Hiring a Contractor After a Hurricane in SWFL

After a hurricane, Southwest Florida fills up with trucks, door hangers and people offering to fix your roof today. Some are reputable contractors from out of the area helping with a real surge in demand. Others are storm chasers: unlicensed operators who take deposits, do poor work or disappear. Homeowners in Lee, Collier, Charlotte and Hendry counties saw plenty of both after Hurricane Ian in 2022.

This guide covers what to do in the first days after a storm, how to vet a contractor when everyone is busy, and the warning signs that should make you walk away.

First, stay safe and document everything

Before you hire anyone, protect yourself and your claim:

Stay out of damaged structures until it's safe, and keep clear of downed power lines and standing water.
Photograph and video the damage from multiple angles, inside and out, before anything is moved or repaired. Keep damaged materials if you can, or photograph them before disposal.
Call your insurance company to report the claim and ask what they need from you. Write down your claim number and the name of everyone you speak with.
Make reasonable temporary repairs to prevent further damage, such as tarping a roof or covering broken windows, and keep receipts. Most policies expect you to take reasonable steps to limit additional damage. Ask your insurer what they'll cover.

Temporary protection is not the same as permanent repair. You don't have to sign a big contract in the first week to protect your home.

How storm-chaser scams usually work

Most post-storm scams follow a few familiar patterns:

Large upfront payments. The "contractor" asks for a big deposit to "order materials" or "get on the schedule," then never returns or does a fraction of the work.
Door-to-door pressure. Someone shows up uninvited, says your neighbor just signed, and offers a discount if you sign today.
"We'll handle your insurance." The contractor pushes you to sign paperwork that hands over control of your claim, or promises they can get the insurer to pay for a whole new roof.
Deductible offers. They offer to "cover" or waive your deductible. In Florida, contractors are prohibited from offering to pay or rebate a homeowner's insurance deductible, and doing so can be a sign of insurance fraud.
Borrowed licenses. An out-of-state crew uses a Florida license number belonging to someone else, or has no license at all.
Fake affiliations. They claim to be "FEMA-approved" or "certified by the county." FEMA does not certify or endorse contractors, and a building department issuing a permit is not an endorsement.

How to vet a contractor after a storm

The basic checks don't change after a hurricane. They just matter more.

1. Verify the Florida license

Ask for the license number and look it up on the Florida DBPR site at myfloridalicense.com/wl11.asp. Confirm the license is current and active, the category fits the work (for example, a certified roofing contractor, CCC, for a roof), and the name matches the company on your contract. Our guide on how to check a Florida contractor's license walks through the lookup and the license codes.

Florida treats unlicensed contracting during a declared state of emergency more seriously than at other times. That protects you, but only if you check.

2. Confirm insurance

Ask for a certificate of insurance for general liability, and ask about workers' compensation coverage. If a worker is injured on your property and the contractor isn't properly covered, you could face complications.

3. Look for a local track record

A local address, a local business tax receipt, and a history of permits with your building department are all good signs. Ask for recent references in your area. Contractors from outside the region aren't automatically bad, but they should be properly licensed in Florida and able to show who will handle warranty work after they leave.

4. Get it in writing

A clear written contract should list the specific scope of work, materials, price, payment schedule, an estimated start and completion window, who pulls the permit, cleanup and debris removal, and warranty terms. Don't sign a contract with blank spaces.

5. Keep payments tied to progress

Avoid paying most of the price upfront. Pay by check or card rather than cash so you have a record, and tie payments to completed stages of work. If a contractor takes more than 10% of the price as an initial payment, Florida law requires them to apply for permits within 30 days and start work within 90 days after the permits are issued, unless there's just cause or you agree otherwise in writing. Ask your contractor how their payment schedule complies, and read the payment terms carefully before signing.

6. Make sure permits are pulled

Most permanent repairs, including roof replacements, window and door replacements, and structural or electrical repairs, typically require a permit. Local building departments often publish storm-specific guidance about what needs a permit and how to get one quickly after a declared disaster. The contractor doing the work should pull the permit. If they ask you to pull it as an "owner-builder," that's a red flag. See our guide to remodeling permits in Lee County, Cape Coral and Fort Myers.

Protect your insurance claim

Your claim is your money. A few rules of thumb:

Read before you sign. Be careful with any document that gives a contractor rights to your insurance benefits or lets them negotiate with your insurer for you. Florida has changed its rules on assignment of benefits for residential property policies in recent years, so ask your insurer or agent what applies to your policy.
Know who's who. In Florida, public adjusters must be licensed by the Department of Financial Services, and a contractor generally can't act as your public adjuster unless they hold that license. If you want help with your claim, hire a licensed public adjuster or an attorney directly.
Get your own estimate. Compare the insurer's estimate with written quotes from licensed contractors. Differences in scope are common, and you can ask your insurer to review additional documentation.

The flood-zone "50% rule"

Many Southwest Florida homes sit in flood zones. Under the National Flood Insurance Program rules your community enforces, if the cost to repair a damaged building reaches 50% or more of the structure's market value, the building is considered "substantially damaged" and generally must be brought into compliance with current floodplain requirements, which can include elevation. Your local building or floodplain office makes that determination. If your home was badly damaged, ask your building department about substantial damage before you commit to a repair plan.

Red flags at a glance

Walk away if a contractor:

won't provide a Florida license number, or it doesn't check out,
demands cash or a large payment before any work,
pressures you to sign immediately,
offers to waive or pay your deductible,
asks you to sign over your insurance claim,
won't put the scope and price in writing, or
asks you to pull the permit yourself.

Report problems

If you suspect unlicensed contracting, you can file a complaint with the Florida DBPR. Price gouging on essential goods and services during a declared state of emergency can be reported to the Florida Attorney General's office. Suspected insurance fraud can be reported to the Florida Department of Financial Services.

Getting help from a licensed local pro

After a storm, the best contractors are busy, which is exactly when scammers fill the gap. SWFL Contractor Match is a free referral service, not a contractor. Tell us about your storm and hurricane damage repair, roofing or impact window and door project and we'll match you with up to three licensed contractors serving your area, from Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel to Port Charlotte and LaBelle. Request your free quotes, and verify each contractor's license yourself before you sign.

This guide is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Laws and insurance rules change, especially after major storms. Confirm details with your insurer, the Florida DBPR and your local building department.