After a major storm, the contractor market inverts. Suddenly, good contractors are scarce and expensive, and bad contractors are abundant and aggressive. The property managers who navigate this well are the ones who built their vendor network before they needed it — and who have the systems to manage multiple vendors across multiple properties at once.

Here's how to vet contractors fast, protect yourself legally, and keep your repair jobs running on parallel tracks without losing control.

The Post-Storm Contractor Market

After a significant storm event, qualified local contractors are typically booked within 48–72 hours. What fills the remaining demand: out-of-state contractors who deploy to disaster areas, newly formed companies that materialize after every major event, and legitimate contractors who are overextended and cutting corners.

This isn't a reason to panic — it's a reason to be systematic. The property managers who get quality repairs at fair prices are the ones who aren't desperate, because they pre-qualified their contractor network and have those relationships already in place.

Pre-Season Vendor Network: What You Need

Before storm season, build a roster with at least two qualified options for each trade you'll need:

  • Roofing — your highest-volume need after a storm
  • Water mitigation / remediation — for flooding and water intrusion
  • General contracting — for structural damage and interior repairs
  • Electrical — for surge damage and panel issues
  • Plumbing — for pipe damage from structural stress or freezing
  • Tree service — for fallen trees and debris removal

Two vendors per trade means you have a backup when your primary is overbooked, and you can prioritize by property urgency.

How to Vet a Contractor Fast

When you have to evaluate a contractor quickly — especially a referral you haven't worked with — here's what to verify:

CONTRACTOR VERIFICATION CHECKLIST
✓State contractor license — verify at the state licensing board website, not just their card
✓General liability insurance — minimum $1M, ask for a certificate of insurance naming you as additional insured
✓Workers' compensation insurance — required for any contractor with employees
✓Physical address — not just a P.O. box. Post-storm "pop-up" contractors often can't provide one
✓References — at least two recent jobs in your area, contactable
✓Written contract with itemized scope of work before any work begins
✓Payment terms — reputable contractors do not require full payment upfront
Red flags to walk away from: Demands full payment before work begins. Can't provide a license number. Pressures you to sign immediately. Claims they "just drove through the area and noticed the damage." Refuses to provide a written contract. Cannot show current insurance certificates.

Managing Multiple Contractors Across Multiple Properties

When you have 15 properties and 8 active repair jobs running simultaneously, contractor management becomes its own full-time job. Without a system, things fall through: a vendor scheduled for Tuesday doesn't show up, a repair completes but the photos weren't taken before they left, a contractor submits an invoice for work that was scoped differently.

What to track for every active job

  • Which property, which vendor, which trade
  • Start date, expected completion, actual completion
  • Scope of work agreed upon (keep the written contract)
  • Progress photos at each stage
  • Invoice received and amount
  • Payment status — partial, final, disputed
  • Insurance claim connection — is this repair part of an active claim?

That last item matters: if a repair is tied to an insurance claim, the invoice and completion photos go to the insurer as part of your Recoverable Depreciation release. If you lose track of which repairs are claim-related, you may not collect what you're owed.

Documentation During Repairs

Insurers want to see before, during, and after documentation for significant repairs. "During" photos — showing what was found when they opened up a wall, or the full extent of roof decking replacement — are your best protection against supplement disputes.

Make it a condition of every repair job: contractors must send you photos at the start, at any point where additional damage is discovered, and at completion. This also helps you verify they did what they said they did.

Track every vendor, every property, every stage

LossHQ's vendor management module keeps contractor licenses, insurance certificates, job status, and photos organized across your entire portfolio — so nothing falls through the cracks during your busiest season.

Start Free — No Card Required →

Handling Disputes

Even with good contractors, disputes happen — over scope, quality, or payment. Your position in any dispute is much stronger if you have a written contract, documented progress photos, and clear communication in writing (texts and emails, not just phone calls).

For significant disputes, Florida has a contractor licensing board complaint process. If a contractor is unlicensed and something goes wrong, you may have limited recourse — which is why license verification before work begins is non-negotiable, not optional.