Has anyone had construction companies soliciting door to door, trying to get homeowners to file claims for hail damage to siding? We've had four companies stop by in the last two weeks. Any legitimacy to these companies? The one today was Mid Atlantic Construction of Virginia.

They are legit. What they are doing is not so legit.
If you really have hail damage and you do want to make a claim. Contact your insurance company. They will recommend someone with a direct repair contractor.

We contacted USAA when these people came around, and despite the fact that quite a few of our neighbors fell for it, we were told not to do it.

Besides, the "hail damage" thing was pure BS. They were trying to point out damage on the siding of our house, but the funny thing is, the siding doesn't even face an exposed area where hail would damage it. Also, we average maybe a hail storm about once every five years or so, and even then, the hail is usually about the size of peas. The last time we had some hail was a month ago, and I would say that it lasted for about five seconds before turning over to all rain. Some of the hail was quarter size, I saw three pieces fall and bounce, and that was it. It didn't even harm the cars.

==================================================================================================
"And if any women or children get their legs torn off, or faces caved in, well, it's tough shit for them." -2LT. Bert Stiles, 505th, 339th (On Berlin Bombardier Mission, 1944).

COME ON! LET'S HEAR IT FOR DAMAGE!

Johnny Walker Wrote:
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> COME ON! LET'S HEAR IT FOR DAMAGE!


All Hail DAMAGE!

They are so legit, in fact, that they are unable to quit.

Not true stev0. Our insurance companies are not allowed to refer someone to do construction work, roofing, siding, etc. It is against the law for an insuror to "refer" a company. They will simply tell you to get 3 bids.

All Hail Damage! Wrote:
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> Johnny Walker Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > COME ON! LET'S HEAR IT FOR DAMAGE!
>
>
> All Hail DAMAGE!



Alright, that was funny!

You do have the right to use any contractor or even to do the repairs yourself.
What I know for a fact is that USAA, StateFarm and AllState has approved contractors that can do a direct repair assignment. That means that they come and look over the damage and facilitate the assessment and repair. By doing that you have the repairs guarantee for 5 years and any argument can be easier resolve. I would recommend people to call your insurance company before letting anyone touch your house. Don't even sign anything. Using an approved contractor gives you the freedom to change contractors halfway during the project. As long as you use another approved contractor. Just like body shops do. State farm and all state do the same for auto repairs. It is the same logic.
Talk to your insurance first.

I know what you're talking about. I've had something like 6 companies stop by. I've done some research and decided to move forward, but, I went with the company my agent recommended. You should call them. Their name is Modern Remodeling. My agent said they have done work for her and her clients and she's been using them for years! I don't have their number handy, but look them up online! Their based out of Manassas.

Be very careful that you only deal with a real local company. Many of these guys are storm chasers who set up after a storm and make it appear they are local. We had our home done by one of these companies years ago due to hail and after the first wind storm the siding blew off our home. Needless to say the company was no where to be found. We hired Dream homes remodeling to fix it they did a wonderful job

Make sure it's a necessary repair. A bad claim history can cause not only your rates to go up, but future owners also. Thus, possibly making it harder to sell when the time comes.

If someone identifies damage that needs fixing and you see it and agree, take their card and call your insurance company and ask for an adjuster to come out. If the damage is slight and you have a high deductible it may not be worth filing a claim.

ryan - while that may be true, I know Allstate has a list of partnered auto repair facilities. Those may not be "recommendations" or "referrals" but apparently if the shop has an issue they handle it with Allstate directly and take you out of the middle. I also know a guy who ran a roofing/siding business in TN and he got a lot of business once he got on an insurance company's recommended list. If this is some Virginia requirement do you have a source?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/16/2010 08:41AM by pgens.

Call Mastercraft Exteriors ask for Chris! He's the best in the biz! 877-ROOFS-02

It's interesting to read here.
An adjuster from Mid Atlantic Construction of Virginia just met me. He said that the company would REPLACE ALL of the siding, roof and gutters and that the insurance company would most likely cover everything if I agree to let them to represent me. I almost signed the agreement with them. The guy also told me since this was a natual damage, my insurance claim will not cost me any point or increase my rate. That sounded too good, but what could be the catch?

If you have the agreement, contact your insurance agent and FAX them a copy. The agent should be able to tell you if that is at all necessary or if you are getting scammed. If you tell the company you want to FAX the agreement to your insurance company and they say "uh, never mind" then it was a scam. Have someone else read the agreement before you sign it.

One thing I learned the hard way is to NOT sign a single agreement with a company that covers all the jobs. Agree to sign one for the roof, and then only sign the one for the siding when work is complete on the roof. I had a situation where a company damaged other parts of my property while fixing one part and it was a bear getting out of the agreement for the rest of the work.

I was in Waldorf a few weeks ago and apparently they got nailed by a really big hailstorm. There were probably about 20 makeshift tents and trailers up and down Crain Highway with signs offering hail repair. I don' think the same storm hit us.

It's big business. The repair guys are like storm chasers who go all over the country.

idontlikebeingrightaboutshitlikethisbutiam



Edited 21 time(s). Last edit at 5/31/1967 05:57AM by WingNut.

Last edit at 11/30/2015 01:37PM Last edit at 5/14/2015 03:52PM Last edit at 1/28/2014 05:57AM Last edit at 11/29/2015 01:10PM Last edit at 3/14/2011 11:52PM Last edit at 7/20/2012 04:07AM
Last edit at 6/29/2013 11:18PM Last edit at 3/19/2011 01:02PM Last edit at 3/26/2012 09:07PM

The last time we had significant hail was about 10 minutes after I said to the U Haul lady "No, I don't need the insurance. I'll be fine"...

I do know that every time there is a claim on a car the adjuster have to file it on the national insurance claim registry. the same on houses.
it is a standard thing to do.Required by law.
So when someone ever makes a claim on an given address it will be on the database for ever.

Claim history can hurt resale value...

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Insurance/InsureYourHome/InsurersKeepASecretHistoryOfYourHome.aspx

Dane Bramage Wrote:
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> Claim history can hurt resale value...
>
> http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Insurance/Ins
> ureYourHome/InsurersKeepASecretHistoryOfYourHome.a
> spx


You are pretty much damed if you and damned if you don't according to that article.

