Roof claim, check in hand - Roofer asking for the breakdown?

[Virginia B.]

This our first insurance claim, so I’m not sure how this goes. Roofer is neighbors son, genuinely nice guy, want to trust him. They mentioned to us about roof damage and reminded us about the shingles that flew off during Hurricane Irma. Suggested we call insurance. Adjuster came out, issued a check for full replacement on the spot. Roofer is asking us for the insurance settlement paperwork before giving us an estimate. Seems he’s going to base his end on the insurance paperwork. Is this the right order? Seems to me roofer should give us an estimate independently..

[Linda Weygant]

Correct.  The insurance adjuster will have reimbursed you for the value of the roof (sometimes minus some depreciation) - depending on your coverage.

Roofer will be quoting based on replacement cost.  If he can't quote you without the adjuster's paperwork, then you really don't have a roofer.  You just have a neighbor's son who wants to make some money off of you.  Please make sure they know code and will install correctly.  My mother got clobbered by Irma.  Getting a reputable roofer out was a nightmare, but worth it in the long run.  Don't go fly-by-night.  It rarely works out well.