Restoring Your Home After Severe Storm Damage
Hopefully, you had the benefit of a good homeowners insurance policy and have sufficient resources to fully repair your damaged home. And even if the damage is not too extensive, you need a “battle plan” for full home restoration.
Prioritizing Restorations Post Storm Damage
The first step post-storm is to assess the damage. As painful as it may seem at the time, you need a full investigation into exactly what the wind, rain, and storm surge has done to your building. Quite likely, you will want a professional assessment, perhaps one conducted by a contractor who can report directly to your home insurance company.
Step two, however, is to prioritize the repair needs. Damaged roofing, for example, almost always has to be one of the very first concerns. A leaking roof or a gashing hole in the rooftop spell further damage to your home’s interior. Obviously, you plug the hole in the boat-bottom before you start bailing out the water.
Eliminating mold and mildew and moisture that has soaked your insulation or melted your drywall is also a top-priority restoration need. And replacing drywall, ruined carpeting and hardwood flooring, and shattered windows are also high on the priority list. More aesthetic problems and replacement of damaged furniture can wait – along with new paint. Whether a damaged HVAC system can wait or not may depend on the seasonal temperatures.
More About Roof Restoration
There are some additional aspects to think about when it comes to priority one – typically roof restoration. Here are some key thoughts:
- Don’t assume you need a full roof replacement. That may or may not be the case. Talk to a local roofing contractor to get a roof inspection done so you know where you stand.
- Never settle for just roofing over the old shingles. It creates problems down the road and doesn’t save you enough money short-term to make it worthwhile.
- If you have been wanting to switch roofing color or style, this may be the opportunity. It may also be a good time to install solar panels and make other upgrades – like a new attic fan and a radiant barrier for example, that will affect your roofing’s lifespan.
Reducing Restoration Costs As Much As Possible
Depending on how much storm damage you are dealing with, home restoration may be an involved, long, and costly process. It makes sense to do everything within your power to minimize the costs (but without compromising on workmanship.)
First of all, if you can get one contractor to do as much as possible – or even all or most of the entire project, that tends to bring the bill down a bit. Second, checking everything with your homeowners insurance provider first can ensure the maximum amount is covered. Third, you may want to tackle some of it on a DIY basis if you have the expertise. Fourth and finally, it may be easier on your budget to spread out the expenses over several months instead of doing it all at once.
For more help on restoring your roof and home post storm damage, contact Sheegog Contracting in Central Florida today!
