FORTIFIED Roofing in Hammond, LA
The Fortify Homes lottery reached Hammond late, and more than half of the city's occupied homes are rented. A certified roof works for owner-occupants and for landlords alike; what differs is how it gets paid for.
Tangipahoa Parish had 89 FORTIFIED certificates as of February 2025, the tenth-most among Louisiana parishes, and only 16 of them were grant-funded. The statewide count then stood at 5,413, with 1,838 funded through the grant, and St. Tammany, next door to the east, had well over a thousand certificates on its own. Geography explains part of that gap: for several rounds the lottery was limited to addresses in the state's coastal zone, and Hammond sits north of where that line runs.
We have more than 30 FORTIFIED roofs under our belt, the state program has Epic on its approved contractor roster, and Joey Noto holds three IBHS FORTIFIED credentials. On a Hammond roofing job like this, the first thing worth settling is who owns it and who lives there, since that decides whether the grant is part of the picture at all.
Why the Grant Reached Hammond Only in Round 9
Here the coastal zone stops at the southern side of LA-22, the highway that runs east through Ponchatoula to the St. Tammany line. Hammond lies north of it, so its addresses sat outside the earlier coastal-zone rounds. Round 9 extended eligibility to the rest of Tangipahoa, and the parish was on that round's list. Awards of up to $10,000 go to households selected by lottery, and roof work is pending program approval.
Tenure is the second Hammond factor. Renters live in more than half of the city's occupied housing, and the grant funds only an owner's primary residence carrying a homestead exemption. For many Hammond houses, then, a FORTIFIED roof is something the owner pays for and weighs against the insurance side. On that side, Tangipahoa sits in the South region of the state's discount benchmarks, the highest of the three, while St. Helena and Washington parishes to the west and east fall in the Central region.
If You Live in the House, and If You Lease It Out
An owner who lives in the house and claims the homestead exemption can register whenever the program announces a round that includes Tangipahoa. Registration also requires a policy with wind coverage and, if the house sits in a Special Flood Hazard Area, a flood policy. The program tells registrants to hold off on contacting a contractor or evaluator until they are selected, so grant work begins only after your name is drawn and the program approves it. From there, the program runs the contractor selection.
A landlord can't use the grant on a rental, yet the certified roof itself is open to any owner willing to fund it. The build, the evaluator's review, and the certificate are the same either way; only the funding differs. Some owners land in between, such as a family that moved out and now rents the house. The grant is tied to a primary residence with a homestead exemption, so a leased house generally falls on the landlord path, and the program makes the call. A rental owner who expects to sell can also count the certificate's five-year term, which can carry over to a buyer.
How a Hammond FORTIFIED Roof Goes On, in Order
This is the usual sequence, with or without a grant behind it.
Estimate visit:
We fly the roof with a drone, look at the attic from inside, and note anything an evaluator is likely to question, such as soft decking or a damaged rafter.
The evaluator's first look:
Before work begins, a FORTIFIED evaluator checks that the house is in good repair. Half of Hammond's homes date from 1984 or earlier, and at that age the review can turn up items to fix before the roof qualifies, which is ordinary Hammond roof repair work done ahead of the build.
Tear-off to bare deck:
The old covering and underlayment come off so the sheathing can be inspected and any failed sheets replaced. Louisiana law has required local permits and inspections for reroofs on one- and two-family homes since August 1, 2025, so the permit is in hand before this step.
Fastening and sealing:
The deck is fastened to the FORTIFIED roofing nailing schedule, and its seams are sealed by one of the methods the standard accepts.
Edges, underlayment and shingles, photographed as they go:
Each required step is logged in CompanyCam so the evaluator can see work the finished roof covers.
Final review and certificate:
The evaluator completes the review, and IBHS issues the certificate when the roof meets the standard. You receive our photo file; the certificate goes to your agent.
Paying for a Certified Roof on a Hammond House
For a Hammond house of 2,000 to 2,500 square feet, a full replacement falls between $13,000 and $23,000, and financing is available. Steeper or more cut-up roofs sit toward the top of that range. Whatever the FORTIFIED work adds is shown by itself on the written estimate. There's no deposit at the consultation, the written estimate typically follows within 2–5 business days, and a replacement comes with our 5-year transferable workmanship warranty.
An owner who weighs the FORTIFIED share and passes on it can still have the tear-off done as a plain Hammond roof replacement.
Grant Rules, Rentals and Timing for Hammond Owners
Will the grant cover the entire roof on our Hammond house?
The award goes up to $10,000 and applies to construction. Under the program's rules, evaluation fees are the homeowner's responsibility, along with permits and any costs beyond the award.
We filed a roof claim after a storm a few years ago. Can we still enter a round?
The program asks applicants to list the homeowner claims filed in the past five years. How it weighs them is the program's decision, so report them accurately.
Could a Hammond condo or mobile home be entered in a round?
The program excludes condominiums and mobile homes, as well as new-construction homes, so none of those can be entered. The rules for each round are published when the program announces it.
We just closed on a house in Hammond. Does the homestead exemption need to be in place first?
The program's rules call for a homestead exemption on a primary residence. Check with the parish assessor on when yours takes effect, and confirm with the program once it names a new round.
How much longer does a FORTIFIED job take than a plain reroof?
The crew's time on the roof is close to a standard replacement, one to three days for most asphalt jobs. The evaluator's look before the work and the review at the end are separate from the crew's days on the roof.
Our Hammond rental is on a landlord policy. Will a FORTIFIED certificate count with that insurer?
Possibly, though a landlord policy can be written differently from a homeowner policy. The state's benchmarks address the hurricane portion of the premium. Ask your agent how this applies to your policy. Epic doesn't advise on what a policy pays.
Measuring and Scoping a Hammond Roof
For a free estimate on your Hammond roof, call 225-396-8122. Whether you live in the house or lease it out, the estimate notes what an evaluator is likely to look for.
137 Girod Street, Suite 3, Mandeville, LA 70448
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