I've spoken with mid-Atlantic as well. They sound reasonable, but I never like to hear "not to call my insurance agent". It just sends up a red flag, especially when my agent has been with me for 20+ years and gives me good advice. Their presence in our neighborhood sent emails flying as to whether they were legitimate. I'm troubled that I can't find out more about the company -- they are on the BBB list, but not on Angie's List, etc. I just can't find out enough about their history, so am dealing only with my agent.

So now I understand how much of a disservice companies like US restorations and other pieces of shit companies that knock on your door and cold call your house bothering homeowners and desperately trying to coerce homeowners with minimal damage to sign on the dotted line and make unnecessary claims on thier insurance policies.

Also they are gonna replace your nice pretty durable ALUMINUM SIDING with CHEAP VINYL plastic garbage.

What predatory pieces of shit.

==================================================================================
"Why don't you LOSERS just pack your flower print DOUCHE BAGS
and get your stoopid @$$#$ THE FUCK OFF MY INTERNETZ!"

- 'philscamms' (the YT Watchdog) ; internet & YouTube® extraordinaire.

Troll@AOL Wrote:
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>
> What predatory pieces of shit.

The jerks in our neighborhood are called PEAK Roofing, and so far they have four suckers signed up.

Thanks for all of the comments and advice. I talked a few people in my community and received both good and bad comments on MAC.

By the way, when I asked the guy from MAC to leave the unsigned agreement to me so that I could sign it and fax to them if I made up my mind, he said could not leave it to me. Is this a red flag?

Listen, there are many storm chasers out there. Some are good and others are really bad! One thing I do know is MAC was incorporated four months ago. I recently had a person from MasterCraft Exteriors come to my house and give me the same pitch. I did my research and found them to be a very reputable company. They even have Owens Corning backing them up 100% To me that speaks volumes because Owens Corning is a multi-billion dollar company and they aren't going to represent a company that will give them a bad name! They even gave me a 15 year platinum warranty on my shingles which cover everything including labor if there ever was a problem. Anyhow my roof is complete and I couldn't be happier. I highly recommend MasterCraft Exteriors to everybody!

So is there a summary to this thread? Is MAC whack or not?

The reason you do not want to deal with your agent is b/c they really have nothing to do with it. They will try to keep you from filing a claim on the policy that they sold you and get paid from every year that you do not filea claim.

If you have damage, file a claim and have a contractor resolve the claim for you. You do not have the expertise to know what is damaged or how much it cost to get the stuff replaced. Your insurance is not there to give things away and will try to low ball you.

I had signed an agreement with Mid Atlantic Construction a week ago, I didn't look the agreement at that time and I feeled been cheated by the rep. since the agreement is different than what he had told me. Is there any one can help me as to how to cancel the agreement, any one if I could call my insurance company to cancel the claim and then the agreement would become null after cancelled the claim or is there any other way to get rid of the contractor?

Also, any body have expenience with Mid Atlantic Construction?

Uh, call your insurance company?



Their signs are up in front of a bunch of houses around Chantilly Highlands. Company only been incorporated for 4 months? Hell no. Whos' going to fix their crappy work when it starts failing? They'll get the cheapest unskilled labor they can find to do the work taking as many shortcuts as possible and then be gone.

I chase storms. Luckily I chase for a company that only do insurance work and been doing it for 44 years in the local Fairfax Area. I wont mention the name of the company here because it would not be fair. I do live the agreement with the homeowners and tell them to fax it to me when they are ready to sign. Usually it may take a week or so and then I get the Authorization to do the work.
After that we both meet the insurance adjuster on site and go over every detail scope of the work. If the adjuster low balls it so much we go to arbitration. We do all that and do not charge the client anything extra.
It takes a lot of work to deal with insurance claims. If you just chase as a general contractor it is very dificult. We mostly work on fires and tree damage.

As already stated go with a local company. Colonial Remodeling is the best in NOVA.

The out of state storm chasers are not trying to scam you but they will not be around two years from now if you have any issues. It's an insurance claim so all the homeowner pays is the deductible. Damaging hail is usually isolated to a small 3-6 mile radius during storms. Reston, herndon, and leesburg got crushed on May 15th while most of the area saw little to no damage. Alexandria got murdered yesterday with quarter size hail and 60 mph wind gust.

We live in Reston and sustained damage in the May storm. We have decided to go with Colonial, but many neighbors are using Peak. We heard that Peak is a company out of Texas who has a contract with a local small time roofer in exchange for a percentage of the profits from the jobs they get. Could this be true?

We have chose colonial as well in Vinnea. The last poster is correct, Peak was a local company out in the leesburg with 5 employee's that contracted with a huge hail chasing company from Texas. All the peak trucks still have Texas mud flaps!

Reston, VA How do you get an unbiased estimate of damage done by the May 15 hailstorm? Without the involvement of a contractor. Can I do it myself?

You could hire an independent adjuster to do you estimate. I am not sure why you would do this, it will cost you money.

Yes you can do it yourself but if you are asking this question I doubt you have the knowledge to do so. Haag Engineering provides books that you could study and will help you to interpret hail damage. Then you would need to spend several years in the construction field in order evaluate and properly estimate what needs to happen in order to make repairs.

Why are you looking for an unbiased estimate?

Decide on a contractor have them meet your insurance, be prepared to pay your deductible and let the contractor work it out with your insurance company.

Same thing you would do with your car, you know nothing about repairing a car so you trust your bodyshop man, you now nothing about fixing a home so you trust a construction contractor to settle the claim for you.

I contacted USAA regarding MAC and USAA said they don't comment on contractors

I know 2 or 3 of the sales guys who go door to door for MAC. They also tried to recruit my brother in law, a local roofer, to help with the roofing management. All I know is I think MAC would probably do a decent job if they talked to my brother in law...he is awesome! and the guys doing door to door are pretty honest young guys. The couple I know are young: college age: just trying to male a few bucks! I would NOT want their job nor would I EVER do what they are doing. But I know them very well and they really like the owner of MAC. Ha! What is funny is I heard my father in law just accepted a job with MAC. If they ask me, I'll say no!

