When a seller's roof has storm damage before the house is listed, a listing agent can help the seller get a written scope of work and written bids from more than one contractor on that same scope. Otter Quotes creates the scope of work and sends it to multiple contractors, so the seller can compare bids online and decide.
What are the seller's options when the roof has storm damage before listing?
A seller generally has three paths: repair or replace the roof before listing, list the house as it is, or agree to a price adjustment or credit with the buyer. The seller and the buyer choose among them with their own professionals. Each path is easier to discuss when the seller has a written scope and bids to point to.
| Option | What it looks like | What the seller may want in hand |
|---|---|---|
| Repair or replace before listing | The seller hires a contractor and the work is done before showings or before a contract | A written scope, written bids on that scope, and the signed contract and any warranty paperwork |
| List the house as it is | The seller lists with the damage in place and the buyer's side decides what to do about it | Written bids on one scope, so the number being discussed is not a guess |
| Price adjustment or credit | The parties negotiate an adjustment or credit in place of a repair done by the seller | Written bids on one scope, as a starting point for the parties and their own professionals |
Otter Quotes does not recommend one path over another. The choice depends on the seller's plans, the contract and the advice of the people the seller works with.
What about disclosure of the damage?
Seller disclosure duties differ from state to state and from one transaction to the next. This guide does not say what your state requires, and Otter Quotes does not give legal advice. Ask your broker or your attorney, and read your state's seller disclosure form before you advise a seller on what to say about the roof.
Some states publish an official seller disclosure form with a question about the roof. As one example only, the Ohio Department of Commerce Residential Property Disclosure Form asks:
"Do you know of any previous or current leaks or other material problems with the roof or rain gutters?"
That is Ohio's form. It is not a statement about the form, the questions or the duties in any other state, and it is not advice about a particular sale.
Why get a written scope and bids before the house is listed?
Contractors price a repair or replacement from a scope of work, a written list of the work to be done. One bid gives a seller nothing to compare it to, and bids written for different work do not compare. A written scope sent to several contractors puts the same question to each of them and can get comparable numbers back.
Time matters in a listing. A seller waiting to learn what the roof will cost may also be waiting to set a price or a list date. Getting the scope out early can shorten that wait. It cannot promise how many bids arrive or when, and the contractor sets the repair schedule. Our side-by-side worksheet for roofing bids is a table the seller can fill in, one column per bid.
How does Otter Quotes work for a seller I represent?
Otter Quotes creates a written scope of work for the roof and sends it to multiple contractors. Contractors who bid all work from the same scope and the same professional measurements. The seller compares the bids online, next to reviews and licensing information, with no salesperson in the home, and chooses which bid to accept.
Here is the path for a seller who comes from your referral link:
- The seller opens your referral link and creates an account.
- The seller provides a copy of an insurance estimate if there is one, or purchases professional measurements of the property.
- The seller selects what needs to be quoted, such as the roof.
- Otter Quotes sends the scope of work to contractors, who can submit bids.
- The seller compares the bids, chooses one, and signs the contract online.
Otter Quotes does not inspect roofs or assess damage, does not work with the seller's insurance company, and does not sell upgrades. Contractors pay Otter Quotes a fee on the accepted bid. Contractors do not see the seller's name, phone number or street address until the seller chooses one.
What can a listing agent hand the seller?
A listing agent can hand the seller a short folder, so the roof does not become a loose end during the listing. Nothing in it replaces advice from your broker or attorney.
- The written scope of work for the roof, so every bid refers to the same work.
- Written bids on that scope, side by side, with each contractor's license information and reviews.
- Material and warranty details from each bid, by manufacturer and product line, and what each warranty covers.
- The signed contract, the invoice and any permit paperwork, if the seller repairs, kept together and ready to share with the buyer's side.
- Your state's seller disclosure form, with a note to talk to your broker or attorney about the roof section.
If the seller has an insurance claim open, questions about the claim, the policy or any estimate the insurer wrote are for the seller's insurer. The seller can ask the insurer to explain its own document.
How can bids on one scope help a buyer trust the number?
A buyer's side that sees one repair price from one contractor has to decide whether to take it on faith. Several written bids on the same scope let the buyer's agent see how the prices compare. That does not make any price correct. It gives both sides one document to discuss instead of a number with no source.
The same holds for a credit or price adjustment: each side can review the bids with their own professionals.
What should a listing agent ask?
Copy these into your notes. The first group is for your broker or attorney. The second is for every contractor, so the answers are easier to compare.
For your broker or attorney
- What does my state's seller disclosure form ask about the roof, and when does the seller complete it?
- Does my listing agreement or my brokerage's policy say anything about repairs the seller arranges?
- If the seller repairs, which records should be kept and shared?
For each contractor
- Does this bid cover the same written scope as the other bids?
- Which materials are included, by manufacturer and product line?
- What does the warranty cover, for how long, and who stands behind it? Can it be passed to the next owner?
- What license information can you show me, and where can I look it up?
- Will your own crew do the work, or a subcontractor?
- What is not included in this bid?
- What are the payment terms, and what is the proposed start date?
Where does Otter Quotes fit?
Otter Quotes is helping after the storm; it is not a storm contractor. It creates a written scope of work for the seller's roof and sends it to multiple contractors, who compete with bids on that same scope. The seller compares the bids online, next to reviews and licensing information, and signs online if they choose a bid. Otter Quotes does not inspect or assess damage, does not work with insurance companies, and does not sell upgrades. Contractors Compete. Homeowners Win.
How do I refer a seller?
Sign up as a real estate partner to get your personal referral link, then send the link to your client.
Check your employment agreement and your governing licensing agency to make sure it is lawful for you to accept referral fees.
Frequently asked questions
Does a listing agent have to disclose storm damage to the roof?
Seller disclosure duties differ from state to state and from one transaction to the next, and this guide does not say what yours require. Ask your broker or your attorney, and read your state's seller disclosure form. Otter Quotes does not give legal advice and cannot tell an agent or a seller what must be disclosed.
Should the seller repair the roof before listing or offer a credit?
Either can be a reasonable choice, and the seller and the buyer make it with their own professionals. Otter Quotes does not recommend one. It creates a written scope of work and sends it to multiple contractors, so a seller weighing a repair against a price adjustment has written bids on one scope to discuss.
Does Otter Quotes inspect the roof or assess the damage?
No. Otter Quotes does not offer inspections or assessments of a roof, and it does not work with the seller's insurance company. Otter Quotes creates a written scope of work for the project and sends it to multiple contractors. Contractors who bid all price that same scope of work.
Does Otter Quotes recommend a contractor?
No. Contractors compete for the seller's business on the platform, and the seller decides which bid to accept. Contractors pay Otter Quotes a fee on the accepted bid. Otter Quotes is not a contractor and does not sell upgrades. Its role is to send the scope of work to contractors and put their bids side by side.
What does it cost the seller, and what does it cost the agent?
A seller who provides a copy of an insurance estimate does not need to purchase measurements. A seller without one pays an upfront charge for professional measurements that every contractor uses, and that charge is refunded if the seller completes a job on the platform. Signing up as a referral partner costs the agent nothing.