We started as a roofing company then evolved into “Your Exterior Experts” and now we are full steam ahead as Kusiak Construction, Inc. “Your Complete Home Improvement Experts”
Replacing a roof is typically one of the biggest investments a homeowner can make. With Porter County & Lake County’s blistering summers, bitterly cold winters, and lake-effect hail storms, every homeowner will eventually need to hire a roof contractor. However, according to one of Northwest Indiana’s longest-running roofing contractors, area homeowners are being targeted by roofing scams. Every year, fraudulent roofing contractors and storm chasers from unknown parts converge on NWI, taking advantage of unsuspecting folks by cutting corners and deceptive practices.
To make matters worse, roofers have no roofing licensing requirements in Indiana. This means anyone who claims to be a roofer can quote you an estimate filled with shortcuts that leave the homeowner with 100 percent liability. This is especially concerning after a hail storm. A Storm Chaser is a roofing company that follows storms, preying on hail damage and cashing in on deception. Usually, these roof contractors cut corners for various reasons, as identified below. When issues occur later (and they will), the roofing company has moved on or ignored your complaints. To make matters worse, the homeowner is liable for the work, not the contractor. Quite often, this can include past-due materials and labor costs.
The only real way to protect your family is to know what to look for! In this article, Dave Kusiak blows the whistle on deceptive Roofing Contractors. The popular radio personality and owner of Kusiak Construction shares with you 8 roofing tips everyone should use before selecting a roofing contractor.
Anyone brought up in Northwest Indiana will tell you that Dave Kusiak questions authority. His passion for current events, sports, and politics made the homegrown personality a perfect fit for his WJOB Radio Talkshow. Regarding Lake County matters, no topic is left off the table!
So why would someone with a talk show that questions authority be such an advocate for roofing compliance? Because it protects hardworking folks from around the region from fraudulent roofers and storm chasers. From his annual NWI Food Drive to volunteerism, Kusiak is passionate about Northwest Indiana. Kusiak takes it personally when folks he grew up with are being ripped off, especially when it harms his industry’s reputation. Kusiak has spent most of his life building his credibility as a roofer. He is proud of his craft!
Kusiak started his Roofing Company nearly 30 years ago and, through hard work, has grown into a complete home improvement contractor. While Kusiak has seen a lot over the years, it was through his talk shows home improvement segment that he felt the pain of homeowners being screwed by unethical roofers. As a roofing contractor who earned his reputation, he wasn’t about to let his industry take a hit, especially when the people getting dinged are from Northwest Indiana.
As a native of Lake County, IN, and the son of a Steelworker, Kusiak understands the importance of working hard and trying to save money when possible. Unfortunately, when it comes to roofing, you get what you pay for. Northwest Indiana roofing contractors frequently take shortcuts that leave the unsuspecting homeowner with severe roof leaks and structural damage. Knowing what to look for is the best way to avoid future issues and liability.
With Dave Kusiak’s help, you will learn eight ways Roofing contractors are cutting corners. If you’re about to hire a roofing contractor, you will love this article. This is particularly important if you recently had hailstorm damage because you’ll likely have a roofing contractor from Parts Unknown contact you. These storm chasers are experts at knowing where storms have left severe damage and require replacing your roof. Storm chasers also try to attract you with offers that can lead to insurance fraud and are illegal, including claims that they will use creative accounting in the paperwork so your deductible is covered. Another tactic to rope you in is claiming they will replace your roof for free and that you are only responsible for the deductible and wood decking replacement. Insurance doesn’t cover wood! Insurance fraud investigations in Northwest Indiana have recently gone through the roof. Be very careful!
Kusiak Construction’s Roofing Page defines a storm chaser as a hail-damaged roofing company that preys on unsuspecting homeowners. Often tempting homeowners with “too-good-to-be-true” insurance claims, these roofers use inferior materials and hire inexperienced roofers. When your home leaks or claims are often investigated, the storm chasers are nowhere to be found.
Kusiak states, “Roofers often use numerous tactics to ensure they have the lowest estimate or increase profits. The eight tips for protecting your family are listed below. To avoid stress and financial responsibility later, ensure you know what to look for and consider them before signing a roofing contractor agreement. This will also allow you to sleep at night knowing you have protected your family and home years after completing the job.”
It sounds obvious that most Lake County and Porter County contractors pull permits, but many roofing contractors don’t. This occurs more frequently when homeowners think they can save money by bypassing an established roofing company and opting for a roofer on a classified listing page.