Bottom line: they hire good guys and are storm chasers! So I guess you've got to give them credit for being entrepreneurs. It's legit...but not the job you and I want!

Bottom

What I know is that the hail hit large parts of Oakton, Vienna, Reston, Herndon, Fairfax, Woodbridge and Monte Claire. This hail storm was on May 14th it hailed for 5-10 minutes and caused severe but sporadic damage area wide. The homes in the area are damaged by hail and thousands of people are having inspections done. MAC is a company from Bristol that is operating out of a town house basement in Sterling. Mastercraft is an out of state storm chasing company from Ohio with no legit warranty's. If you are going to get an inspection get at least two to compare. Make sure you do work with a local company. I know that Dreamhome offers free upgrades other companies don't and is local. But as for the hail its real it happened and your house could be damaged.

STFU.

Stop trying to fool people into raising their homeowners
insurance rates by making claims for hail damage they
otherwise would NOT even notice, with dumbshit statements like;
"But as for the hail its real, it happened, and your house
could be damaged."


.

==================================================================================
"Why don't you LOSERS just pack your flower print DOUCHE BAGS
and get your stoopid @$$#$ THE FUCK OFF MY INTERNETZ!"

- 'philscamms' (the YT Watchdog) ; internet & YouTube® extraordinaire.

Don't sign with Mid Atlantic Construction Comany. I made that mistake. They are liars. It's been 5 months now and they have hardly done a thing to my house except ruin it. Rob, the owner, will tell you "the sun is shinning" when it's pouring down rain. Yhey promise you all kinds of things are then don't do it.

DAMAGE!!! YEAH!!

HAIL DAMAGE!!

MAC just finished a roof in our neighborhood. They had quite a mess throughout the day. Trash all over the yard but seemed to finally cleaned it up after dark. The roof looks pretty good.

I called my insurance company, and they sent out their inspector.
They gave me a number.

I looked up MAC; who got a A+ from BBB;

Business Contact and ProfileBack To Top
Name: Mid Atlantic Construction of Virginia Inc
Phone: (703) 404-9777
Address: 9564 Laurence Kirk Place, Bristow, VA 20136

Business Category: Contractors-General, Doors, Doors-Repair, Roofing Contractors, Windows, Windows - Installation/Service
BBB file opened: September 12, 2003
Business started: January 1989
Primary Contact: Mr Robert S Phelan (President)
Complaint Contact: Mr Robert S Phelan (President)

Note, someone stated they were recently incorporated, which does not appear to be the case.

Mastercraft Exteriors; who also got a A+ with BBB;


Name: Mastercraft Exteriors of Virginia Inc
Phone: (703) 768-7663
Address: 7202 Fordson Road, Alexandria, VA 22306

Business Category: Construction & Remodeling Services, Gutters & Downspouts, Roofing Contractors
eMail: admin@mastercraftext.com
Web Address: mastercraftexteriors.com
BBB file opened: June 09, 2010
Business started: January 1996
Business started locally: June 2000
Primary Contact: Mr Richard Spanton Jr (President)
Complaint Contact: Mr Matt Spanton (Vice President)
Other Contacts: Ms Meredith Becker (Administration Manager)


Now I have called both to get estimates, and will see the difference between them and my insurance company.

I have no idea how reliable BBB is for truly evaluating long term quality and service.

Can anyone recommend any other good companies to go with?

This is not the truth. It is not illegal for an insurance company to recommend a contractor.
But you may chose any you wish.

Ok, you are all scaring me. We also had MAC come to the house - Chantilly. They did an inspection and found damage to our window wraps and gutters. Said they never go on the roof until the insurance inspector comes and reviews things with them.

We signed a contract that stated that We agreed to retain MAC in obtaining our insurance company's approval to do replacement of siding, roofing or gutters. That they can contact our insurance and that upon approval of the insurance carrier, they will do the work. "This is a binding agreement unless our claim was not approved by the insurance company."

Insurance company came out on Tuesday and approved us for $6000 - wrote us a check on the spot. Said they can not recommend any company to do the work. We DO have hail damage and gutters were affected etc. but not the roof. Said to wait until Spring (you actually have 2 years by VA regs) to claim damages so we have until May 14, 2012 to file a claim on the roof. Said we've only had a few strong rains since May and we may have more damage later...so encouraged us to WAIT for the roof but get the gutters etc. they approved us for done now. It would be a separate claim and separate deductible if we file later.

My question - I always like to get two or more quotes on a job like this. My insurance company encouraged me to do the same. IS this agreement we stupidly signed going to not allow us the opportunity to get additional quotes? Anybody got some legal expertise?

Here are things to consider when hiring a roofing firm:

1) Are they insured? If one of their workers is injured, does the contractor have liability and worker's compensation? Require that the contractor show you current "certificates of insurance" for both - don't rely on their word on it

2) Ask for credit references - call their major material supplier and ask the suppliers how much credit is commonly extended and what the contractor's recent payment performance has been. Go by their headquarters and learn how long they have been in business.

3) Is there a warranty? One covers materials from the manufacturer and the other is a warranty on workmanship from the roofer. Roofers usually say "labor guaranteed for x years or guaranteed against defects in workmanship for x years. What does that mean? Find one that lets you write in "if the roof leaks within x years, except as a result of accidental damage, contractor will bear the costs of labor and materials to eliminate all leaks."

4) Get SEVERAL bids - rate will go down up to $1700 between the bids. Invite more firms than you want to see as some won't show up and some will cancel. Get more bids if there is a big difference between bid 1 and bid 2.

and

1) Clarify whether or not old shingles are to be removed. Old shingles can overload the sheathing and structure and old shingles can be warped and dry and affect the new roof. Most local codes do not allow more than 2 layers of shingles.

2) If shingles are to be removed, indicate that the layer of felt should be applied under the shingles as required by local codes.

3) Specify the types of shingles to be used - make,color, shape and weight. Ask for algae resistant shingles.

