When I bought my house ten years ago, I knew roof replacement was in my foreseeable future. The previous owner had vacated the property during or after a break-up and had since been using it for investment purposes. When he could no longer afford to keep it, he put the house on the market. It was clear the property had not been properly maintained for a long time. Among a laundry list of other maintenance items, a new roof would eventually be needed.
I skated by for eight years, but it cost me many sleepless nights…literally. I am a worry wart by nature. It must come with the territory of being a mom. I worry about everything. When heavy storms rolled through, the thunderous sounds were so loud I was sure the roof was being ripped off our house. At times, I would get up in the middle of the night and go outside after a storm had ended to make sure my roof was still intact. It was, but it was taking a beating.
Trying to File an Insurance Claim
Although my insurance agent tells me the days of getting a new roof by means of filing an insurance claim after a hailstorm are coming to a close, for many years I tried to get my roof replaced this way.
Like scavengers, roofers would knock on the door seeking permission to inspect my roof after a hailstorm blew through. Smartly, I declined those offers. I had heard one too many horror stories. But as my neighbors’ roofs were being replaced, I began to wonder if this was something I ought to explore. One of my neighbors – who was also a real estate agent – told me he used a roofing company’s quote to file an insurance claim but purchased his own materials to reduce costs. He had a buddy install his new roof using the materials he purchased, then my neighbor pocketed the difference. He encouraged me to do the same. I might have tried, but I didn’t have those kinds of connections.
I did, however, reach out to the roofing company who provided his quote. I was told there wasn’t enough damage to file an insurance claim. Something about the pitch of my roof and its design being different from my neighbors’ yielded slightly better durability during storms. There was just enough damage to be a nuisance, but not enough to substantiate a claim. Normal wear and tear is not covered.
Shopping for a Roofing Company
Countless hail and windstorms later, I realized my roof had sustained enough damage it needed to be replaced. It was time to bite the bullet. After a couple of failed attempts, I was prepared to cover the entire cost out of pocket but thought it couldn’t hurt to try filing an insurance claim one last time. First, I had to find a roofer.
By this time, I knew exactly what kind of roof I wanted: metal shingles. I had been doing extensive research and worked with my homeowner’s association (HOA) to secure approval. I wanted a metal roof, and this was the only type of metal roof the HOA would approve.
I did my due diligence and called three roofing companies. The first company I contacted sent out a rep who – although knowing I wanted a metal roof – tried to convince me what I really wanted was a rubber roof. Why? Because they didn’t install metal roofs. The second company I reached out to seemed easier to work with, at least at the start. They sent out a rep to bid the project, but I had to repeatedly follow up to get the bid in writing. The third company I called was Cornett Roofing Systems. Keith Waller came out to my home, representing his company well. Keith answered his calls, responded to texts, showed up when he said he would, and delivered his bid as promised. When he arrived to inspect the roof, he handed me a folder which included a copy of his company’s liability insurance coverage. As someone who vets contractors’ credentials for work, I couldn’t believe it. Talk about over delivering! I was impressed. Though Cornett Roofing Systems wasn’t the cheapest of the two bids I ultimately received, guess who got my business? I well know by now: you get what you pay for.
Installation
Though I really wanted to remove my old shingles for no other reason than I am a perfectionist and wanted a clean start for my new roof, Keith talked me into leaving them in place as insulation against noise. Having previously lived in the loft of a barn with a tin roof, I was accustomed to the noise and found it oddly soothing. But he is right; it is loud and it will disrupt your sleep. Keith had left his old shingles in place when he upgraded to a metal roof with no regrets. As it turns out, I sleep more soundly now than I ever have. No matter how bad the storm rages, I sleep right through it. I’m glad I listened to the advice of a roofing expert – and saved myself $2,500 in removal costs.
The Cornett crew did an amazing job of installing my new roof. The laborers were happy and cheerful. They arrived as expected, performed their work joyfully, and cleaned up the job site when they were done. I enjoyed watching them lunch in the yard, listening to upbeat tunes while they took their breaks. It says a lot about a company when its employees are happy.
Not only did Keith’s company do a stellar job of installing my new metal roof, Keith had identified enough hail damage to substantiate an insurance claim. My insurance company paid out a pro-rated disbursement of roughly $9,000. The cost of my new metal shingled roof? It came in at $27,540 – and it is worth every penny!
It’s been about two and a half years since Keith and his crew at Cornett Roofing Systems installed my metal roof. In that time, I’ve not had the slightest of worries when storms roll in. Metal roofs are extremely resilient which is the primary reason I wanted one. When I walk my dog the morning after a storm and see displaced shingles randomly lying around the neighborhood, I feel grateful I upgraded with stronger materials. Yes, it was an expensive investment. But I have a 50-year warranty on a roof I will not need to replace in my lifetime. And I could not put a price on the quality of sleep I now benefit from with one less thing in life to worry about. I have praised the work of Cornett repeatedly and will continue to recommend them.
When I was writing this article, I reached out to Keith to ask if I could share his contact information or if he would prefer to keep it confidential. It’s been two and a half years since I was Keith’s client, yet he answered my text within seconds. I’m glad to see he’s still over-delivering! If you’d like to reach out to Keith Waller of Cornett Roofing Systems, his cell phone number is (317) 800-5941. Their office line is (317) 738-0005 and Keith’s email address is keith@cornettroofing.com. Highly recommended!
Jennifer Goldsby, NMLS #591226
VP, Renovation Lending
Diamond Residential Mortgage Corporation NMLS #186805
Equal Housing Opportunity
Disclaimer: The postings here reflect my personal opinion. They do not necessarily represent the opinions of Diamond Residential Mortgage Corporation and its management.
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