Kusiak likes to consider a Permit to be a public record. That permit is your leverage if you are not satisfied. While Dave Kusiak is legendary on his Talk Show for questioning government regulation and bureaucracy, you won’t find a bigger advocate for roofing regulation. Even if City inspectors sign off on the building permit, they are not liable; the roofing contractor is. If they aren’t accountable, a city building permit can be leveraged to help you if you take the roofing contractor to court. It can be over something that wasn’t done right, issues you didn’t notice right away, or a roof leak that hasn’t occurred for over five years.
Pulling permits is crucial in construction because you can always notify the city that the contractor who did your job did not do the work correctly or lived up to the agreement. Let’s face it: Most of us don’t remember which company we worked with five months ago, let alone five years ago! Your Building Permit is your Public Record that can be leveraged later. If the roofing contractor did something fraudulent, it’s your leverage to threaten to have the contractor’s license pulled.
Kusiak adds that when a company is trying to save money by not having a permit, it will also look to save money anywhere it can. This doesn’t save you money; it makes them more money. If your insurance pays for a new roof, you should demand that everything is done right and the roof is better than before the damage occurred. Ask to see the permit!
According to Kusiak, “Indiana is one of the only states that you don’t need a roofer license. You can become a general contractor and pull permits, but that isn’t the same as a licensed roofer. Simply put, a roofer can have a contractor license, but that is not the same thing as a licensed roofer. Without any regulations protecting homeowners, our Northwest Indiana neighbors have a target on their backs. This attracts storm chasers and unqualified roofers. It also lowers the bar for roofing contractors because they have less to lose if a customer has a legitimate dispute.
Kusiak feels that a roofer’s license can improve the roofing industry’s reputation because it raises the stakes and encourages further education and training.
Kusiak feels training and certification matter to new roofers and seasoned roofers. “Many roofers were trained 20 years ago and continue using antiquated practices. Certification and training keep our Kusiak roofing team current.
It also ensures that roofers stay current with roofing components and ventilation advancements. Leading manufacturers realize that if a roofer cuts corners or the components are not installed correctly, the roofing system will be compromised, leak, or worse! Without training and certification, a roof system will not be optimized and can even void the roof’s warranty. This is why leading innovators like CertainTeed can extend their warranties out to 50 years when the roof is installed by a CertainTeed Certified Roofing Contractor. Kusiak, a tenured ShingleMaster Contractor, feels that the investment in certification is why the contractor attracts so many customers who opt for the 50-year warranty.
With Indiana’s lack of regulation, many roofers in Lake County and Porter County are unlicensed and willing to give you a deal. But ask yourself: Why aren’t they licensed, and why are they cheaper? What other shortcuts are they taking to increase margins? Eventually, the lack of quality products and craftsmanship will reveal itself, and your home will leak!
When someone tries to sell you a roof, Kusiak offers this tip for screening and qualifying your roofing contractor. Become familiar with ice and water layment and use this as a test for determining the roofer’s values. With Northwest Indiana’s severe climate, the underlayment, or roof barrier, is critical to your complete roof system. It also is as much a barrier between good and bad roofing contractors!
A good roofing contractor will explain the significance of the entire roofing system because, without it, the best shingles will fail. You probably have heard of roofing companies that suggest the homeowner only replace some shingles to save money. This is done because they want to avoid a big project and can make more money doing it quickly. A Northwest Indiana roofer should replace shingles, ice, and water underlayment.
But it’s not enough to replace the underlayment; it should be stated in writing! Be aware that some roofing contractors will quote an estimate using quality underlayment, such as CertainTeed’s, but substitute the product with a cheap brand or not use underlayment. This happens more than you think. The NWI roofing contractor can make an extra $500 a job, and the homeowner’s house leaks long after the roofer is gone. Some roofers will even avoid describing which shingles they are using. If a roofer refers to a shingle as an architectural shingle without a brand, that tells you a lot!
This also happens frequently with hail damage and storm chasers. If you have an insurance claim and have paid for insurance, you deserve the same premium quality that the roofing company is replacing. Kusiak recommends getting it in writing and becoming familiar with the components of a complete roofing system. Kusiak Construction offers a guide to a complete roofing system on Kusiak’s website, the Roofing page.
Warranty matters and is a value proposition that differentiates the best Northwest Indiana roofing contractors. Unfortunately, some roofing contractors don’t submit the warranty. It doesn’t take much effort, but it does cost the Roofing Contractor a small amount of money per square foot. This is one more reason to choose a reputable NWI roofing contractor.
Roofers often talk about 50-year warranties, but in reality, the better shingle warranties come with 5-—to 10-year warranties against defects. If you want and pay for the manufacturer’s enhanced warranty, which can be a smart investment, you need to register it.
