Landlords...how you get repairs done?

[Frank]

I believe the roof on my rent house is due for replacement. I don't want one of those crooked companies to come by and say "yeah, its damaged. We will replace it for free and your insurance will cover it" just to have my insurance deny or up my rates. I have been holding out the past couple of years in hopes a storm might take care of it but no dice. Mostly I am speculating here as I have not had it inspected yet. I am a little reluctant to have my insurance company send someone out.

So big ticket items like roof, or foundation, do you eat the cost up front and write it off come tax time? Just curious.

[mikec]

I can look at it for you and tell you what is happening with it Frank. I did insurance inspections on roofs for 12 years, and in that time, almost figured out what I was doing...

[Ratt]

I dont like how hoof plural is hooves, but roof plural is roofs.

[94form2000z]

I bit the cost and did it myself. I did bid the job out to about 6 companies. Found a guy to use a 30 yr shingle and provide any decking needed for free that came in $500 cheaper than the lowest 20 yr shingle bid. Plus they all wanted extra for decking replacement..

If close to Arlington area, ya might let him bid yours.
Found this number on net, not sure it is correct.
Hobbs Roofing (Dana Hobbs) - Arlington, Texas
Phone: (817) 793-0233

Same on the foundation, bid it out. been there done that and doing it again as we speak.

[Frank]

I bit the cost and did it myself. I did bid the job out to about 6 companies. Found a guy to use a 30 yr shingle and provide any decking needed for free that came in $500 cheaper than the lowest 20 yr shingle bid. Plus they all wanted extra for decking replacement..

If close to Arlington area, ya might let him bid yours.
Found this number on net, not sure it is correct.
Hobbs Roofing (Dana Hobbs) - Arlington, Texas
Phone: (817) 793-0233

Same on the foundation, bid it out. been there done that and doing it again as we speak.

How do you bid out jobs? Paper? CL? Is there kind of a standard format for such a thing? Also, how do you ensure you are not held liable if they are hurt on your property? I heard there is a form you can have them sign if they are not bonded. I intend to use this on any work I have done if they are not bonded.

[94form2000z]

How do you bid out jobs? Paper? CL? Is there kind of a standard format for such a thing? Also, how do you ensure you are not held liable if they are hurt on your property? I heard there is a form you can have them sign if they are not bonded. I intend to use this on any work I have done if they are not bonded.

For starters I would not use anyone that didn't cover themselves on the jobsite. But although the Internet is cool for searching out companies, I still find the physical yellow pages a lot better organized to call companies local to here and make appointments..

Just call them and schedule consultations / bids and gather them up.

[stangin4lyfe]

*** Mods....Please move this to the home improvement forum. ***

I want to call the above contact for a bid on my roof after a big storm.

[1fast4]

From a landlord standpoint and doing it yourself, you can claim the materials but not the labor come tax time. So make sure your "labor" is receipted and paid to whom ever you chose to do it if you don't go completely with an outside company. Found that out the hard way on my floors last year.

[71chevellejohn]

burn the house down, claim insurance and let them rebuild it. boom, new roof!

[propellerhead]

I can look at it for you and tell you what is happening with it Frank. I did insurance inspections on roofs for 12 years, and in that time, almost figured out what I was doing...

Count my vote in.

When a hailstorm came through my 'hood, two roofing companies were all over the block with their signs in people's yards. They had the full blown sales talk of going to battle for you against the evil insurance companies.

I called my insurance company and told them what the roofing companies were telling me so they sent one of their guys. The estimator for the insurance company said there was nothing but normal wear and tear.

To get a third independent opinion, I called Allforoneroofing and got a straight answer. No sales talk. No scare tactics.