Bone Dry Roofing
23111 Foster Ave, Port Charlotte, FL 33980
941-241-0271
Owner: Gene Judd, Chad Collins, Travis Webb
bonedry.com
[ back ]
Overview
Bone Dry Roofing, headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, with a significant presence in Florida, is a family-owned contractor specializing in residential and commercial roofing, gutters, insulation, and exterior services. This analysis focuses on Bone Dry Roofing Florida, Inc., based in Sarasota and Port Charlotte, FL, and its operations, reputation, and strategies for handling client insurance delays in Florida’s challenging roofing market. It incorporates insights from the provided search results, aligns with the user’s prior inquiries about Coastal Roofing and Disaster Services, and critically evaluates Bone Dry’s performance as of May 15, 2025.
1. Company Profile
• Licensing: Bone Dry Roofing Florida, Inc. holds active licenses, including Certified Roofing Contractor (CCC1333040, CCC1334369) and Construction Business Information (HC05394), verified as active through January 2024 by BuildZoom. Jessica Judd is the licensed roofing contractor.
• Services: Offers roof repairs, replacements (shingle, tile, metal, flat), gutter installation/repair, insulation, and 24/7 emergency services. As an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor and CertainTeed ShingleMaster Select Contractor, it provides robust warranties.
• Experience: Founded in 1989, Bone Dry has operated for over 35 years, with its Florida branch opening in early 2021 under owner Gene Judd and daughter Jessica Judd. The Florida division has completed 254 permitted projects worth $4,610,500, with an average job value of $17,752. Its BuildZoom score of 107 ranks it in the top 6% of 191,428 Florida contractors.
• Locations: Operates in Sarasota, Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, and Edgewater, FL, among 18 locations across eight states.
• Contact: 5120 Middle Ave, Sarasota, FL 34234; additional office in Port Charlotte.
2. Handling Client Insurance Delays
Florida’s insurance crisis—driven by fraud, litigation, and frequent hurricanes (e.g., Ian, Helene, Milton in 2022–2024)—causes significant claim delays. Bone Dry employs the following strategies to address these challenges, inferred from its operations and industry practices:
• Insurance Assistance: Bone Dry actively supports clients in navigating insurance claims, providing detailed photos, videos, and inspection reports to substantiate damage claims. For example, clients note that Bone Dry helped secure additional insurance funds, reducing out-of-pocket costs to the deductible.
• Direct Billing and Emergency Services: Offers 24/7 emergency services, such as tarping, which can be billed directly to insurers, allowing work to proceed while claims are processed. This minimizes delays for urgent repairs.
• Thorough Documentation: Emphasizes high-quality documentation (e.g., daily progress photos, drone inspections) to counter insurer disputes over pre-existing damage or fraud. Clients praise the transparency of receiving photos/videos throughout projects, which supports claims.
• Regulatory Compliance: Adheres to Senate Bill 76 (2021), avoiding prohibited practices like acting as public adjusters or soliciting door-to-door. Bone Dry refers clients to licensed adjusters or attorneys for complex claims, ensuring legal compliance while addressing delays.
• Client Education: Guides homeowners on timely claim reporting and avoiding problematic contracts (e.g., disguised assignment of benefits), reducing delays from insurer scrutiny.
3. Strengths
• Reputation: Bone Dry enjoys a strong reputation, with a 4.8-star average across 5,000+ reviews in eight states. Florida-specific reviews highlight professionalism, punctuality, and quality (e.g., “exceeded expectations” for metal roof installations). It was named the 2023 Residential Roofing Contractor of the Year by Roofing Contractor Magazine.
• Customer Service: Clients consistently praise responsive communication (e.g., Patrick Ormsbee’s post-Hurricane Ian support) and transparency (e.g., daily progress photos). Bone Dry’s BBB accreditation since 2021 and A+ rating reflect its commitment to resolving issues.
• Storm Expertise: Specializes in storm damage restoration, critical in Florida, where 94 billion-dollar disaster events occurred from 1980–2024. Its experience with hurricanes like Ian (2023) positions it to handle high claim volumes.
• Warranties and Quality: Offers manufacturer and workmanship warranties, using premium materials like Owens Corning and GAF shingles. Clients report durable, aesthetically pleasing results (e.g., metal roofs enhancing home value).
