Save Me Steve: The do's & don'ts of hail damage

DALLAS - If you live in one of the areas of North Texas that got hail damage early Wednesday morning, you will soon be making plenty of calls to insurance companies.

FOX 4 consumer reporter Steve Noviello says it’s important to watch out for scams, not only with insurance companies but also contractors looking for your business.

Not only is hail damage bad news, but Steve has more bad news. Skilled labor is at a premium right now.

He calls it the Hurricane Harvey effect. Contractors are still busy rebuilding Houston. Plus, those who are relocating to North Texas have prompted lots of remodeling.

That means you need to be extra careful when choosing a contractor to repair your damage.

First, document the damage and call your insurance company. Then only make repairs that will prevent more damage – things like tarps over broken windows.

When you do hire a contractor, double check the company’s credentials. Just because a company uses a BBB seal or quality check logo on their website doesn’t mean they actually hold any of those distinctions.

Steve can no longer count the number of times people tell him, “I wish I would have Googled this company first because I would have seen the other complaints.” So take a minute to do that.

When it comes to the scope of the work, get everything in writing and make sure all estimates are signed by you and the contractor. Quotes should include a completion date.

Payments should be made in installations. Do not pay in full before the work is done.   

And finally, do your part. Communicate clearly and be prepared for overages. When it comes to construction to repair damage from hail and rain, you are likely to uncover additional damage.

FOX 4 has a great podcast on this topic with everything you need to know about the process. Check it out at fox4news.com/basictraining.