How to read your East Tennessee roof estimate

Steep, high and hard-to-reach roofs are common in the foothills and on Sevier County cabins. Check that the estimate includes steep and high charges where they apply and any access costs.

Where the prices come from

Short answer: many insurers and roofers use Xactimate, from Verisk, which prices tasks with regional price lists.

If your roofer's price differs, ask for the reason in writing, such as hard access on a mountain lot or specialty metal, and send it to the adjuster.

Reading the lines

• Line item: one task with a code.
• Units: squares (100 sq ft), linear feet, or each.
• Waste: extra for cuts; higher on cut-up roofs and metal with many trim pieces.
• RCV: replacement cost.
• Depreciation: reduction for age and condition.
• ACV: RCV minus depreciation.
• Deductible: taken from the payment.
• O&P: general contractor markup when several trades are needed.

Checking for gaps

Short answer: compare it with a licensed local roofer's estimate and confirm every measurement.

Make sure every roof section is listed, including porches and outbuildings. Confirm the pitch, the number of layers, and that metal or slate is priced as metal or slate. On steep cabin roofs, confirm steep and high charges and any equipment needed to reach the roof.

Common gaps

Filing a supplement

Short answer: a written request with proof for each missing item.

1. List each item and quantity.
2. Attach photos, measurements, code sections or manufacturer instructions, and prices.
3. Send it with your claim number and keep a copy.
4. Photograph anything that will be covered by the work, and ask whether the insurer wants to see it.
5. Ask for a written answer by a date.

Your roofer can document and price the work. Only you, or a licensed public adjuster you hire, should negotiate the claim itself; ask any contractor who offers to do it whether they hold a public adjuster license.

Payment example

Short answer: on many replacement cost policies, ACV minus the deductible comes first, then the withheld depreciation after the work is done.

Example (illustration): RCV $24,000, depreciation $8,000, deductible $3,500. First payment: $12,500. After completion and invoicing, the insurer would release $8,000, for $20,500 total. On an ACV policy, the $8,000 is not paid. Ask for your deadline to claim depreciation, and remember the suit limitation clause.

Far apart?

Ask the adjuster and your roofer to go through the differences together. If you still disagree, request a reinspection and see options for a low estimate.

Metal roof estimates: what to look for

Short answer: a metal roof estimate should name the panel profile, the metal gauge, the finish, the fastener system and every trim piece, not just a square-foot price.

Metal is common on Sevier County cabins, foothill homes and farm buildings, and it is priced differently from shingles. Check for:

• Panel type: standing seam (hidden fasteners) or exposed-fastener panels (screws through the face). They are not interchangeable in price.
• Gauge and finish: the replacement should be like kind and quality, for example the same gauge and a comparable paint system.
• Trim: ridge cap, rake and eave trim, closures, and flashing at walls and chimneys, each as its own line.
• Fasteners: new screws with washers on exposed-fastener roofs, since old ones may not reseal.
• Underlayment: what goes under the panels, especially on low-pitch sections.

If only some panels are dented and the color has faded or been discontinued, ask how the insurer will meet Tennessee's reasonably uniform appearance rule on replacement.

Cabins and hard-to-reach roofs

Mountain lots can add real cost: steep driveways, no room for a dumpster, and roofs over steep slopes that need extra safety setup. If your roofer prices these, ask them to list each as a separate, explained line, with photos, so the adjuster can see why. Rental cabin owners should also keep booking records if the work causes cancellations, in case the policy covers lost rent.

Read the estimate with the suit clause in mind

Supplements and reinspections take time. If your policy's suit limitation is one year, keep track of where that clock may stand while you go back and forth about line items, and get legal advice well before it runs out.

An example: roofing lines on a Knoxville estimate

This shows how the roof section of an insurance estimate is often organized for a laminated shingle roof. Quantities are illustrative.

For a metal roof, expect panel area, trim pieces (ridge, rake, eave, valley), closures, fasteners and underlayment as separate lines.

Depreciation

With replacement cost coverage, the first payment usually holds back depreciation until the work is done. Ask what roof age and life expectancy the adjuster used, and whether labor was depreciated. Send proof of the roof's age if they guessed. With actual cash value roof coverage, the depreciation is not recovered later. See ACV versus replacement cost.

Items beyond the roof

Hail and wind often damage gutters, downspouts, window screens, siding, the HVAC condenser, decks, fences and outbuildings. Make sure each damaged item appears on the estimate, sometimes under "other structures."

Questions for your roofer's estimate

• Can you itemize it to compare line by line with the insurer's?
• Which items are required by code or the manufacturer's installation instructions?
• How did you measure the roof?
• How will you price rotten decking found during tear-off?
• Where are your prices higher than the insurer's, and why?