After every major Florida hurricane, the same dynamic plays out: property managers who did not build vendor relationships before the storm spend the first two weeks trying to find any licensed contractor willing to respond, while managers who established pre-season agreements are already in the repair queue. Contractor capacity after a major storm is finite. The allocation goes to existing relationships first. Building those relationships before June 1 is one of the highest-leverage preparation steps a Florida property manager can take.
Why Vendor Relationships Matter Most After a Major Storm
Three post-storm dynamics make pre-established vendor relationships critical:
Contractor Shortages
After a hurricane affecting a large geographic area -- Ian (2022), Irma (2017), Michael (2018) -- licensed contractor capacity is overwhelmed within 48 hours. Roofing contractors who can do 15 jobs per week are fielding 200 calls. Their capacity goes to existing customers and pre-season agreement holders first. Property managers without existing relationships wait weeks or months for an initial visit.
Price Gouging and Unlicensed Operators
Florida law prohibits price gouging during declared states of emergency, but enforcement is imperfect and post-storm pricing frequently exceeds normal market rates. More dangerous: unlicensed contractors flood affected areas after every major storm. They offer fast turnaround, cash payment, and immediate start -- and frequently disappear with deposits, perform substandard work, or create additional liability exposure through unpermitted repairs. A pre-season vendor list with verified licensed contractors eliminates the moment of vulnerability when an unknown contractor knocks on the door offering to start work immediately.
Insurance Requirements
Your insurer requires all repair work to be performed by licensed, insured contractors. Work performed by unlicensed contractors can void coverage for that scope of work. Pre-season vendor agreements with verified licensed contractors protect insurance eligibility in addition to protecting work quality.
Vendor Relationships to Establish Before June 1
Each of these represents a different phase of post-storm response. The board-up and tarping service responds in the first 24 hours to perform emergency mitigation. Water mitigation responds within 24-48 hours to prevent mold. The roofer, electrician, plumber, and general contractor respond in the days and weeks following for structural repairs. Tree service and debris removal coordinate with the initial cleanup phase.
What to Include in a Pre-Season Vendor Agreement
A pre-season vendor agreement does not need to be complex. It is a short document -- two to three pages is typical -- that establishes the terms under which work will be awarded rather than committing either party to specific jobs. Key provisions:
Priority Response Commitment
The contractor commits to respond to your properties within a specified timeframe after a storm -- typically 24-48 hours for emergency services (board-up, tarping, water mitigation) and 3-5 business days for non-emergency assessment visits. Define "respond" specifically: phone call to schedule, or physical presence on site.
Rate Caps or Pre-Agreed Rate Schedule
Establish labor rates and common material markups before the storm. This does not mean you are locking in final prices for jobs not yet scoped -- it means you have a rate basis that applies to work authorized under the agreement. Post-storm labor rate spikes of 30-50% above normal market rates are common in Florida after major storms. A pre-agreed rate schedule eliminates the negotiation when you are under time pressure.
License and Insurance Verification
Confirm the contractor's current license number, license type, and expiration. Verify their general liability and workers compensation coverage with the insurer -- not just from the certificate. Document both verifications. Re-verify at renewal each year.
Payment Terms
Establish net 30 payment terms or similar. Do not agree to large cash deposits in advance -- that is a fraud red flag. A standard arrangement is 10-20% deposit at contract signing for larger jobs, with progress payments tied to completion milestones and final payment on completion and inspection.
No AOB Requirement
Include explicit language that the contractor agrees not to require an assignment of benefits as a condition of beginning or completing work. Under Florida law post-SB 2A, broad AOB for residential property is prohibited, but contractors may still request limited AOB language. Your pre-season agreement should state clearly that all work is on a direct-payment basis.
How to Verify Contractor Licenses Through DBPR
The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) maintains a public license lookup at myfloridalicense.com. Search by contractor name or license number. Confirm:
- License is active (not expired, suspended, or revoked)
- License type matches the work (roofing license for roofing, electrical for electrical -- they are separate license categories)
- No disciplinary actions or pending complaints
- Business name matches what the contractor is operating under
Run this verification before signing any pre-season agreement and again before authorizing any post-storm work. License status can change between the time you set up the agreement and when you need to use it.
After Hurricane Ian, the Florida Attorney General received thousands of contractor fraud complaints. The most common pattern: an out-of-state contractor solicits work door-to-door, collects a deposit, performs poor-quality work or none at all, and cannot be located afterward. Verify every contractor through DBPR before authorizing work -- even after a major storm when time pressure is high. Unlicensed work can void your insurance claim for that scope and creates additional liability if a worker is injured on your property.
What to Do When a Pre-Season Vendor Is Unavailable After a Major Storm
After a catastrophic storm, even pre-season vendors may be overwhelmed beyond their capacity. Build redundancy into your vendor list by maintaining two contacts per critical trade category. When your primary vendor is unavailable:
- Contact your backup vendor immediately
- If backup is also unavailable, verify any new contractor through DBPR before authorizing work
- For emergency mitigation (board-up, tarping), document your good-faith effort to reach pre-season vendors -- insurers understand that post-catastrophe contractor availability is limited, but documentation of your effort supports your duty-to-mitigate position
- Do not use an unverified contractor for anything beyond emergency mitigation -- wait for verified vendors for all repair work
The strongest pre-season vendor relationships are built through year-round referrals and work assignments -- not just an agreement signed in April and forgotten until a storm hits. Contractors who have worked at your properties, been paid promptly, and received referrals prioritize those clients when storm response capacity is limited. A vendor relationship maintained through off-season work is worth more than a signed agreement with a contractor who has never worked for you.
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Pre-season vendor agreements give you priority access to licensed contractors when post-storm demand exceeds capacity. Establish relationships with seven vendor types before June 1: roofer, general contractor, plumber, electrician, board-up service, tree service, and water mitigation company. Verify all licenses through DBPR and insurance certificates with carriers. Include priority response commitments, rate caps, and a no-AOB clause in each agreement. Maintain backup contacts for every critical trade. The vendors who respond to your call in the first 48 hours after a storm will determine the speed and quality of your recovery. For related guidance, see contractor fraud after Florida hurricanes, the Florida property manager emergency contact list, and what to do immediately after a hurricane.