FAQ

Hail hit my roof and contractors are knocking. What do I do first?

Direct answer

Call your insurer and open a claim before signing anything. Photograph the damage. Do not sign a contract or an assignment of benefits with a door-knocker, and do not let anyone climb on the roof before your adjuster has been.

More detail

Storm season in the US 75 corridor from McKinney to Durant brings crews from out of state within hours of a significant hail event, and the sequence you follow in the first two days determines how the rest of it goes. The order that protects you. Photograph everything from the ground: the roof, gutters, screens, the AC condenser fins, and any soft metal that shows dents, since dented gutters and vents are the evidence adjusters look for. Call your insurer and open a claim yourself. Let the adjuster inspect. Then select a contractor and have them meet the adjuster if possible. What not to sign. An assignment of benefits, which transfers your claim rights to the contractor and hands them control of the negotiation and the proceeds. A contract contingent on insurance approval that binds you before you know the scope. Anything at all on the doorstep on the first visit. On deductibles: your deductible is your obligation. A contractor offering to waive it, absorb it, or work it into the invoice is proposing insurance fraud, and in Texas that exposes the homeowner as well as the contractor. Any contractor who leads with that is telling you what kind of operator they are. On timing: policies require prompt notice, and Texas sets an outer statutory limit on filing claims that is shorter than many homeowners assume. Do not let a contractor talk you into waiting while they work up a scope. How to tell a storm chaser from a local. A local address you can drive to, a Texas entity registration, references in your own area from before this storm, and a phone number that will still be answered in three years when the workmanship warranty matters. Out-of-state plates and a lease on a temporary office are not proof of bad intent, and they are a reason to check harder.

Authoritative sources

  • TxDOT Access Management Manual

    Driveway approaches onto Texas state highways require a TxDOT access permit and must meet the manual's geometry, width, and drainage standards.

  • City of Sherman Development Services

    Building permits, contractor registration, and civil submittals in Sherman run through the city's Self Service Portal.

  • USDA Web Soil Survey

    County-level soil mapping for Grayson, Cooke, Fannin, Collin, Denton, Bryan, and Marshall counties, the starting point for pad and foundation planning.

Ready to get started in Sherman?

Concrete driveways and slabs, site preparation, metal buildings, welding, and fencing across the US 75 corridor from McKinney to Durant since 2016, built by insured local contractors. Mon-Sat 8am-7pm CT.

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