4. Challenges
• Insurance Delays: Like Coastal Roofing, Bone Dry faces delays from insurers’ fraud crackdowns and high claim volumes post-storms. A BBB complaint noted incomplete repairs and communication lapses, though the company responded to resolve it.
• Scheduling Issues: Some clients report delays in scheduling (e.g., 5+ weeks vs. promised 2–3 weeks) and communication failures, such as unreturned calls for follow-ups. These suggest capacity constraints during peak seasons.
• Billing Disputes: A Reddit complaint described a $700 billing error post-repair, with Bone Dry allegedly sending incorrect invoices and refusing to provide documentation. While isolated, this highlights potential administrative weaknesses.
• Labor and Scalability: Florida’s labor shortage (77% of contractors report hiring issues) likely strains Bone Dry’s ability to scale during storm surges, especially with 254 projects in three years.
5. Industry Comparison
• Technology: Bone Dry leverages technology for bidding, payment, and client updates (e.g., photos/videos), aligning with industry trends like AccuLynx, which saves 9 hours/week and boosts profits by 32%. Its drone inspections and digital estimates enhance efficiency compared to smaller firms like Coastal Roofing, which lacks explicit tech adoption.
• Materials: Offers modern, storm-resistant materials (e.g., metal roofs, EPDM for flat roofs), aligning with FEMA’s emphasis on post-2015 codes reducing hurricane damage. Coastal Roofing’s material preferences are less clear.
• Scale: Bone Dry’s 254 projects dwarf Coastal’s 14, indicating greater capacity and market presence. However, Coastal’s smaller size may allow more personalized service.
• Reputation: Bone Dry’s 4.8-star rating and national awards outshine Coastal’s solid but less-documented reputation (BuildZoom score of 100). However, Bone Dry’s larger scale brings occasional complaints, unlike Coastal’s cleaner record.
6. Critical Perspective
Bone Dry Roofing Florida excels in professionalism, storm expertise, and client support, making it a top choice for navigating insurance delays. Its documentation, emergency services, and warranties address Florida’s insurance crisis effectively. However, systemic issues—insurer delays, labor shortages, and fraud stigma—persist, and Bone Dry’s occasional scheduling and billing errors suggest growing pains from rapid expansion. Compared to Coastal Roofing, Bone Dry’s larger scale and tech adoption provide an edge, but its administrative lapses could undermine trust. The reliance on public adjusters adds costs for clients, and insurers’ cautious approach often delays legitimate claims, highlighting the need for broader industry reforms.
7. Recommendations
• Streamline Operations: Invest in advanced claims management software to reduce scheduling and billing errors, enhancing efficiency during peak seasons.
• Expand Workforce: Address labor shortages by training new roofers or partnering with subcontractors to handle post-storm demand.
• Enhance Communication: Implement stricter follow-up protocols to prevent unreturned calls or delayed responses, as noted in complaints.
• Client Education: Develop guides or videos on insurance processes to empower homeowners, reducing claim errors and delays.
8. Comparison to Coastal Roofing
• Scale and Reach: Bone Dry’s 254 projects and multi-state presence contrast with Coastal’s 14 projects and local focus, giving Bone Dry greater resources but potential for overstretching.
• Reputation: Bone Dry’s 4.8-star rating and national recognition outpace Coastal’s strong but less-documented reputation. However, Bone Dry’s complaints (e.g., billing errors) are absent in Coastal’s record.
• Insurance Handling: Both offer direct billing and documentation, but Bone Dry’s tech-driven approach (e.g., drone inspections) likely accelerates claims compared to Coastal’s inferred practices.
• Challenges: Both face insurance delays and labor shortages, but Bone Dry’s larger scale amplifies scheduling and administrative issues, while Coastal’s smaller size may limit scalability.
Conclusion
Bone Dry Roofing Florida, Inc. is a highly reputable, well-established contractor with robust strategies for managing client insurance delays through documentation, direct billing, and compliance. Its national presence, advanced technology, and storm expertise give it an edge over smaller firms like Coastal Roofing, but occasional lapses in scheduling and billing require attention. By addressing these weaknesses and expanding capacity, Bone Dry can solidify its leadership in Florida’s roofing market. If you need a deeper analysis of specific projects, financials, or comparisons, please provide additional details or clarify the scope.