The storm passes. The sky clears. And within 48 hours, someone you have never seen before is knocking on your door in a pickup truck, telling you your roof is totaled and they can get started Monday.
This is storm chasing, and Central Texas homeowners deal with it after every significant hail event. It happens in San Marcos. It happens in Kyle, Buda, New Braunfels, and every town in Hays County when spring brings the hail season north from the Gulf.
Some of these contractors do fine work. Some do not. The problem is that by the time you find out which one you hired, they are already in Oklahoma.
Why Storm Chasers Come to Central Texas
A single hail event in Hays County can damage hundreds of roofs in an afternoon. For contractors from out of state, that is a business opportunity. They follow storm paths across the country, working high-volume jobs quickly, collecting insurance payments, and moving on before callbacks start.
That business model is not illegal. But it does create real problems for homeowners who need someone to stand behind the work for years, not weeks.
Insurance-funded roof replacements are significant jobs. When a roofing crew cuts corners on flashing, skips the ice and water barrier, or uses a shingle grade that barely meets your insurance adjuster’s minimum spec, you will not know it until the next storm. By then, the company that did the work may have dissolved, moved to a new market, or simply stopped answering the phone.
What to Look For in Any Roofing Contractor
Before you sign anything or hand over your insurance paperwork, ask these questions directly.
Are you licensed in Texas? Texas does not require a statewide roofing license, but contractors should carry a valid state contractor license where applicable and should be registered with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation if they do work requiring permits. Ask for their license number and verify it.
Do you carry liability insurance and workers compensation? Ask for a certificate of insurance naming you as the certificate holder. A legitimate contractor will provide this before any work begins. A storm chaser may produce a document that looks official but reflects a policy that has already lapsed or covers nothing useful. Call the insurance company listed on the certificate and verify coverage is active.
Do you have a physical address in Texas? Not a P.O. box. Not a residential address in another state. A business address you can walk into. This is not foolproof, but it is a baseline indicator that the company has roots somewhere.
Can you provide local references from the past 12 months? Not a national review page with dozens of 5-star ratings from cities across the country. Local jobs, in Hays County or adjacent areas, from homeowners you can actually call.
Will you pull the permit? In most Central Texas municipalities, a roof replacement requires a permit. Some contractors skip this step because permits require inspections and add paperwork. If a contractor is unwilling to pull the permit, that tells you something about how they feel about having their work inspected.
The GAF Master Elite Distinction
One of the clearest indicators of a committed, established roofing company is GAF Master Elite certification. GAF is the largest roofing manufacturer in North America, and fewer than 3% of roofing contractors in the country earn the Master Elite designation.
To earn it, a contractor must be properly licensed, carry adequate insurance, maintain a strong reputation with their manufacturer rep, and commit to ongoing training. GAF does not hand this certification out as a marketing reward. A storm chaser working a market for a season does not earn it.
Divided Sky Roofing and Solar holds GAF Master Elite certification. We also carry Owens Corning Platinum Preferred status, which puts us in the top 1% of roofing contractors nationally. These are not decorations. They are the result of years of consistent work done the right way, and they come with warranty options that a non-certified contractor simply cannot offer you.
What Happens When You Use a GAF Master Elite Contractor
When Divided Sky replaces your roof using GAF materials, you have access to the Golden Pledge warranty. This is GAF’s strongest protection, covering both materials and workmanship for up to 25 years. It is transferable if you sell your home, which adds real value to the transaction.
A storm chaser installing generic shingles with no manufacturer relationship gives you whatever limited workmanship warranty their company is still alive to honor. That is a significant difference.
What to Do if Someone Knocks on Your Door After a Storm
Be polite. Take their card. Do not sign anything at the door.
You have time. Insurance claim deadlines in Texas are not measured in days. You can take a few days to do your research, get a second opinion, and choose a contractor you are confident in.
Call a local company. Ask your neighbors who they have used. Check the Better Business Bureau and Google reviews specifically for your market. Look for the GAF Master Elite or Owens Corning Platinum Preferred badges.
If you want a free, honest assessment from a contractor who has been serving San Marcos, Kyle, Buda, and New Braunfels for years, Divided Sky offers no-pressure roof inspections after any storm event. We will tell you what we see, help you understand what your insurance adjuster will be looking for, and let you make the decision on your own terms.
You do not have to say yes to anyone at your door. You get to choose.