4) Specify the warranty on the shingles. Get a 30 year warranty vs. a 20 year warranty.

5) Indicate whether flashing should be replaced, what will be re-used and what materials will be used. The roofer is not required to repair or replace flashings unless the contract says he will.

6) Indicate whether membrane will be installed to prevent future damage from ice dams.

7) Specify whether any ventilation is to be added. Proper ventilation of your attic allows water vapor to be released, reducing the chance of rot.

8) Specify that the contractor is responsible for all clean up. Will he use a magnetic device to get all the metal? Those nails will break your lawn mower. Ask for a daily clean-up. Write a requirement that all debris is hauled away. It can cost $100 to haul away the shingles from a typical roof.

9) Indicate whether metal drip edges are to be installed at the eaves. They keep water from curling back under the shingle edge to reach the wood and are about $1-$2 a linear foot.

10) Determine if roof work needs a permit and inspection and indicate in the contract that the firm must secure this and work must be inspected and approved before the final payment. You can check with your local building inspection office if a permit is necessary.

11) Include when the work is to begin and when it will end.

12) Spell out a fixed price for the work to be done and the formula to cover any contingencies.

13) Pay for your work as late as you can and spell out the payment schedule.

14) Specify in the contract whether subcontractors will be used, and if so, who they will be. State "no subcontractors other than those listed are authorized to do work on homeowner's promise. Contractor is not authorized to give other subcontractors access to the homeowner's premises and homeowner is not liable for payment to any other subcontractor. A subcontractor can get a lien on your house if the roofer does not pay him.

I hope this helps someone. I'm not a lawyer but I do read contracts and research big jobs like this and will have a lot to talk to our company about when and if we go forward with our roof.MAC is not listed in the the Washington Checkbook listing which concerns me.

I wish I had come to this forum earlier. WE signed MAC to replace our roof and siding. They have the worst customer service. No coordination. No project manager throughout. Used sub-contractors. Lie about things. Very vague warranty. Lack of communication.

The owner Rob is a very rude person. He got angry at one of my neighbors on the phone when he questioned him for the warranty.

We are so so regret choosing them.

YES, you all who went with MAC have fallen for a scam. Mid-Atlantic Construction are a bunch of crooked storm-chasers. I know this for a fact as they have scattered around the mid-Atlantic all year long anywhere a big storm has hit!!
They have a method of closing the sale that is more shady than most other storm chasers. Their high-pressure tactics are designed to make you sign a proposal/agreement with them on-the-spot; without you having a chance to think about it. The unsuspecting people fall for their surreptitious tactics, and have then committed themselves to using this company. I feel for you folks, but you never rush into something like this haphazardly. Always TAKE AS MUCH TIME AS YOU NEED. Take a few MONTHS if you need to. If you don't, you will soon regret it. Follow these simple rules:

1. Don't go with door-to-door solicitors or companies that do direct-mail advertising right after a storm. Don't go with the first company you see. Never sign your acceptance to an estimate on the same day.

2. Don't go with a company that wants to see your insurance statement-of-loss right away. The cost breakdowns paid out by your insurance for incurred damage are none of their business since YOU will be hiring them and paying them yourself. The contractor will use most insurance info to their advantage.

3. Ask for a referral from a neighbor, friend, etc, who's had work done by a roofing/siding company and is highly satisfied with the results.

4. Always have your insurance company assess the damages and give you an estimate of costs FIRST. NEVER have a contractor assess damages before the insurance adjuster. Of course, a contractor won't give you an ESTIMATE if he gets there first. But he may try to get you to sign an agreement committing you to their company before your insurer has even gotten there. Then, after the insurer has come and gone, the scam contractor will give you his "price". He's got you cold.

5. Get at least 2 estimates so you can compare different costs.

You are all right about Mid atlantic contruction. i did sign with them due to the pressure but called few days later and told them they didn't meet my standards and was making the contract null. I have since gotten 3 other estimates. 2 very good estimates .... they didn't HARRASS Me and no pressure. I will be signing with one of the 2 early part of next week. MY advise: the second the 'rep for the siding company' comes in the door to give the long presentation.. do mention " that you will not sign a contact that very same day. I'm a homeowner and dealt with the insurance company myself and didn't have an 'representative from any company' to represent me. My insurance is paying for my 2 sides of siding. They said no to the gutters, roof and trim

Skimmed through above posts. We live in Franklin Farm, Herndon, and had several companies come by after the storm, offering to do all the roofing/siding work our insurance company would pay for, and handle the insurance as well. We looked into all the companies (including MAC), and looked into the law related to insurance. Companies cannot raise individual rates in VA based on storms; but they can raise regional rates and were likely to do so, regardless of storm impact on individual homes. This was a financial no-brainer for us. We went with Maggio roofing. http://www.maggioroofing.com/.

The rep (a long-time and experienced employee with the company) made sure to be here when the insurance assessor was here. Maggio was ready to roll within days, but we had to wait for the insurance approval (USAA approved everything - roof, siding, gutters) and HOA architectural review board approval (they added meetings b/c of the neighborhood demand).

Maggio had the new roof on the day after ARB approval, and the siding and gutters in a week later. They took care of insurance communication and getting the USAA check endorsed by our bank (it was made out to us and the mortgage holder, which is common). The original rep came by to check the site each day of work. High quality materials, high quality work by a good team of workers, everything cleaned up afterward, no damage to landscaping or other features. This is a classy and local company that knows what it's doing.

We signed a contract with MAC back in July for hail damage repair to our house in Herndon. My wife signed the contract but was told her signature was only needed for MAC to contact our insurance company. So this was misleading. Also, up to this point MAC has been very non-responsive, so we are thinking of switching to another contractor (probably Colonial) especially after reading some of the posts here. Does anyone have an idea if MAC would be likely to sue us to enforce the contract? I really don't want to work with them based on what I know now. But I don't want to get sued either.

Same issues here. Contacted by 4 companies in the last two weeks.
Any recommended companies who will do conduct this in a proper way?
Is it best to talk to insurance company first?
Thanks.

MAC did a wonderful job on our home. No problems. Would recommend them to my neighbors.