DISCLOSURE: CertainTeed distinguishes the nation’s best roofers through a ShingleMaster certification. As a ShingleMaster roofing contractor, Kusiak’s CertainTeed shingles carry a 10-Year-SureStart protection with an option of a 50-year warranty called SureStart Plus 4-Star Protection. To learn more, here is a link to Kusiak’s Roofing page. You can also check out CertainTeeds Homeowner’s Guide to Understanding Warranties.
Today’s modern homes depend on the entire roof system working together in unison. Years ago, a roofing contractor would tear off the old roof and install a new one. Today, other factors, such as a home’s insulation and ventilation system, must adhere to the manufacturer’s requirements to optimize your warranty. This is why the Northwest Indiana roofing contractors with the best reviews are also complete home improvement contractors.
Kusiak believes it is a red flag when a roofing contractor offers an estimate without inspecting the attic or ventilation system. A Home Improvement Contractor is trained to look at details and structure.
If the house is inspected before the quote is prepared, stopping the project and making unnecessary trips for wood and materials can be avoided. The best NWI roofers come prepared and do the job right the first time. Home improvement contractors can help you with related services, including gutters and electrical and energy efficiency improvements.
What is a Complete Roof System? (scroll to bottom)
In Northwest Indiana, Roofing Contractors commonly replace a roof and not replace the rotted wood. As a complete home improvement company, Kusiak often sees this when remodeling or working on a home insulation or ventilation system. It’s common to see homes in Lake County and Porter County with new shingles on a warped roof. Let’s face it: our summers and winters are hard on a roof, and often, the wood becomes rooted.
So why doesn’t the roofing company tell you about the rotted decking? Sometimes, it’s because of laziness. Other times, the roofing crew notices it after pulling the shingles but rationalizes that it’s not too bad because they are under pressure to finish on time. Sometimes, the roofers feel horrible about giving you bad news and are afraid to approach you. If a Roofing Contractor approaches you and tells you your deck is rotted, they are trying to help you. Ensuring your home is structurally sound in Northwest Indiana before replacing the roof is important. You don’t want to put shingles or a roofing system on something soft, delaminated, or with big gaps.
This is also a compelling reason to choose a roofing contractor who is also a home improvement company. A complete home improvement company is trained to inspect your home’s attic, ventilation, and structure and is qualified to fix it. A board may only cost $75, But if the roofer runs into a bad deck, they must stop the project and acquire the materials. As a complete home improvement contractor, Kusiak Roofers can help identify problems, ensure accurate estimates, and have the necessary materials ready before starting! As a complete home improvement company, Kusiak can help you with every Roofing-related skill, which includes gutters, roofing & siding, roofing repairs, and retrofitting modern insulation into your home’s existing insulation, ventilation, and roof systems. Here are a few useful links.
HOME IMPROVEMENT
INSULATION & ROOFING
CERTAINTEED | MADE FOR NORTHWEST INDIANA
GUTTERS
SIDING
Many roofers are skilled at replacing roofs but are not qualified to operate a business. If you choose a roofer who is not paying their bills, you could end up with a lean from the roofing contractor’s supplier or unpaid staff. It happens in Northwest Indiana all the time. The last thing you want is to have someone knocking on your door and telling you that a lean has been placed on your home by an unpaid supplier or someone from the crew saying hey, we didn’t get paid!
The list of reasons to choose an established roofer is long. The list of established roofers is short.
According to Kusiak’s website, More and more people have learned to ask if a contractor is licensed, insured, and bonded. Unfortunately, unless your prospective contractor is licensed through your city, you may not be sure they are showing you a current and up-to-date certificate of insurance.
Most unlicensed contractors do not carry liability and/or workers’ compensation insurance. As a homeowner, you are financially responsible for damage to your home during construction (for example, your home leaks during vacation and ruins your kitchen and floods your foundation). Lack of workers’ compensation insurance held by an unlicensed contractor can also mean you’re legally responsible in the event of worker injury or death while working on your project. Roofing is a dangerous trade. Without a properly licensed contractor on your job site, the courts typically consider homeowners the official “contractor,” fully responsible for legal and financial liability claims.
While most contractors carry the minimum insurance required by law, this hardly protects you or your home. The best Northwest Indiana roofing contractors don’t follow Indiana license, insurance, and bonding regulations; they exceed them. The best roofing contractors carry enough insurance to cover any occurrence.
Let’s finish with a little love for our host, Dave Kusiak. Kusiak Construction is only required to carry $100,000 in liability insurance but carries ten times this amount at $1,000,000. But seeing is believing. Kusiak also posts his insurance certificate on his site, and here it is. When choosing a roofing contractor in Northwest Indiana, you must have some experience and transparency.
Written by Jim Jano Janesheski
Valparaiso, Indiana
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