How to Read Your Adjuster's Roof Estimate: The Line Items DFW Homeowners Miss
Most underpaid hail claims in Dallas–Fort Worth are not denials — they are estimates missing five or six line items. Here's the checklist we run on every adjuster estimate we see.
Underpayment on a Dallas–Fort Worth hail claim rarely looks like a denial. It looks like a tidy, professional estimate that is simply missing the items required to actually build the roof.
The checklist
- Squares and waste. Compare total squares to your roof's real measurement. Steep and cut-up roofs need more than the default waste factor.
- Tear-off layers. Two layers means two layers of removal and disposal.
- Synthetic underlayment. Frequently priced as felt.
- Ice-and-water / valley protection. Required in valleys and at penetrations by most manufacturer specs.
- Drip edge. Code-required in Texas. Left off constantly.
- Starter course and ridge cap. Manufacturer-specified accessories, not optional upgrades — leaving them out voids the warranty.
- Ventilation. Ridge vent, turbines, or box vents replaced in kind, plus intake.
- Flashing. Step, counter, chimney, and pipe boots.
- Decking. Allowance for replacing rotten or non-conforming sheathing found at tear-off.
- Steep and two-story charges. Real labor costs, routinely omitted.
- Detach and reset. Satellite dishes, solar attachments, gutters, HVAC.
- Permit fees. Varies by city across DFW.
What to do with a gap
Missing items are handled through a supplement: documented photos, the code or manufacturer citation, and a corrected line item submitted to the carrier. Most legitimate supplements are approved. It just requires someone to actually submit them with evidence.
Send us your estimate and roof address and we will compare it against what the roof needs — free. Request a review or call (844) 893-7326.