Roof Documentation for the Laura and Delta Rebuild Cycle That Is Still Running
Hurricane Laura hit Calcasieu Parish as a Category 4 storm in August of 2020, and six weeks later Hurricane Delta came through the same footprint before repairs from Laura were finished. Owners, adjusters, and contractors across this area are still working through that double hit today. We document roof condition for claims and rebuilds. We do not promise claim outcomes, settlement amounts, or approval timelines, because those decisions belong to the carrier, not to us.
A Rebuild Cycle That Has Not Actually Closed
Drive through parts of Calcasieu, Jeff Davis, and Cameron Parish today and you will still see blue tarps and patched sections on commercial buildings that took damage in 2020. Some of that is slow claims resolution, some is buildings that got a temporary repair and never got the full reroof the damage called for, and some is deferred maintenance that a storm exposed rather than caused. Distinguishing between those three situations with real documentation is the difference between a claim that holds up and one that gets disputed.
Older commercial roofs in this area, particularly buildings roofed before the storms with modified bitumen or aging built-up systems, show damage patterns that mix old wear with storm impact. Sorting that mix out honestly, on the record, protects the owner more than an inflated damage report does, because carriers scrutinize claims from this market closely given how large the 2020 loss event was.
We also see buildings where a second storm compounded a first repair. A roof section patched after Laura and then hit again six weeks later by Delta may show two distinct damage events on the same deck, and separating what Laura caused from what Delta added is part of an honest record, even when it is more complicated than attributing everything to a single event.
What Documentation Actually Needs to Show
A photo of a damaged roof by itself does not tell an adjuster much. We document roof condition in a way built to hold up under review: dated photographs of each layer as a section is opened up, moisture scan readings across the affected area, deck condition where fasteners and sheathing are exposed, and a description of the damage pattern that notes whether it is consistent with wind, with wind-driven debris, or with age-related wear that predates the storm event in question.
We also document what the roof looked like before repair began wherever that record exists, and we photograph the same locations again once temporary dry-in or emergency work is complete, so there is a continuous record rather than a single snapshot. That continuity matters more than any single photo when a claim gets reviewed months after the storm.
Where a roof has multiple systems or additions from different eras, which is common on older commercial buildings in this area, we document each section separately rather than treating the whole roof as one uniform condition. A membrane addition from a decade after original construction ages and fails differently than the original section next to it, and a claim that lumps them together tends to draw more questions from a carrier than one that separates them clearly from the start.
Working With Adjusters and Public Adjusters Without Overreaching
We work alongside carrier adjusters and public adjusters as the party with direct knowledge of roof construction and condition. Our role is to give factual, specific information: what system is on the roof, what the damage pattern looks like, what a like-kind-and-quality replacement requires, and what the manufacturer's own specifications call for on a comparable system. We do not tell a property owner what their claim is worth, we do not promise a certain outcome, and we do not adjust language in a report to fit a target number. What we put in a documentation package is what we can support with photos, scan readings, and manufacturer data.
That approach is slower and less satisfying than a promise of a fast, favorable settlement, but it is the only version of documentation that still means something once a claim gets a second look.
What Goes Into a Documentation Package
- Dated photographs of each roof layer as it is exposed during tear-off or inspection
- Moisture scan mapping across the affected roof area
- Deck and fastener condition photos where sheathing is visible
- Notes correlating damage location and pattern with wind direction and storm timeline
- Manufacturer specification sheets supporting like-kind-and-quality replacement scope
- A written description separating storm-related damage from pre-existing wear where both are present
Questions We Get From Owners and Adjusters
Will you tell me what my claim should settle for?
No. That determination belongs to your carrier and, where applicable, your public adjuster. We provide factual roof condition documentation that supports the claims process, not a settlement figure.
Can you tell the difference between storm damage and old wear on my roof?
We can describe what we observe, including damage patterns that are consistent with wind or wind-driven debris versus wear that predates the event, but the final coverage determination is the carrier's call.
How fast can you get a tarp on after a storm before full documentation happens?
Emergency dry-in comes first when a building is actively taking on water, and we photograph conditions before and after that work so the record is not lost in the rush to stop the leak.
Do you work directly with public adjusters?
Yes, we provide the technical roof documentation a public adjuster needs and coordinate scheduling with them directly.
My building still has a tarp from 2020. Where do we start?
We start with a full roof and deck inspection to document current condition, since a tarp that old usually means underlying deck and insulation damage that needs to be scoped honestly before any repair or replacement plan makes sense.