I know a couple of people that work for Mid-Atlantic Construction and i had my house done by them, i was skeptical at first because i thought they were the usual storm chasers or that they were going to sell my number. i looked them up, and found that they've been one of the only companies local to the area since 1989. Sure their door to door people get quite annoying but when i had my friend inspect my house i found that their was a lot more hail damage then i thought their was. then they came out with my insurance company (USAA) and pointed out the damage to him directly (i talked to the adjuster away from mac and he said that most of them aren't taught how to check for hail damage)

the best way i can put this is by an example of a third party situation. You wouldn't take your taxes to be done at the IRS because they'll try to find a way to get as much money out of you as they can, insurance companys' are a BUSINESS and they'll try to find any way they can to deny a claim. when you bring in a third party like Mid-Atlantic Construction they just work with you to get your claim filed properly

If you want a no obligation inspection i can talk to my buddy just send me an email and from there i can help you out because they did an amazing job on my siding which actually helped reduced my heating bill and i would give this company a 9.5/10 rating

lividevil@yahoo.com

Steve,

i had the same problem but i called a couple times and it took a little bit to get through to them, but i found out that it took a while for mine because they were fighting with the insurance company to get all of my siding replaced rather then just 1 side of my house

MAC came and inspected my house and i agree with Kevin Michael. I walked around myself and thought i didnt see any damage. When the MAC inspector showed up, he took me around the house and showed me my siding while he shined his light on it. The damage wasnt visible from the angle i looked at it before. After seeing how much damage was actually on my house from the light, it was a no brainer, i decided to see what they could do for me. MAC definitely came through, i have brand new vinyl siding and a brand new roof all paid for by my insurance. No problems with the claim. It did take awhile to get done because of the amount of work MAC does but i would DEFINITELY reccomend them if you're considering looking into restoring your house.

Yeah, they did my house. free siding AND roofing, Our rates are going up anyways so getting an inspection cant hurt, just talk to one of the kids when they come by.

Is it possible to have hail damage if you have Vinyl siding or is it only the aluminum siding that is being replaced by MAC at most of these properties. We have 6 or 7 MAC signs in our neighborhood but I either missed them when they came by to our neighborhood or they passed over our house because it had vinyl siding. Also, if you've only owned the home for one year and file a claim is it likely that the insurance company will jack your rates up or drop you from coverage?

Justin s,

Vinyl siding isn't effected by hail as much as aluminum is, Mac probably passed your house thinking their was to little damage on it, if you want I can talk to my buddy and get your roof checked out as early as thursday (me and my buddy play a friendly game of cards wednesday nights) to be on the safe side and make sure theirs no damage there. Shoot me an email :) lividevil@yahoo.com

Mastercraft was accused of insurance fraud. That's why a lot of their signs have been dropping

From my experience it is generally not worth the time to fight with an insurance company to get a roof replaced and no siding. It is more profitable to focus on the houses with aluminum siding and fight the battle with the insurance on these houses.

Vinyl siding can be damaged and should be fairly easily noticed. It will crack and chip when it is subject to hail stones. The smaller hail in the area has generally not damaged the vinyl in the area.

Well the way I see it as you can get an inspection and be told theirs damage or not before filing a claim, or you can just ignore the problem wait till after the claim ends to find a small leak dripping water into your home and have to replace it by buying retail, an inspection by any of the companies would be recommended, depending on the insurence you might need a them present to not put the claim at risk while on the roof but an inspector from one of the companies would be able to tell you if they would or not, i would recommend MAC because they are a local company and the BBB gave them an A+ rating

And a quick fact I learned last week is that Virginia passed a law that says you can't sell a house anymore if it does have hail damage so this is something people should really be careful about

We just had a lot of signs go up in our neighborhood from Peak Roofing since our neighbors are getting their roofs replaced. We're all covered by various insurance companies and it seems that most everyone is getting a new roof. Our roof is only going to be partially replaced since the insurance adjuster and an engineer that they sent from Allstate agreed that it was only partially damaged. How can almost 15 homes surrounding us have complete damage to their roofs but little to ours? Our roofs are all about the same age.

First, don't use Peak. Second, partial replacement is a crock. If you can get a reputable local company, have them help you with negotiating with your insurance company to get a total roof replacement.

I am very happy with MAC who worked well with my insurance adjusters. I now have a top quality roof with a lifetime warranty and top quality vinyl siding. It took a while to get the job completed but it was well worth it. MAC subcontracted the roof to a local company who did a fabulous job, same with the siding.

My name is Bryan and I work for B&B Siding & Gutters. If you can please give me a call at 571-471-2746 or my boss Rick at 931-200-6011. We would love to come out and look at your house as well give you a free "Hail Damage Inspection"

Helping who reads this will be no problem at all.

Metropolitan Exteriors
We are an insurance restoration specialist.
We have been in business since 1988.
We are licensed and Insured.
We repair roofs, siding,gutters and windows.
If your insurance comapny only replaces half of your roof we will fight to get a suppliment and get the whole thing improved for you.
We come out and inspect your whole house and can tell you how much damage we found and it is free. no obiligations to go with our company.
We also will work with you and your insurance company to take care of youe deductible.
Feel free to give our company a call at 301-870-4500, 703-451-9316 or toll free at 1-866-212-4500.
We have thousands of satisfied customers
All our work is guaranteed

KCSI is a locally owned roofing & siding contractor serving Norther Virginia since 2000. We are a Class A contractor and member of NARI and BBB. Check us out on Angie's List or Checkbook for unbiased assessments of our work.

If you plan to move forward with a claim, or are interested in a free no obligation assessment and quote, please contact KCSI. The following are some important factors that differentiate KCSI from out-of-town hail mitigation groups:

• KCSI’s installers are full time employee’s, not subcontracted labor.

• We’ve been here for 10 years and will stand behind our work, indefinitely. We’re not leaving town after the work is done. If a contractor is not based in NOVA, their lifetime warranty means nothing.

• Work is completed as specified, in accordance with your established critical path. In most cases no more than a few weeks from contract initiation. Once we start, we work till we’re finished.

