After every hurricane season, Florida homeowners face the same problem: hundreds of contractors suddenly appear offering storm damage repair, and it’s nearly impossible to tell who’s legitimate. The wrong choice means shoddy repairs, abandoned projects, or money lost to scams. Here’s how to evaluate a storm damage contractor and protect yourself.
Verify the License — No Exceptions
Florida law requires a licensed contractor for most permitted residential construction work. For storm damage repair — which almost always involves roofing, structural work, plumbing, or electrical — a license is mandatory.
How to verify:
- General/Residential contractors: Search MyFloridaLicense.com (DBPR) using the contractor’s name or license number. Look for an active CRC (Certified Residential Contractor) or CGC (Certified General Contractor) license.
- Adjusters: If the contractor claims insurance adjusting credentials, verify at FLDFS Licensee Search.
A contractor who can’t provide a license number on request is a contractor you should not hire.
Look for Insurance Restoration Experience Specifically
Storm damage repair is not the same as a kitchen remodel. Insurance-funded projects require:
- Damage documented to the standard carriers expect
- Estimates formatted in Xactimate (the software carriers use internally)
- Coordination with the carrier’s adjuster on the scope of loss
- Compliance with the original claim documentation through final inspection
A contractor who does excellent remodeling work but has never navigated an insurance restoration project may deliver great construction — and still cost you money by missing documentation requirements that affect your claim.
Ask specifically: How many insurance restoration projects have you completed? Are you familiar with Xactimate? Have you worked with [your carrier name]?
Get Multiple Estimates — But Compare Apples to Apples
Three estimates is the standard recommendation, but the numbers only mean something if each contractor is scoping the same work. A $15,000 estimate and a $35,000 estimate might reflect different scopes, not different prices for the same work.
Ask each contractor to provide a line-item estimate so you can see exactly what’s included. If one estimate includes mold remediation and another doesn’t mention it, that’s a scope gap — not a savings.
Watch These Red Flags
“Sign this contract today before I move to the next job.” Legitimate contractors don’t pressure you into same-day decisions after a storm. They’re busy, yes — but urgency should come from the damage, not from a sales pitch.
Demands for large upfront payments. Under Florida law (§489.126), when a contractor collects an initial deposit of more than 10% of the contract price on residential work, they are required to apply for permits within 30 days and begin work within 90 days after permits are issued. A contractor who fails to meet those deadlines — or fails to refund the payment — can face criminal penalties. A contractor asking for 50% upfront before any work begins is a red flag.
No verifiable local presence. Storm chasers travel from out of state, collect deposits, do minimal work, and disappear. A contractor with a verifiable local presence and an active Florida license is a safer bet.
Assignment of Benefits (AOB) pressure. An AOB transfers your insurance claim rights to the contractor. While legal in Florida, it removes your control over the claim. Understand exactly what you’re signing before transferring any rights.
No permit discussion. If the contractor doesn’t mention permits, they’re either planning to skip them (illegal and voids your insurance coverage) or they don’t understand the scope well enough to know permits are required.
Questions to Ask Before Hiring
- What is your Florida contractor license number? (Verify it yourself)
- How many insurance restoration projects have you completed?
- Do you prepare Xactimate-formatted estimates?
- Will you pull all required Pinellas County permits?
- Who manages the project day-to-day — you or a subcontractor?
- Can you provide references from recent storm damage repair clients?
- What is your payment schedule — and what triggers each payment?
- Do you carry general liability and workers’ compensation insurance?
Why Classic Enterprises Florida
Tim at Classic Enterprises holds a Florida Certified Residential Contractor license (CRC1335151) and a Licensed Independent Adjuster license (W137218) — a dual credential backed by thousands of claims worked across more than a dozen named hurricanes. That background means storm damage documentation is thorough, repair scopes are accurate, and the construction is managed from start to finish by a licensed contractor — not a salesperson or a subcontractor acting as a lead.
Call (813) 434-6249 for a storm damage assessment in St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo, or anywhere in Pinellas County.
Learn more about insurance restoration services →
Classic Enterprises is a licensed contractor, not a public adjuster, and does not negotiate or represent your claim against your insurer. If your claim requires representation, Tim can recommend a licensed public adjuster or attorney.
FL Certified Residential Contractor CRC1335151 | FL Licensed Independent Adjuster W137218