insurance fraud. If you are ever in a situation with a contractor that would permit this activity, stay away.
The First Insurance Check
The first check from your insurance company is the actual cash value (ACV) check, which may be co-endorsed to your mortgage company. Many contractors will ask for this check prior to doing any work or delivering material. The reason being is that they may need the funds to pay for materials. It is not always the case, but it could be an indicator of the financial stability of the contractor, so beware. In most cases you should never pay a dime before your roof is complete.
The Second Insurance Check
The second check is for depreciation, which is the difference between the ACV and the total replacement cost for your roof. This check will vary in size or percentage of your claim based on the age and/or condition of your roof. On most insurance policies (RCV), your insurance company will likely hold back the amount of your settlement that is not paid unless and until you need it. The depreciation check is not dispersed until after you submit the final invoice, and depreciation is not paid unless and until you need it.
You do not get to keep the difference between the contractor invoice and the amount of the depreciation check, so selecting the lowest bid isn’t beneficial.
Work with Construction Insurance Specialists
At Innovative, we use the same software that many insurance providers use to cost out their claims and often ICR can do the work for insurance proceeds. To do this, sometimes we will work directly with your insurance adjuster to make sure that you get paid all of the insurance proceeds that you are due so we can install a full, protective roofing system – a system that you deserve from your coverage!
Beware of contractors who claim to be insurance specialists that work 100% from your insurance paperwork without physically inspecting your roof. A quality, reputable roofing contractor would never do this. Your roof must be fully evaluated inside and out. Often, the insurance adjuster’s scope of work is based on a small section of the roof and may miss several key components. Innovative Construction and Roofing is not an adjuster – we are insurance specialists that work with you and your adjuster to make sure your insurance claim gets paid correctly.
Among all metal roofing materials from which to choose, copper roofing metal is often chosen for its style and beauty. Copper roofing has a distinctive look that is very inviting, especially on homes with wooden exteriors. A copper roof will actually change color over time, reaching an elegant jade-like tone in a just a few years.
Copper Roofs Offer Practical Benefits
Aside from aesthetics, copper roofing has practical benefits as well that make it a perfect choice for homeowners. Copper offers safety, strength, as well as durability, which are some great advantages over conventional roofing materials.
Copper is also a safe choice for roofing materials. Copper roofing provides excellent protection against fires. It won’t catch flame so it an excellent roofing choice for homes located in areas prone to fires. Copper roofing can also withstand heavy downpours and when properly installed, makes for excellent protection against leaking.
Copper roofing is also durable. Compared to conventional asphalt shingles and shake, copper lasts considerably longer. Of course, to extend the life or copper roofing or any roof system, proper maintenance is required.
Copper Roofs Have Curb Appeal
Of course, copper is unsurpassed for beauty and curb-appeal. The great thing about copper is that it goes great with any other roof system. Therefore you can highlight certain areas of your roof system, spending a little more on those areas that you really want to stand out.
Contact Innovative if you are considering incorporating copper roofing into your home or business. We can make suggestions on how to use copper to set off certain areas, while keeping costs within your budget.
Copper Roofing Design Ideas
Houzz.com has become one of the most popular sites for construction and remodeling ideas. Take a look at some of these projects and imagine how much better your home would look with copper.
Roofing expert and photographer Kevin Larson snapped some excellent photos of commercial roofing jobs in and around the St. Louis metro area. Commercial jobs completed by Innovative range from retail centers to industrial buildings to schools and churches. We are fortunate to work with many St. Louis city organizations and developers.
Photo by Mike Smith at http://meteorologicalmusings.blogspot.com/2013/04/hail-in-edmond-oklahoma-this-evening.html
A freak hail storm snuck up on the residents of Edmond, Oklahoma Friday night (04/26/13). The national weather service reported up to 2.5 inch hail fell around 8:50 PM. Up to 1.75 inch hail hit the Oklahoma City area. We hope area residents were able to protect their cards and property from the damage that hail can cause. Of course there is little you can do for your roof, so we hope everyone’s home survived this big storm.
Did you crack open a copy of the St. Louis Business Journal this week? Innovative is recognized at one of St. Louis’ 25 fastest growing companies for 2013. A great honor and one that takes a great internal team as well as the right partners to make it happen. An award ceremony was held Friday morning on the St. Louis University campus. A nicely organized event. Thanks to the Business Journal for putting this together and recognizing growing companies in St. Louis!
