Within 48 hours of any decent-sized hailstorm, the door-knockers arrive. Some represent real companies doing honest work. Others are “storm chasers” — crews that follow severe weather across the country, sign fast, build faster, and are three states away when the first shingles blow off. The roof they leave behind is your problem; the warranty they left behind is a phone number nobody answers.
Choosing the contractor is the one decision in the entire storm process that's 100% yours. Here are the seven checks we'd run on anyone — including us.
- —Verify license, liability insurance, and workers' comp — ask for certificates, not promises.
- —Local address, local jobs you can drive past, and a phone number with history beat any sales pitch.
- —Get the scope in writing: materials by name, underlayment, flashing, ventilation, cleanup, warranty terms.
- —Anyone who offers to 'waive your deductible' just told you they'll cheat — believe them.
- —Never sign an Assignment of Benefits or a contract 'contingent' on terms you haven't read.
The Seven Checks
1. License and insurance — in writing
Ask for the contractor's license information, certificate of general liability, and workers' comp coverage. A legitimate company sends these within the hour. If a crew member gets hurt on an uninsured job, the liability can land on the homeowner — this check is not optional.
2. A local footprint you can verify
A real local address. Jobs in your area you can drive past. A phone number that existed before the storm. Ask: “Where were you working two years ago?”A storm chaser's answer is a different time zone.
3. Real photos of real work
Any roofer can show you a manufacturer's brochure. Ask to see their own jobs — before, during, and after. Companies that document their work show it off; companies that cut corners show you stock photos.
4. A written scope, not a handshake
The contract should name the shingle line, underlayment, ice & water shield locations, flashing work, ventilation plan, decking policy (what happens when rot turns up), cleanup commitment including magnetic nail sweep, and the workmanship warranty in years — with the manufacturer warranty separate. Vague contracts produce vague roofs.
5. How they talk about your deductible
This one's a character test. The deductible is your legal share of an insurance claim. A contractor who offers to “waive” or “absorb” it is proposing insurance fraud before you've even signed — and funding it by thinning out your roof. We explain the money mechanics in the ACV vs. RCV guide.
6. What you're actually signing
Watch for Assignment of Benefits (AOB)language that signs your claim rights over to the contractor, and “contingency agreements” that lock you in before the insurer has approved anything. Read, or have someone read for you, before ink. A trustworthy contractor's paperwork survives daylight.
7. Pressure level
“This price is only good today” is not how roofing works. Storm damage doesn't expire this afternoon, and neither do honest quotes. Urgency is the storm chaser's whole toolkit — calm is the local company's.
Seriously — ask for our insurance certificates, drive past our jobs, read our contract line by line. That's how it's supposed to work. Start with the free inspection.
What We Believe Roofing Should Look Like
We named the company Integrity Premier Exteriorson purpose — the name is the standard, and it comes with values we're happy to put in writing:
- Honesty before revenue. If your roof has five good years left, we say so and leave. If a repair fixes it, we quote the repair. The free inspection is free either way — no damage, no invented damage.
- Document everything. Photos at every stage — inspection, tear-off, decking, underlayment, finish — handed to you. You shouldn't have to take a roofer's word for what's under your shingles. Look at the photos in this article; that's our camera roll, not a stock library.
- Build it like we own it. Full tear-offs, rotted wood replaced on the spot, premium systems like Owens Corning Duration installed to spec, every nail swept off the lawn with magnets.
- Be here next year. We're local to Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Same name, same number, same people when your warranty needs us — (513) 675-2699.
- Neighbors first. Most of our work comes from referrals, and we pay that back — literally. Our referral program pays $300 for every completed roof you send our way.
The Bottom Line
After a storm, slow down for 24 hours. Get the damage documented, run the seven checks on whoever you invite onto your roof, and work the claim processwith a company that will still be answering its phone when the next storm rolls through. That's the whole game.
Should I get three quotes on an insurance roof job?
For an insurance claim, scope matters more than price — the insurer pays market rate for a defined scope regardless. Instead of collecting quotes, vet one or two contractors hard on licensing, locality, documentation, and contract quality.
Is a door-knocker automatically a storm chaser?
No — local companies canvass after storms too, and honestly, it's efficient for everyone. The difference is what happens next: a local pro leaves a card and offers a free documented inspection; a chaser pushes for a signature on the spot.
What warranty should I expect?
Two separate ones: the manufacturer's material warranty (decades, on a premium system) and the contractor's workmanship warranty covering installation. Get both in writing — and remember the workmanship warranty is only as good as the company's odds of still existing. That's why local matters.
How fast can a roof actually be replaced?
Most single-family homes are one to two days of installation once materials are on site. The claim process before it — inspection, filing, adjuster, approval — is what takes weeks. Start early.
We're a licensed & insured roofing company serving Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky. Our name is our promise: honest inspections with photos you can see, straight answers about whether your roof actually needs work, and installs we document at every stage. Every inspection is free, and if your roof doesn't need replacing, we'll tell you that too. Call us at (513) 675-2699 or request your free inspection below.