• Constructive and effective customer interaction to aid in product selections and appropriate insurance compensation. We’ll give you a wide range of choices in style and manufacture. We are local and have access to virtually every siding manufacturer's product, and are not tied into one product line.

• Professional craftsmanship, work ethic and site appearance are maintained at all times. We control our jobs with in-house full time management staff.

• Vapor barriers are installed over sheathing before any siding is installed, on every siding project - vinyl, poly,aluminum, fiber cement, and / or wood. This is required by most manufacturers. Watch your neighbors replacement, see if their getting proper protection.

• Fiberglass matted asphalt sheeting underlayment is used on all roofing projects, along with all required ice / water shield, every job, every time.


Our services include:
Siding Installation (vinyl, fiber cement, wood, any/all)
Aluminum Trim Capping / Wraping & Vinyl Soffit
Primed Pine, PVC & Fiber Cement Trim
Standing Seam Copper Bay, Bow, and Portico Roofs
Asphalt Shingle Roofing
Replacement Windows
Guttering

KCSI is licensed and insured far above industry minimums. Our prices are competitive and our mechanics highly experienced. Please contact our office for your free quote and consultation.

KCSI
3131 Draper Drive, Unit-I
Fairfax, VA 22031
(703) 278-8300, Fax (703) 278-8355
www.kcsiconstruction.com
info@kcsiconstruction.com

I finally relented and had my siding inspected for hail damage. This, after chasing away all the others, who rang my doorbell. The company was M.A.C. and I let them look at the house because they actually called me, on the phone,to talk about the possibility of my house, in Oak Hill, VA (20171) being damaged by this hail storm of May 2010(?).

Last night their employee came over and looked at the house with his extra bright flashlight and showed me the hail damage on two sides. After answering all my questions and explaining the process of how they make the claim to the insurance company, etc., the fellow wanted me to sign an agreement, on the spot.

That, I did not agree to because I have a long-standing rule to never sign without the opportunity to look over and think hard about the deal for awhile. (I did break it when my house got flooded and badly damaged by water, when a pipe froze and burst. Not with a repair service, as you might think, but with DIRECT BUY, because I was in a state of shock or something. Very big, expensive mistake.) The guy I hired for the water damage was OK to work with, although neither he, nor his workers, or the adjuster knew enough to recommend that the pipe be moved. It broke again. This time the insurance company said to move the pipe or they would not renew my policy that I had with them for twenty-five years. I had it moved and put enough insulation around it that even this winter weather could not freeze the water in that pipe.

Now, I am doing the research. So far M.A.C. comes out looking good. Besides all of the information others have given on this thread, I know that they have done the same work all over my immediate neighborhood. I also know that there was a ton of hail that hit my house. So much that I took pictures of the hail stones that covered my West-facing deck that afternoon. Fortunately, we were warned and brought in the car. What I didn’t know is that when I looked at the house siding, I missed the damage.

I want to sell this house soon and do not want a buyer’s home inspector telling me, near the closing date, the buyer about the hail damage and how much it will cost to fix it. Frankly, I only thought about that while writing this too-long entry.

Hopefully, M.A.C won’t argue with me about what I want in the contract, such as a firm completion date. :-) Also, that my insurance company doesn’t decide enough is enough :-( Also, I have to talk to my neighbor who just had their siding replaced by a different company and the house looks brand new! Got to check that out,

Wish me luck. If I ever get new siding I hope to put up a review here and on Angies list, if I remember. Sorry for the long comment, if you read this far.

MAC solicited my neighborhood last fall (2010) and my experience was okay. They were a little bit disorganized in terms of who is managing your project, but, they do eventually return your call if you have a question. I suggest get an alternative number you can call in case your "project manager" is not reacheable. They do use subcontractors and seem to know what they are doing. Overall experience I would give it 7 out of 10.

Mid-Atlantic Construction did my work and I'm very satisfied with it. Out of all the solicitors that knocked, MAC was the most respectful to me as a homeowner. Not only do they have an A+ from the BBB, their inspectors know what they are doing and got my roof and siding all replaced for free. If anyone reading this needs work done, I know someone who works at MAC that can set you up with an inspection. Just email me at rivercow3@gmail.com and I can have them contact you.

I pray for people like you and suggest that it's time for the Almighty to come down and clean up the gene pool you dumb fucking moron.

Wow a lot of great info here. I used all american custom homes out of fairfax. they called and went on my roof and told me I had hail damage, which I knew to be true. they asked me to call my insurance and get a claim number and an AACH inspector would meet the adjuster when he came to my house. AACH claimed they should be there to make sure the adjuster "bought" all the need repairs to my house. In their folder they had all the Va licensing and workers compensation papers.

Long story short everything worked out great. The work was done with no problems.

Not sure if I was lucky or AACH to an honest contractor

Before making an insurance claime for anydamage due to hail/Wind, consider the amount of your deductible. Its not worth calling your insurance company if file a claim if you have a $1,000 deductible but only $500 dollars of damage to your roof. If you suspect damage to your roof or siding, call a LOCAL contractor to come out and inspect your home. Most local contractors will do this for free. If they say there is damage, get an estimated price and then decide if you want to go through your insurance company. ****MAC and Mastercraft are STORM Chasers. They go door to door after storms and try to lock people into contracts. They will tell you to contact your insurance company to report hail damage and will then meet your adjuster to do an inspection. If your insurance company denies the claim for hail damage, these "storm Chaser" companies will argue like little kids just to get some work. After the insurance company still denies the claim, the contractors will then request the insurance company to get an engineer to inspect the house. These "storm Chaser" Contractors do NOT due quality work and are hard to find if you have problems later on with the work they did. I would only use a LOCAL company and MAC and Mastercraft are NOT on my list. They are just awful.

hello all -

while i'm well aware that i have found this page almost a year after the storms of last spring/summer...my heart is sinking at what i'm reading. i've been a catastrophe claims adjuster for a few different major carriers going on 5 years.

since the statues in va and md both allow for more time to file a claim, i really hope i can shed some light on the process and well, what my colleagues and i have been seeing out there.

