Siding, Roofing Repairs Common Sight in Stow this Spring

If you haven't, chances are good one of your neighbors has replaced their siding or had their roof repaired this year thanks to a severe storm that swept through Northeast Ohio in July 2012.

Dozens of Stow homeowners, and hundreds more throughout central and Northeast Ohio, are getting fresh siding and new roofs this spring as they look to repair damage caused largely by high winds almost one year ago.

Melissa Bysura, a Galaxy Drive resident, had both her siding and roof replaced.

"And for the roof it was a complete tear off and a brand new, one-layer put down," Bysura said.

Bysura worked with The Third Estimate Corporation, a Hudson firm that specializes in roofing and siding repairs.

Steve Colopy, president of The Third Estimate, said his workers have been involved in more than 120 siding or roof replacement jobs in Stow since July 4, 2012.

Colopy said Ohio homes saw an estimated half-billion dollars in damage caused by storms during the July Fourth weekend last year.

"But that number always goes up because time progresses and people realize there’s more damage," he said.

Already this year the city of Stow has issued 50 building permits for new roofing or siding projects between January and March 2013.

Bysura said it was after that storm that they noticed marks all over their siding, but she didn't want to file an insurance claim because of the associated paper work and other time-consuming, and often stressful, leg work.

So she contacted The Third Estimate, which coordinated with her insurance company for an inspection of the house and damage assessment.

"And the insurance company right on the spot said ‘OK, you can do it all,'" Bysura said. "I was shocked. Isn’t the insurance company supposed to not do anything for you?"

She said all they had to do was pay the $500 deductible, and the insurance company covered the rest of the close to $17,000 in repairs.

Colopy said insurance coverage varies. Some insurance firms will allow for claims to be filed and repair work finished up to one year after a damage incident such as last summer's storms.

Other insurance companies will only give a six-month window for claims and repairs.

Homeowners should contact their insurance provider for individual policy coverage information.

Colopy said that his firm specializes in working with insurance companies to assess the damage first to ensure complete coverage of the repair work.

"An insurance company might say ‘Here’s what we’re willing to pay you,' and then the homeowner shops for estimates and they find out it isn’t enough to cover the damage," he said. "So we start from the beginning with the insurance company."

Colopy recommends homeowners who want to get coverage of their repairs before the one-year period expires contact their insurance provider soon to get the process started.

Bysura said they started the process in October 2012, and construction started in November 2012. The actual work took less than three days to finish.

"It’s absolutely beautiful," she said. "I’m so happy. It was a lot easier than I  thought it was going to be and well worth it."