The short answer
Verify a physical local address, a permit history in your jurisdiction, a current certificate of insurance and a BBB profile. Walk away from anyone offering to waive your deductible, which is illegal in Texas, or pressuring you to sign on the first visit.
Side by side
| Signal | Storm chaser | Established local |
|---|---|---|
| Address | P.O. box or out of state | Verifiable local address |
| First contact | Door knock days after a storm | Referral, search or repeat customer |
| Deductible | Offers to waive or absorb it | Explains it is illegal in Texas |
| Contract | Pressure to sign immediately | Written scope, time to review |
| Permits | Often skipped | Pulled as standard |
| In five years | Gone | Still here to honor the warranty |
Choose Storm chaser if
- There is genuinely no reason to choose this option
- If a crew is only in town for the season, the workmanship warranty is worth nothing
- The one fair exception is a legitimate national company with a permanent local branch, which you can verify
Choose Established local if
- You want a workmanship warranty from someone who will still exist to honor it
- You want permits pulled and inspections passed properly
- You want someone who knows your jurisdiction and your HOA
- You want a company whose reputation in this market actually matters to them
What this looks like in the Hill Country
This is a seasonal pattern in Boerne, Bulverde, Stone Oak and Kerrville. Within days of a significant hail event, out of state plates appear and whole streets get door knocked. Some of those crews do adequate work. The problem is that your workmanship warranty depends on the company existing in five years, and most of them will not be here.