homeowners' claims:
1. your agent has NOTHING to do with the process - the agent merely sells you the policy and is there to listen to you complain about paying too high a premium
2. everything goes through your company adjuster (or independent if your carrier farms it out which is really common)
3. to my knowledge, NO contractor in the va/md area is a licensed public adjuster, therefore they CANNOT REPRESENT you - only a public adjuster or attorney can do that

process:
1. filing the claim
2. an adjuster is assigned and they make contact with the property owner
3. an inspection is arranged
4. an inspection occurrs - now this can happen with or without the presence of the property owner or a contractor if they so wish - really...the property owner needs to take enough of an interest to consider taking the half day off - these inspections usually take like 30 minutes - make the time
5. if damages are found an estimate is written for repairs/replacement as necessary. these estimating systems, particularly xactimate which is used by most major insurers is updated at minimum monthly so yes, their pricing is accurate
6. typically the contractor will come back and say it's not enough money or there's not enough allowed for whatever might be. say it was only half a roof or one elevation of siding. a lot of sidings in the waldorf/vienna areas are still made. a few aren't. the burden of proof technically falls onto the property owner to prove this, however the insurance companies and contractors commonly run across this issue. if all else fails, a sample of the siding can be sent to a lab in Florida for sampling. i will tell you that aluminum is NOT, i repeat NOT maintenance-free product...the day contractors stop spinning that line to me is the day i will retire. the "baked on enamel finish" is merely paint which has been dried at the factory. all aluminum siding starts off as white. you should not paint vinyl, it looks tacky and won't stick. by the way, vinyl IS about half the cost of aluminum, so if the insurance company buys half the siding in aluminum, you should just about have enough to do the whole thing in a standard vinyl.
7. each insurance company has a list of preferred contractors. no, an insurance company cannot direct you who to hire in any state, they can, however provide you a list of contractors who will do it for their pricing. they are all licensed and insured to make it onto the list. it's a long process to get on these lists with a lot of reviews from the insurance company. because the carriers have found these contractors and have reviewed their work previously and gotten good feedback from their policyholders, really they are under no obligation to pay more than what these contractors will do it for, assuming similar work and materials.
8. checks are issued to the property owner(s). most typically it's about half upfront and half upon completion. now it's not exactly 50% most of the time, but take it roughly based on age and useful condition. many insurance companies do not put contractors on checks. personally it's something that completely turns me off from a contractor. it's something i've been allowed to do at one company i worked for, however i refuse. the contractor is not on the policy, the property owner is.
9. all checks issued by the insurance company (unless the property owner makes additional improvements) will equal the total claim less deductible. rarely does someone have what they call an "ACV" only policy. if so, only that first check comes and there rest is out-of-pocket. THIS IS REALLY NOT COMMON.

now with that all said - i've come across my fair share of contractors all across the country. some aren't bad guys, some are. below is the typical advice i give to every one of my property owners:

contractors:
- storm chasers usually aren't a good idea - roofs should last 20+ years in the dc metro - where is the cute young guy who knocked on your door going to be when something goes wrong in 2?
- keep in mind, all storm chasers gotta come from somewhere - some are technically locals - still watch it
- don't get all wrapped up in the bbb - bbb scores only go down when someone complains - most people don't ever say anything
- if you've lived in your house a while - look around for an old phone book. or ask neighbors if they have one from 5, maybe 10 years ago...they're always a great resource.... if they're in the yellow pages - they've been around.
- be leery of anyone who wants to be on the check from your insurance company - they know where you live yet aren't going to trust you enough to pay for your work? it's called a contract - it stands up in court
- checks often have policy information on it - DO NOT SHARE YOUR POLICY INFORMATION WITH ANYONE!!!!! IT'S SENSITIVE FINANCIAL INFORMATION!!!

your insurance adjuster:
-this is their job - determination of damages is not personal
-attacking them only makes them mad - you can disagree but dropping f-bombs on them is not a good way to get a positive response (this is from personal experience...if they have the option of taking your call or letting it go to voice mail...they'd rather talk to someone who was nice)
-they are not paid based on how many claims they deny. every adjuster out there will tell you (without their boss around because we get yelled at for it)...it is like 10x easier to pay a claim than deny it. denying involves layers of management approval and going to the post office - whereas most of the time they can simply email over an estimate
-each company sets a dollar threshold on what they'd like managers to review - if the adjuster says it's up for managerial review - trust me they want the review done and check sent too...it closes their file and gets work off their desk
-they will want to work with you to set up the inspection. they know you work during the day and don't want to meet until 6 at night...but what do think they're doing? most adjusters have families and kids at home too. treat this like a dr's appointment - make the time.
-they will gladly meet with your contractor (if you have one) but they will leave if the situation turns south or violent. contractors are notorious for intimidation, they will try to push the adjuster if they don't hear what they want.
-be aware that if no damage is found - it might be the same adjuster who comes back out to take a second look at it (if you request). they will try to make it for a different time of day or different weather condition. many adjusters will try to make sure it's someone different or they bring a manager for another set of eyes.

damages:
i have not seen a single property in all of this event which truly required replacement for "damage" - the hail was not large (if you don't believe me google the 5/15/10 oklahoma city storms)
- the hail was about nickel-sized
- yes, hail can weaken your roof - however it usually takes YEARS for a healthy roof to show signs of hail issues
-if someone has to pull out a flashlight that could lead you through a rainforest at night to show you the damage...really?! as an adjuster when someone pulls that out...that's how i know they're full of it
-the small dents in the siding, window wraps or guttering do not have an impact on it's usability - it's merely cosmetic and again, if they have to pull out the massive light, really?!
-do not let someone tell you hail can strike all 4 sides of a building - hail is directional - only with a tornado is this not true and no, there were no cyclonic reports
-hail will show in an overall consistency on any elevation or slope - i'm saying as an adjuster we expect to not see one or two little dings somewhere - show me damage. think of it this way...if some traveling salesman came to your door peddling windows and siding, however no insurance could be involved...would you still think it was necessary?
-granule loss on a roof is EXPECTED AND NORMAL. manufacturers throw about 50% excess onto the shingles while they are being produced. during the first 10 years, these excess will fall off. by the way, the granules are there only for color and uv protection of the roof...they aren't what sheds water. the 2 layers of tar paper under (the felt lining of the actual shingle and the felt below it) are what really shed water off the roof. it takes a much bigger hit to break through the layers than what came through.

