Got an education on current roofing costs!

[Dargo]

It's been 9 weeks now since we had 100 mph winds that took out much of my roof, my privacy fence and 87 mature trees. I'm just screwed on the trees. I lost a lot of my 'natural privacy fence' with all those trees going down. If it weren't for having an excavator with a thumb, I'd still be wearing out chainsaw blades. I was surprised that no fence company would even consider fixing my fence. All wanted to replace it with bids ranging from $11.5k to $14k. Since I ordered a huge amount of extra (partly to get a price break and partly to have spare parts since styles always change and matching parts for a vinyl fence over about 5 years old don't seem to exist) fencing left over in the loft of my barn. I did what I thought was the right thing and spent about 40 hours and all of my spare parts and fixed my fence by myself.

In the 9 weeks since, State Farm has only put two blue tarps on my roof, which were promptly blown off by the next storm that came through. It seems that what they figure it ought to cost to have a roof put on and the actual cost varies by 30% to 50%. So, I've now had 8 estimates on replacing my roof not counting what State Farm figured. The least expensive is $6847.50 more than State Farm's estimate. Now I'm starting to get damage to the ceiling on the 2nd floor from the roof leaking. I've patched and tarred and caulked so many times I can't even count. After taking a tumble Thursday, I've decided that I'm no longer going to climb around on a 12/12 pitch 2 story house that's really tall.

Anyway, what do you think the odds of me getting my money out of State Farm is? After my tumble, I hired the company with the 2nd lowest bid (lowest bid company never called back after giving me the bid 6 weeks ago). Yes, it surprises me that it's going to cost about $25k to put a roof on my home, but it is a big roof with different levels, dormers and a steep pitch. I only went with the same type (but different color - the color I had isn't made any longer, of course) of roof that is on my home. The steel roof that looks like asphalt shingles cost more than my first house and was about double the price; and they don't even remove the old roof! So, I contracted with a roofer last Thursday to get in line and hopefully get him out late next week.

Now State Farm wants to come out the week after next and measure my roof again! They measured it first, agreed that it couldn't be fixed and have about 50 pictures of it along with all the measurements their guy spent 4 hours taking. That's besides having all the measurements from the 8 other bids! I'm tired of waiting on them and I refuse to climb up there anymore. In 26 years with them I've only had 1 other claim. That was about 5 years ago from a power surge when an ice storm caused the transformer in my yard to go boom. I ended up almost $14k out of pocket then after they "fine printed" me. I should have left them then, but hindsight is 20/20. So, what's the odds of me getting screwed again? If they try it again, I'll have to hire an attorney this time. I think 9 weeks is long enough along with 8 bids proving that nobody will do the job for anywhere close to what they want to pay.

 

[zzvyb6]

I'm gonna run this story by my State Farm Agent to see what his hypothetical treatment of me will be. I've had Allstate before this and they came out for some rain damage and cut a check for me right then and there. Enough for the roof, interior painting and more.

 

[brin]

I had to sue an Insurance Co. once for $10K in damage to a rental house which was covered in the policy...It took 3 yrs. for it to come to trial and on the morning of the trial, just as I was getting ready to leave my office and head to court, My attorney called me from the courthouse and said the Insurance Company had just agreed to settle and gave him a check for the $10 K....

My attorney told me Insurance companies were notorious for doing this...they know they owe the money for the claim but take a chance that the policyholder will not sue and if they do sue then they wait until the day of court to settle...that way they get the use of their money for all those years....3 yrs. in my case they got use of the money instead of paying me.

My advice is sue them, you have waited long enough, document everything, paper your file and take pictures and be prepared to wait for them to settle when it finally comes to court....They probably know they will lose in any jury trial. Good Luck

 

[randy41]

i would call the state insurance commission before retaining a lawyer.

 

[jake98]

Why go with the 2nd. cheapest, if they're nowhere close to matching the #'s anyway? I'd go with the 2nd. most expensive. 'You get what you pay for' and all that.. and you want it done right.

 

[tungularafishcamp]

If your gonna sue be sure to add the legal fees in too as they will eat up a big chunk of the settlement.

 

[brin]

If your gonna sure be sure to add the legal fees in too as they will eat up a big chunk of the settlement.

Good point...I forgot to mention that...you are exactly right..I got my $10K and my attorney had asked for bad faith attorney's fees...in our lawsuit so the Insurance company paid his fee in addition to my damages...Your atty will know how to do it...State Farm has acted in bad faith and you are incurring additional damages as a result of their foot dragging and stalling.

 

[Dargo]

Why go with the 2nd. cheapest, if they're nowhere close to matching the #'s anyway? I'd go with the 2nd. most expensive. 'You get what you pay for' and all that.. and you want it done right.

I should have been more clear; going with regular dimensional shingles with a 40-50 year warranty, not steel ones, the bids really were not that far apart...other than State Farm's.

FWIW, I hope I don't have to resort to any litigation. If I do, some insurance company somewhere will pickup several pieces of equipment, a large diesel pusher RV, 15 vehicles, three homes and whatever all else I have insured. I've been paying in literally thousands a month and have been screwed in both claims I've had in over 2 decades of paying them. I expect them to make money, and want them to so they will be there for me in the future, but I also expect them to pay what the dec page says they will pay. Them being tens of thousands ahead on me even if they pay what they are obligated to pay should just be icing on the cake for them.

Maybe it's best I'm seeing this now. If I ever had a major claim such as in a fire, tornado or some other major claim I'd hate to have to fight the insurance company along with all the other stress related to such a disaster. This might be my signal to change companies. Even with the well known name and lower premiums, they may not be the best company for me. After all, if the premiums are lower but they don't pay, are you really saving anything?

 

[buckshot721]

I know what you mean, had a tornado June 1st as of today July 17th we are still living under 5 tarps. 3 big ash trees fell on the roof smashing a corner of it. The Ins want to give me $7000.00 to repair and shingle it. I spent $11000.00 to years ago just to shingle it. We now have squirrels living in the attic. Not to mention all of the mortar damage we have. Basement fills with sand and water every time it rains, lost 22 trees all total. The ins wants to give us 38,000 fix every thing, which includes 2 barn roofs. The contractors bid is $115,000 to repair. Hired a public adjuster, he came out and looked at the house and came up with a $150,000 total. Funny thing is the ins will pay the contractor any where form $500.00 to $700.00 to retarp the roof, (they have been out here 7 times already) but won't budge over $7000. to fix the roof. Someday this mess will be over with, and I'm this #@$% ins company, and my blood pressure will return to normal.

 

[cointoss]

Dargo, I believe I would be telling my State Farm agent to get something done with the ajustor and mention that you are very dissatisfied with the company and that another company would love to have what you pay each year in premiums. After your claim is settled, run don't walk away from State Farm.
I had the same problems you have had with them and dumped then 4 years ago.