Homeowner guide · Louisiana & Mississippi
FORTIFIED Roof Renewal: A Homeowner’s Checklist
Your roof may look the same as it did when you received your FORTIFIED certificate. Your paperwork still needs attention. If the certificate is approaching its expiration date — or you have repaired, altered, or purchased the home since it was issued — start by checking the designation record and speaking with a certified FORTIFIED Evaluator.
This guide helps homeowners in Southeast Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast organize that conversation, prepare a useful project history, and keep roofing work, designation review, and insurance questions moving in the right direction.
01 · Choose your next step
What should you do about your certificate today?
Work from the certificate for your property. Do not calculate the deadline from a contractor’s invoice, the year you moved in, or an insurance renewal notice.
| Your situation | Practical next step |
|---|---|
| The certificate is approaching expiration | Ask an evaluator about scheduling, required records, and the review process. Leave time to resolve missing information. |
| The certificate has already expired | Ask the evaluator or IBHS to confirm the property’s status and the applicable next steps. Avoid describing an expired certificate as current. |
| You cannot find the certificate | Check your closing or roofing records, then contact the original evaluator or IBHS with the property address and any designation ID you have. |
| The roof has been repaired or altered | Prepare the dates, locations, invoices, product information, and available photographs of that work. |
| You are buying or selling the home | Include the certificate and its dates in the document review. Ask for clarification of any mismatch between the property records and the listing description. |
Keep three different records separate
FORTIFIED certificate
Use it to identify the designation attached to the property and the dates shown on that record. Bring status questions to the evaluator or IBHS.
Contract and warranty
Keep the installation contract, repair records, and warranty documents together. Ask the contractor or manufacturer about the coverage described in those documents.
Policy and supporting documents
Ask your insurance agent which certificate or other records the insurer needs. Request confirmation of any discount, applicable dates, and submission requirements.
Put all three sets in one folder, but give each a clear name. That makes it easier to send the right document when an evaluator, contractor, buyer, or insurance agent asks for it.
02 · Build your file
A simple preparation checklist for homeowners
This is an organizational checklist, not a substitute for the evaluator’s technical requirements. Gather what you already have; let the evaluator identify what else is needed.
- Certificate: property address, designation ID, level, and expiration date.
- Contacts: original evaluator, roofing contractor, and current insurance agent.
- Work history: a dated list of repairs, replacements, additions, and other exterior changes.
- Project records: contracts, invoices, product names, and available installation photographs.
- Current concerns: a list of leaks, visible damage, or unresolved work to discuss.
- Your questions: scheduling, fees, documentation gaps, and who will follow up.
Make your work history easy to read
Use one line per event: date → location → work completed → contractor → available records. For example, record a repaired roof section by its location instead of labeling every photograph “roof repair.”
03 · Review what changed
Why repairs and additions matter at re-designation
The IBHS re-designation checklist addresses the home’s present condition and work completed since the previous designation. It calls for additional documentation for relevant changes, including roof repairs, replaced vents, and certain additions. A roof replacement or addition with a new roof within the previous five years requires the new-roof documentation identified in that checklist.
For Silver and Gold designations, the review also covers additional features beyond the roof. Use the checklist appropriate to the designation on your certificate.
Source: IBHS re-designation documentation checklist (PDF).
Talk about documentation before the next project begins
If you plan to change the roof or exterior, send the proposed scope to your evaluator before work starts. Ask which records should be collected during construction and identify who will collect them. Add that responsibility to your project notes so it is not left until the final invoice.
For a Slidell homeowner planning roof repairs or a Gulfport homeowner considering an addition, the useful starting point is the same: the actual certificate and the proposed work. A general description such as “storm-ready roof” does not answer property-specific documentation questions.
04 · Get clear answers
Questions to ask before scheduling a renewal review
- Can you confirm the designation and expiration date for this property?
- What does your evaluation include, and what information should I provide first?
- Which repairs or changes need further documentation?
- What happens if an installation photograph or product record is missing?
- What fees are included, and could a follow-up visit or additional work cost extra?
- Who submits the documentation, and how will I learn the review outcome?
- What should I send my insurance agent after the process is complete?
Request a written scope and fee explanation. Treat evaluation fees, any necessary roofing work, and insurance questions as separate items so you can understand each responsibility.
FORTIFIED Roof renewal FAQ
Does an approaching expiration date mean I need a new roof?
A certificate date alone is not a roof-condition assessment. Ask the evaluator about re-designation and have any roofing concerns assessed separately before deciding on repairs or replacement.
Can my roofer renew the designation?
Confirm who is acting as the certified FORTIFIED Evaluator. A contractor can provide construction records and handle agreed roofing work; the evaluator manages the documentation submission for IBHS review.
What if I have no records from a previous repair?
Tell the evaluator exactly what is missing. Contact the contractor who completed the repair for any retained records. Do not substitute photographs from another property or assume a finished-roof photograph answers every question.
Will renewing the certificate guarantee an insurance discount?
Get the answer for your policy directly from your insurance agent or insurer. Ask which documents they require and how any applicable credit will be reflected in your policy records.
Where can I find an evaluator or ask about a missing certificate?
Use the official FORTIFIED provider directory to locate a professional. For designation-record questions, contact the FORTIFIED program through its official support page.
Official tools and related SHIC guides
Plan the roofing work clearly
Need help with a roof repair or replacement?
Southern Home Improvement Center serves Southeast Louisiana and Mississippi Gulf Coast communities. Share your roofing concerns and tell the team if your home has an existing FORTIFIED designation. Ask about the construction scope and coordinate designation questions with your evaluator.
Request a Roofing Estimate