COURTESY PHOTO
When repair teams from Crowther Roofing & Cooling arrived on Sanibel Island the day after Hurricane Ian, they saw homes with roofs mangled to mere matchsticks and massive air-conditioning units lifted from condo rooftops and deposited in adjoining parking lots. They saw homes without roofs and one still perfectly intact, a job they’d completed just two years ago.
Three weeks after the hurricane cut its destructive path through Southwest Florida and its barrier islands, repair requests at the family-owner Crowther number in the thousands, said Dana Parr, brand ambassador. Compromised roofs exposing homes to the elements are the company’s top priority; smaller repairs, missing tiles or shingles will come after.
“The damage is so extensive we’re just doing triage, taking care of homes that have lost roofs or have only half a roof,” said Ms. Parr. “We’re getting leads from Google, Facebook, online reviews and people are calling me personally. They’re reaching out every way they can.”
Right now, a complete re-roof of a medium-sized house takes about two days. Larger homes, like those in Port Royal and Gulf Harbour, are four to five days.
“I know people are frustrated and I wouldn’t be happy either if I had a hole or a crack in the roof,” Ms. Parr said. “Everyone is working as hard as they can. Some of our people here have lost their homes, too.”
As customers bide their time, Ms. Parr and area construction companies are cautioning homeowners to be patient, be prudent and beware, encouraging them to resist the temptation of hiring any company proposing quick service and budget pricing. Local contractors know all too well that scammers show up after a natural disaster, promise the world, take the money, then run.
For roof repairs and general contracting needs, it’s always best to go with a local business. Even legitimate out-of-state companies aren’t qualified, nor do they have Florida-mandated contracting licenses to fix roofs.
“If it sounds too good to be true, you know it is,” said Ms. Parr. “I understand people are desperate, but these storm chasers don’t know building codes, don’t pull permits and their roofs are going to fail six months from now. Florida has the highest building and roofing standards, and even roofers with goodness in their hearts coming down to help don’t know our codes.”
Ms. Parr said many customers with extensive shingle and tile damage are opting for an upgrade — stronger, more durable metal roofs fabricated in the Crowther’s own facility. They’re more expensive but the metal minimizes flying debris from impaling the roof. She also predicts future difficulties sourcing some materials.
“Supplies are going to be tough, and tile is going to be the toughest. We’ve been dealing with supply issues for a while now,” she said. “I can tell you where the biggest issue is coming — air conditioning units. There’s going to be a shortage.”
She noted condos on Fort Myers Beach, many with dozens to over 100 homes in each building, soon will begin the process of replacing mangled and water-compromised systems. Crowther added a residential air-conditioning division to address potential roof damage caused by AC crews accessing rooftop units and project delays while awaiting AC completion
“Our CEO Lee Scott (Crowther) started the division last year and brought in semi-loads of air conditioners,” said Ms. Parr. “If we’re contracted for a new roof, we can do the air conditioner at the same time.” ¦