Milton aftermath: Finding reputable contractors for storm damage repairs

Contractor advice after a storm

Briona Arradondo reports

TAMPA, Fla. - Many Tampa Bay area residents have some long weeks ahead cleaning up after Hurricane Milton, and they'll need to find a good company to do roof work, damage restoration and other home repairs.

A couple of Tampa-area businesses with 30+ years of experience shared what residents need to know to find a reputable contractor. Knowing who’s reputable and who isn’t is important for your wallet.

"We saw it with Ian. Our business actually was down helping the community in Sarasota and Naples. We're actually replacing roofs right now that were replaced during Hurricane Ian, and those roofs should not have had to be replaced," said Ryan Westfall, the president of Westfall Roofing in Tampa.

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Whether you’re looking for roofing or another trade expert, start off with references.

"Get their cards. Research them thoroughly. Look at their reviews online. Make sure they're reputable. People are happy with their work, and they have the proper certifications," said Michael Campbell, the general manager of DriRite.

Campbell runs DriRite, a damage restoration company in Tampa.

"We normally crank out about 650 jobs a month roughly. So, on top of our normal, we've had an extra couple thousand just in the past three weeks," said Campbell.

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He said a company that just came into business recently may be a red flag, because you want a proven track record. At the end of a restoration job, he said it’s important to have paperwork showing it’s completed.

"The restoration company should give you a certificate at the completion of the job that will say basically your home is brought back to pre-flood standards. If you have that certificate, it means your home's ready to be rebuilt," said Campbell, who added that it’s also important if you plan to resell your house.

Another thing to be wary off is immediate availability. Westfall said it’s a red flag if someone said they can get to your house right away. He said it’s typical right now to wait four to eight weeks for a roofing job, because most companies need time to line up permitting, get the right materials and workers in place.

"We've already had some homeowners tell us, ‘Hey, I could get somebody to come out and actually do some work tomorrow.’ Well, then the homeowner comes back and says, ‘I actually did my due diligence. And I found out that this contractor doesn't have a license,’ and they're not pulling permits," said Westfall, adding that contractors should pull the permits, not the homeowner for contracted work.

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Once you’re ready to hire, read the contract and get things in writing.

"Does it make sense? Are they stipulating all the materials that they actually writing out, all the materials are using for your project? And then also, of course, what does their workmanship warranty look like and also what is their manufacturer's guarantee?" said Campbell.

Experts said you should also get multiple quotes for jobs. For roofing, Westfall recommended at least three bids to compare, and they should be around the same price.

Residents should check licenses and certifications, and experts said to make sure the license holder actually works for the company. You can look up businesses on the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s website on www.myfloridalicense.com.

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