okay now with all this said, there's really one major piece of advice i can give to each and every one of you: this is your property and your insurance. until your contractor pays your premium, they have no right to know anything about the insurance. your adjuster is there to help you through this process...it is their job. you need to pay attention and ask questions if you don't understand something. take insurance out of the equation and always remember if you had to pay for this out of your own pocket, would you have any concerns about the random person who showed up to your house who said you have damage without ever getting up on the roof to look? shouldn't your contractor be able to provide a separate comparative estimate to that of the insurance adjuster's? they're supposed to be the expert you hire to complete this work...why do they need an adjuster to tell them what it will take to do the job? basically it comes down to this: pay attention, ask questions, don't drop the responsibility onto someone else. your house will likely be your biggest financial investment...remember that when someone wants your money.

Hold on folks! I am a public adjuster. We handle claims for the homeowner or business owner. While we definitely encourage folks to file their claims for legit hail or storm or whatever damage, we STRONGLY suggest they call us BEFORE they call the insurance co. We can get a much higher claim settlement 9 out of 10 times. If the homeowner says the wrong thing, say, my basement flooded when they have no flood insurance, they will lose. I know, I know, gross exageration. Btw, readers, the short list of contractors who work for the Ins Co have a vested interested in getting the claim paperwork (estimates) to match the settlement check --- this is NOT the best way to get the entire settlement for the customer!

Yes, you signed with a specific contractor that is the insurance adjuster finds damage and cuts a check you need to use that company to do the work. If you decide not to do the work with them you may owe them a fee (if that is in your contract)

Stab them in the heart with their own pen and then slam the door in their face.

I buy a repair kit for repairing damaged vinyl window frames. Works quite well.

Just type in "vinyl window repair" in your search engine and you should find several companies selling for patching vinyl windows.

Dane Bramage Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Make sure it's a necessary repair. A bad claim
> history can cause not only your rates to go up,
> but future owners also. Thus, possibly making it
> harder to sell when the time comes.

Please know what the He(( you are talking about! You do not know $hiT..I am actually embarrased for you pal!

Do you know when was the last hail over Fairfax area in VA. I had a hail damage in my car and don't know if still can claim the damage

Oh crab.
Rob found the fx underground!
He is kind of right.

i signed a contract w/a company. they met w/the insurance adjustor and I cut the contractor out (thye did no work...) and got the bucks and did the work myself. now the company wants to sue. do they have a leg to stand on?

If you signed a contract, you may be screwed. Did the contract have a cancellation grace period? If so, did you cancel it within that period?

Here is my hail damage experience, Roof and siding damage. Called local roofing/siding company they contacted my insurance company, upgraded to a 30 year 3D shingle additional 500 bucks. Relpaced siding upgraded to 5inch duch lap then the best part 4 months later received a check from insurance for $16,500 put in the bank waiting for them to figure out their mistake never did six years sold house.

We are in a similar boat with Mid Atlantic. Do they actually have the clout to sue? If so I think I could gather plenty of depositions from unhappy people on this site to back them off. And why are they in good standing with the BBB? People need to take the time to slam them on facebook, BBB and any other free forum.

Since this is July 2011, I'd really like to find out if you actually got sued!!!

did u ever get out of the storm chasers contract im inthe same position

Do not sign an agreement with these people! What happens if they only get a fraction of the house covered? Suddenly the rest is your responsibility! On the backs of these contracts "terms and conditions" will state that the construction company will get 33% of your insurance claim if you back out. They win regardless if you have the money to finish your house or not. They can also over charge on the remainder of uncovered insurance claims because of these terms and conditions. Make sure you read the back of what you sign.

The insurance companies will try to steer you to either their contractors who give reduced cost estimates to get the work, or will get an incentive to tell the client there is nothing wrong. Google "Delay Deny Defend". This is their motive. Deny and delay claims and if they have to pay it defend their pockets by steering costs to cheap incentivized settlements. It does you no good to have your insurance company control the entire process. Think of it like this...If you're told by 1 doctor you have cancer and then the insurance companies doctor says you dont...Would you take that at face value? The only caveat is the medical profession has an oath to uphold. The insurance company and their "preferred" contractors do not have any such oath which is why there are record numbers of bad faith suits against USAA and State Farm in recent years. They now collude to to steer claims and costs away from the carrier so they can continue to hit their profits and record high numbers. There are a lot of contractors out there who are straight laced and their incentive is your best interest as well.

If you sign a contract with ANY company, you have 3 days to cancel. It does not matter whether they have "done any work" or not. The law says at some point, a deal is a deal. If you signed a contract with our company and tried to back out after 3 days, you would find yourself sitting in court spending $1,000's on legal fees. Not only would you lose in Court, you would owe 33% of the Contract amount plus our attorney fees and Court costs and we wouldn't have to hammer one shingle on your roof.

This isn't Kindergarten, put on your Big Boy Pants and when you sign a Contract, better understand a Contract protects both patties. Not just you.

Don't deal with storm chasers, period. If you have damage to your home, call your insurance company. My neighbor's homeowner's insurance was cancelled after he reported a small claim, then he signed a contract with a storm chaser. It wasn't worth it, believe me. Now he has cut rate insurance, his rate is twice what is was prior to the claims, and he has less insurance on his home.

Just because someone knocks on your door after a hail storm does not make them disreputable. It's called Marketing!! Check them out as you would anyone before you sign anything.

PuL7X

Have been dealing with MAC since June 2016. Made the mistake of locking into an agreement. No response for weeks while they were haggling and squeezing every nickel from the insurance company. Finally got around to installation over a month ago. Good enough quality materials but 2nd rate work at much higher than normal rates. Most of the neighbors I've talked to have serious issues with the quality of their work and are refusing payment until everything is fixed. Buyer beware.