Atlanta Roof Pro - Chad Felkel

09/04/2026

09/02/2026

Your Insurance Approved $20,000. Why Didn't They Send You $20,000?

Your roof replacement was approved.

The insurance estimate says $20,000.

Then the check arrives...

And it's nowhere near $20,000.

Naturally, your first thought might be:

"Where's the rest of my money?"

Welcome to one of the most confusing parts of a homeowners insurance claim.

Let's simplify it.

There are three terms you need to understand:

RCV. ACV. Depreciation.

RCV — Replacement Cost Value

RCV is the estimated cost to repair or replace the damaged property using today's labor and material costs.

For our example:

Replacement Cost Value: $20,000

But that doesn't necessarily mean the insurance company sends you $20,000 upfront.

ACV — Actual Cash Value

Insurance companies may initially subtract depreciation from the replacement cost.

Let's say the carrier determines there is $6,000 in recoverable depreciation.

$20,000 RCV
– $6,000 depreciation
= $14,000 ACV

But we're not finished.

Then Comes Your Deductible

Your deductible is the portion of a covered loss you're responsible for paying.

Let's assume you have a $2,500 deductible.

$14,000 ACV
– $2,500 deductible
= $11,500 initial insurance payment

That's why a homeowner can see:

TOTAL REPLACEMENT COST: $20,000

…and receive an initial check for only:

$11,500

So what happened to the other $8,500?

$2,500 is your deductible.

And $6,000 was withheld as depreciation.

Can You Get the Depreciation Back?

If you have Replacement Cost coverage and the depreciation is recoverable, generally yes—once the covered work is completed and the required documentation is submitted.

In our example:

Initial insurance payment: $11,500
Recoverable depreciation: $6,000
Homeowner deductible: $2,500

Total: $20,000

That's how the numbers come back together.

Of course, every policy and claim is different, which is why understanding your actual insurance documents matters.

But here's the important part:

The first check isn't necessarily the total amount insurance has approved for your project.

I've met plenty of homeowners who thought something was wrong with their claim simply because nobody explained the numbers to them.

That's where a good contractor can help.

Not by interpreting coverage or deciding what your insurance company owes.

But by helping you understand the estimate, the construction scope, and how the payment process typically works.

Insurance estimates can look intimidating.

Once someone explains the terminology, they become a lot easier to understand.

RCV = What the covered work is estimated to cost.

ACV = RCV minus depreciation.

Recoverable Depreciation = Money that may be released after the work is completed and requirements are met.

Deductible = Your financial responsibility.

And suddenly that mysterious $11,500 check makes a lot more sense.

Insurance doesn't have to be confusing. Sometimes it just needs to be explained in plain English.

08/30/2026

You Filed a Roof Insurance Claim. Now What?

You found legitimate storm damage.

You reviewed your options.

You decided to file an insurance claim.

Now what?

For many homeowners, this is where things get confusing.

Here's the process in plain English.

1. You'll receive a claim number.

Once the claim is reported, your insurance company will assign a claim number and usually an adjuster to handle the loss.

Keep that claim number handy. You'll use it throughout the process.

2. The adjuster will inspect the property.

The adjuster's job is to evaluate the reported damage and determine how your policy applies.

Whenever possible, I like to be present.

Not to argue with the adjuster—but to show them what I documented during my inspection and answer roofing-specific questions.

3. You'll receive an insurance estimate.

If covered damage is found, the carrier will typically prepare an estimate outlining what they're paying to repair or replace.

This is where homeowners sometimes get confused.

The first estimate isn't always the final scope of work.

Items can be missed.

Measurements can differ.

Building-code requirements may need clarification.

That's where documentation matters.

4. Your contractor reviews the scope.

A good contractor should compare the insurance scope with what is actually required to properly complete the project.

If legitimate items are missing, additional documentation may be submitted to the carrier for review.

This is commonly called a supplement.

A supplement isn't about artificially increasing the price.

It's about documenting legitimate differences in the scope.

5. Understand ACV, depreciation and your deductible.

Another surprise for homeowners:

If your replacement is approved for $20,000, you may not receive a $20,000 check immediately.

Depending on your policy, part of the money may initially be withheld as recoverable depreciation.

Your deductible is also your responsibility.

Once the work is completed and the required documentation is submitted, eligible depreciation may then be released according to the policy.

6. The work gets completed.

Once everything is understood and agreed upon, the project can move forward.

After completion, final documentation is submitted as needed and the claim can move toward being closed.

Here's the biggest thing I want homeowners to understand:

The insurance process doesn't have to be intimidating.

Your contractor's job isn't to "fight" your insurance company.

Our job is to:

Inspect.

Document.

Communicate.

Complete the work properly.

And help you understand what's happening along the way.

Because most of the frustration surrounding insurance claims doesn't come from the process itself.

It comes from not knowing what happens next.

And a good contractor should make sure you never feel like you're navigating it alone.

08/26/2026

Finding Roof Damage Doesn't Automatically Mean You Should File an Insurance Claim

I inspect roofs for a living.

And sometimes I find damage.

But here's something that may surprise you coming from a roofing consultant:

Finding damage doesn't automatically mean I'm going to tell you to file an insurance claim.

A roof can have problems for many reasons:

Age.
Normal wear and tear.
Poor installation.
Lack of maintenance.
Failed flashing or pipe boots.
And yes—wind, hail, or other storm-related events.

