Big C Roofing
(Palm Properties Enterprises Inc., DBA Big C Restoration & Roofing)
18245 Paulson Dr #117, Port Charlotte, FL 33954
941-627-0000
President: Charles D Rosenbarger
bigcroofing.com
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Overview
Big C Roofing, operating as Palm Properties Enterprises Inc., DBA Big C Restoration & Roofing, is a veteran-owned roofing contractor based in Port Charlotte, Florida, with an additional office in Lehigh Acres. Specializing in residential and commercial roofing, siding, and gutter services, it serves Southwest Florida, including Charlotte, Collier, Lee, and Sarasota counties. This analysis evaluates Big C’s operations, reputation, and strategies for handling client insurance delays, aligning with the user’s prior inquiries about Douglass Restoration, Coastal Roofing, Bone Dry Roofing, and James Robinson Roofing. It draws on provided search results and critically assesses performance as of May 15, 2025.
1. Company Profile
• Licensing: Holds multiple active licenses: Certified General Contractor (CGC1514085) and Certified Roofing Contractor (CCC1326408), issued by the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation, Charlotte County, Lee County, and Collier County Construction License Boards, expiring 8/31/2024. Licenses were active as of September 2022, per BuildZoom, but require verification for 2025 status.
• Services: Offers new roof installations, repairs, replacements (shingle, metal, flat), soffit, fascia, siding, and gutter services. Provides a 3-year workmanship warranty and limited lifetime product warranties. Specializes in storm damage restoration, critical in hurricane-prone Florida.
• Experience: A 20-year-old company, locally owned and operated, with 849 building permits for $5,870,600 and 395 projects over three years, averaging $12,255 per job. BuildZoom score of 141 ranks it in the top 1% of 191,428 Florida contractors. Claims over 1,000 roofs installed since Hurricane Irma (2017).
• Location & Contact: 18245 Paulson Dr #122, Port Charlotte, FL 33954; 350 Homestead South, Lehigh Acres, FL 33936. Phone: (941) 627-0000 (Port Charlotte), (239) 204-3339 (Lehigh Acres); emergency: (317) 496-5907. Hours: Mon-Fri, 8:30 AM–4:30 PM.
• Market Context: Operates in Southwest Florida, facing frequent hurricanes (e.g., Ian, Helene, Milton in 2022–2024), coastal flooding risks (23,000 people, 17,000 homes by 2050), and an insurance crisis with 94 billion-dollar disaster events from 1980–2024.
2. Handling Client Insurance Delays
Florida’s insurance crisis—marked by fraud, litigation, rising premiums, and post-storm claim surges—creates significant delays. Big C employs these strategies, based on reviews and operations:
• Insurance Collaboration: Works with homeowners, realtors, and insurance agents to facilitate claims, providing detailed estimates and material explanations. A client post-Hurricane Ian praised Big C for installing a metal roof despite the insurer’s collapse, meeting tight timelines before the next storm season.
• Emergency Services: Offers 24/7 emergency repairs (e.g., tarping), billed directly to insurers, allowing work to proceed during claim delays. Clients note Big C’s proactive tarp checks before storms, ensuring claim readiness.
• Detailed Documentation: Provides written estimates, material details, and permit coordination, reducing disputes with insurers. Reviews highlight thorough discussions and post-repair inspections, supporting claims against fraud allegations.
• Regulatory Compliance: Adheres to Senate Bill 76 (2021), avoiding prohibited practices like acting as public adjusters or door-to-door solicitation. Likely refers clients to licensed adjusters for complex claims, ensuring legal compliance.
• Client Support: Guides clients through claim processes, especially when insurers delay or fail (e.g., post-Ian insurer bankruptcy). Reviews commend Big C’s reliability in navigating these challenges, though some clients face long waits due to systemic issues.
3. Strengths
• Reputation: Maintains an A+ BBB rating (accredited since 2/7/2018) and a 4.7/5 Google rating. Positive reviews (39 on BestProsInTown) praise quality metal and shingle roofs, professionalism, and cleanup (e.g., “flawless seamless metal roof, no visible screws”). Clients highlight fair pricing and warranty support.
• Scale and Experience: With 395 projects and 849 permits, Big C outpaces Coastal (14) and James Robinson (118) but trails Douglass (1,702). Its 20-year history and post-Irma experience (1,000+ roofs) ensure storm expertise.
• Customer Service: Emphasizes satisfaction, with reviews noting punctuality, clear communication, and veteran discounts. Clients value Big C’s ability to deliver under pressure (e.g., post-Ian).
• Certifications: Fully insured, licensed, and veteran-owned, enhancing trust in a scam-prone market (51% of disaster-displaced Floridians targeted by scams).
4. Challenges
• Customer Complaints: Significant issues include:
• A 2018 Lehigh Acres job with poor quality (shingled-over sewer pipes, sprayed insulation on a satellite dish), unresolved despite requests for repairs.
