Most roofers walk away when the carrier pushes back on a line item. Don doesn't — because he spent five years as a Licensed Public Adjuster before he ever ran a roofing company. We document storm damage the way an adjuster writes an estimate, so the carrier pays for what it should.
A roof claim is not decided by how bad the storm felt. It is decided by what is written in the estimate — the codes, the measurements, the line items, and whether they match what an adjuster expects to approve. Most roofers were never on that side of the table. Don was.
Five years as a Licensed Public Adjuster in Illinois. Fifteen years in contracting. Hundreds of claims handled. That is what lets him maximize the benefit a homeowner actually receives from their carrier — and make sure the home is restored to pre-storm condition, not patched to the cheapest number the insurer can get away with.
He answers his own phone, walks every roof, and signs every contract. From the first inspection to the final warranty, the person reading your claim is the person you talk to.
We walk the roof and document every strike — measurements, photographs, and the specific manufacturer codes an adjuster needs to write a complete estimate. If there is no damage worth a claim, you keep the photos and our notes at no cost.
Carriers cross-check claims against NOAA hail and wind data for your exact address. We confirm the storm date that matches the damage so the claim lines up with the record — the wrong date is one of the most common reasons a legitimate claim gets denied.
When the adjuster's estimate comes back, we compare it line by line against what we found on the roof. Don spent 5 years as a Licensed Public Adjuster in Illinois — he knows what carriers leave off and how to argue for it.
First estimates routinely under-scope drip edge, ice-and-water shield, and overhead-and-profit. A supplement recovers those items. We document to the line so there is nothing for the carrier to push back on.
Once the claim is settled, our crews — not subcontractors — restore the home to pre-storm condition. The work is photographed at every stage for your records and the manufacturer warranty.
A walk-through with you, the manufacturer warranty registered in your name, and our 10-year workmanship warranty that transfers if you sell the home.
Actual Cash Value pays the depreciated worth of an old roof. Replacement Cost Value pays for a new one. Which one applies — and the deadline to recover the difference — is written into your policy. Most homeowners never have it explained, and leave money on the table because of it.
On an RCV policy, the carrier holds back the depreciation until the work is done — then releases it, but only if you claim it inside the deadline. Miss the window and that money is forfeited. We track the timeline so it never lapses.
Your first check is rarely the whole story. A supplement is a documented request for line items the initial estimate missed. Done right, it is not a fight — it is paperwork the carrier expects when the scope is complete.
Drip edge, ice-and-water shield, starter and ridge, flashing, and overhead-and-profit are routinely under-scoped. A complete estimate includes them. We document each one to the code so the carrier has nothing to deny.
About your deductible: on a covered storm claim, most homeowners pay only their insurance deductible. We will never offer to rebate, waive, or absorb it — that is illegal in Illinois, and any contractor who promises it is putting your claim at risk. What we do instead is document the damage so completely that the carrier pays for everything it is obligated to cover.
Four crews operating across DuPage, Cook, Kane, and Will counties. Storm-claim documentation aligned to Illinois carrier scope.
Four crews operating across Cobb, Fulton, DeKalb, and Gwinnett counties. LP SmartSide and DaVinci synthetic specified for Georgia humidity and Class 4 hail.
Asphalt shingles bruise on impact long before they visibly fail — the damage is often invisible from the curb but obvious to a trained eye. The reliable way to know is a professional inspection. We document granule loss, impact bruising, and wind uplift to the scope a carrier will accept, and we tell you honestly whether it is worth filing.
Yes. Don Kaider spent five years as a Licensed Public Adjuster in Illinois before fifteen years in contracting and nine-plus years owning DJK Restoration. He has handled hundreds of insurance claims. That experience is what lets him document a roof the way the carrier expects to see it — and argue for the line items most roofers never even flag.
The inspection is free and carries no obligation. On a covered storm claim, most homeowners pay only their insurance deductible — and our job is to make sure the carrier pays for everything else it is supposed to. We write an itemized estimate before any work begins, and the number on the proposal is the number on the invoice.
Often, yes. A denial frequently comes down to thin documentation or the wrong storm date — both of which can be addressed. Bring us the paperwork and we will tell you honestly whether there is a case to reopen it. Don has worked these from the adjuster's side of the table and knows where denials are soft.
We would advise against it. A carrier's preferred vendor answers to the carrier, not to you. You have the right to choose who restores your home — and to choose someone who documents the claim in your favor rather than the insurer's.
Yes. We document and coordinate roof insurance claims across the Chicagoland suburbs in Illinois and the Atlanta Metro in Georgia. The two states differ on a few points — Illinois has strict consumer-protection rules around storm work, and we follow them to the letter — but the documentation discipline is the same in both.
Free, no-obligation inspection. We'll be in touch inside one business day — Don will be there.