So the first question shouldn't be:

"Should I call my insurance company?"

It should be:

"What actually happened to my roof?"

That's where a good inspection starts.

If I find a pipe boot that's cracked after years of sun exposure, that's very different from shingles damaged during a recent windstorm.

Both may need attention.

But they aren't necessarily both insurance issues.

Your deductible matters too.

If you have a $5,000 wind and hail deductible and there's a legitimate $1,500 repair available, does filing a claim make sense?

Probably not.

That's why homeowners should understand their deductible and coverage BEFORE something happens.

There's another important distinction:

Your roofer doesn't decide what's covered.

A contractor can inspect the roof, document the condition, photograph damage, explain what we see, and provide an estimate.

But your insurance carrier ultimately determines coverage based on your policy and the circumstances of the loss.

Good contractors should respect that line.

So before deciding whether to file a claim, understand:

• What damage exists
• What likely caused it
• How extensive it is
• Whether it can reasonably be repaired
• What your deductible is
• What your policy says

Sometimes my recommendation might be:

"You should contact your insurance company."

Other times:

"This is maintenance. Let's repair it before it gets worse."

And sometimes:

"Your roof looks good. You don't need to do anything."

I'm comfortable with all three answers.

I've said before that a good roofer should talk you out of a roof sometimes.

I think the same principle applies to insurance claims.

My job isn't to convince you to file one.

My job is to inspect your roof, document what I find, explain your options, and give you the information you need to make a good decision.

Because sometimes the most valuable thing you get from a roof inspection isn't a new roof.

It isn't an insurance claim.

It's clarity.

08/24/2026

Why I Take So Many Pictures During a Roof Inspection

One of the questions I get asked the most is:

"Why are you taking so many pictures?"

The answer is simple.

Because I want you to see exactly what I see.

Most homeowners will never climb onto their roof.

And honestly, I don't want them to.

Roofs are steep.
They're dangerous.
And unless you've been trained to recognize roofing issues, it's easy to miss what's important.

That's why every inspection I perform is heavily documented with photos.

Not because I'm trying to prove something.

Because I'm trying to educate.

When I sit down with a homeowner, I don't expect them to simply take my word for it.

I show them.

If there's a cracked pipe boot...

You'll see it.

If there's lifted flashing...

You'll see it.

If there are nail pops beginning to work through the shingles...

You'll see them.

And if your roof is in great shape?

You'll see that too.

Some of my favorite appointments end with me saying:

"Good news. Your roof looks great."

Those pictures become your peace of mind.

If I recommend maintenance, you'll understand why.

If I recommend a repair, you'll know exactly where it's needed.

If I recommend a replacement, you'll see the condition that led me to that conclusion.

Good inspections remove opinions.

They replace them with evidence.

I've found that homeowners make the best decisions when they have the same information I have.

No pressure.

No guessing.

Just an honest assessment backed by documentation.

Because my goal isn't to convince you that your roof has a problem.

My goal is to help you understand its condition.

Whether that's good news or bad.

At the end of every inspection, I want homeowners to feel like they learned something about their home—not like they sat through a sales presentation.

That's how trust is built.

One picture at a time.

Question for homeowners:

If you've ever had a home inspection or roof inspection, were photos shared with you? Did they help you better understand your home?

08/11/2026

Your Roof Isn't Usually What Gets Damaged First...

When homeowners think about roof problems, they usually picture missing shingles or a water stain on the ceiling.

Ironically, that's often not where the first damage occurs.

Water is patient.

Once it gets past the roofing system, it follows the path of least resistance. By the time you notice it inside your home, it may have already traveled several feet from where it actually entered.

I've removed shingles that looked perfectly fine only to discover:

Rotten roof decking hidden underneath
Wet insulation that had been holding moisture for months
Mold beginning to form in attic spaces
Rusted roofing nails from long-term moisture exposure
Fascia boards that had slowly deteriorated behind loose gutters

From the ground, the roof appeared perfectly normal.

That's what makes roofing deceptive.

Most serious roof damage is hidden long before it's visible.

One of the biggest misconceptions I hear is:

"If it isn't leaking inside, everything must be okay."

Sometimes that's true.

Many times, it isn't.

Your roof is designed with multiple layers working together—not just shingles.

The shingles shed water.

The flashing protects transitions.

The pipe boots seal around roof penetrations.

The underlayment provides a secondary barrier.

The decking supports the entire system.

When one component begins to fail, the others often compensate for a while. That's why leaks don't always appear immediately.

But while those layers are buying time, moisture can quietly begin affecting the materials underneath.

That's one reason I recommend periodic roof inspections, especially once a roof reaches the 10- to 15-year mark.

The goal isn't to find expensive problems.

The goal is to make sure small maintenance items haven't turned into hidden structural repairs.

Some of the best appointments I have end with me telling a homeowner:

"Everything looks good. I don't see anything that needs attention right now."

That peace of mind is valuable too.

Because if something is developing, it's far better to find it while it's still a simple repair than after it's affected your attic, insulation, drywall, or framing.

Your roof protects everything underneath it.

A little preventative maintenance today can save thousands of dollars tomorrow.

Question for homeowners:

Have you ever had a repair that turned out to be much bigger than you expected once the contractor opened things up? I'd be interested to hear your experience.