• A client paid $4,150 for a contract but faced cancellation disputes, with Big C refusing to refund promptly, citing administrative fees, leading to BBB and Attorney General involvement.
• A flat roof contract was abandoned, with the roofer stating, “I don’t want to waste my time,” breaching the contract without refunding payment.
• A lien was filed after a client refused access for repairs, with Big C alleging non-cooperation, escalating to legal action.
• Yelp reviews give Big C 2.5 stars, citing unprofessional behavior and deposit disputes.
• Quality Concerns: Complaints about substandard work (e.g., damaged plywood covered up, tar spots on tiles, poor fascia repair) and unaddressed issues (e.g., roof vents not allowing airflow) suggest oversight gaps.
• Operational Issues: Reviews note unprofessional conduct (e.g., outbursts by staff, refusal to sign cancellation documents), damaging trust. High post-storm demand and labor shortages (77% of contractors report hiring issues) may strain capacity.
• Insurance Delays: Systemic delays from insurer failures (e.g., post-Ian bankruptcies) affect clients, with some waiting months, though Big C’s direct billing helps mitigate this.
5. Industry Comparison
• Technology: No evidence of advanced software like AccuLynx (saves 9 hours/week), unlike Bone Dry’s drone inspections. Big C’s estimates and inspections suggest some tech use, matching Douglass but outpacing Coastal and James Robinson’s inferred practices.
• Materials: Uses storm-resistant materials (e.g., metal, high-quality shingles), aligning with FEMA’s post-2015 codes, similar to Douglass, Bone Dry, and James Robinson. Coastal’s materials are less clear.
• Scale: Big C’s 395 projects surpass Coastal (14), James Robinson (118), and Bone Dry (254) but trail Douglass (1,702). Its complaints mirror Douglass’s overstretching, unlike Coastal’s reliability or James Robinson’s consistency.
• Reputation: Big C’s A+ BBB rating and 4.7 Google score rival Bone Dry’s 4.8 stars but are undermined by serious complaints, unlike Coastal’s clean record or James Robinson’s local praise. Douglass shares similar complaint issues.
6. Critical Perspective
Big C Roofing is a well-established contractor with strong storm expertise, effective insurance delay strategies (direct billing, documentation), and a solid reputation in many cases. Its scale and certifications make it competitive, but serious complaints—non-refunded deposits, substandard work, and unprofessional behavior—reveal significant operational flaws, likely from high demand or inadequate oversight. Compared to Coastal’s consistency, James Robinson’s personalization, Bone Dry’s national polish, and Douglass’s scale, Big C’s issues mirror Douglass’s but are more pronounced due to legal escalations (liens, Attorney General involvement). Systemic challenges (insurer delays, labor shortages, fraud stigma) burden all roofers, but Big C’s failure to resolve complaints promptly amplifies distrust. Industry-wide, reliance on adjusters adds costs, and reforms are needed to streamline claims.
7. Recommendations
• Resolve Complaints: Address deposit disputes and quality issues transparently (e.g., refund $4,150, fix 2018 Lehigh Acres job) to avoid legal escalations and rebuild trust.
• Enhance Oversight: Strengthen quality control and staff training to prevent substandard work and unprofessional conduct.
• Adopt Technology: Implement claims management software to streamline documentation and scheduling, matching Bone Dry’s efficiency.
• Improve Communication: Establish protocols for prompt, professional responses to client concerns, countering fraud stigma.
8. Comparison to Douglass, Coastal, Bone Dry, and James Robinson
• Scale: Big C (395 projects) outpaces Coastal (14), James Robinson (118), and Bone Dry (254) but trails Douglass (1,702). Both Big C and Douglass face overstretching complaints, unlike Coastal’s small-scale reliability.
• Reputation: Big C’s A+ BBB rating is marred by serious complaints, similar to Douglass’s issues. Coastal’s clean record, James Robinson’s local praise, and Bone Dry’s broader acclaim are stronger.
• Insurance Handling: Big C’s direct billing and estimates rival Douglass and Bone Dry’s tech-driven approaches, surpassing Coastal and James Robinson’s less-documented strategies.
• Challenges: All face insurance delays and labor shortages, but Big C’s legal disputes and quality issues are more severe than Coastal’s scalability limits, James Robinson’s small-team constraints, or Bone Dry’s scheduling lapses. Douglass shares similar complaint severity.
Conclusion
Big C Roofing is a high-capacity, veteran-owned contractor with effective strategies for managing insurance delays through direct billing, documentation, and client support. Its storm expertise and scale suit Port Charlotte’s needs, but serious complaints—deposit disputes, substandard work, and unprofessional behavior—undermine its A+ BBB rating, aligning it closer to Douglass’s challenges than Coastal’s reliability, James Robinson’s trust, or Bone Dry’s polish. By resolving complaints, enhancing oversight, and adopting technology, Big C can strengthen its position.