IBHS-certified FORTIFIED Home evaluations that protect your home — and your insurance premium. HECS serves Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Illinois, and Missouri.
FORTIFIED Home™ is a nationally recognized building standard developed by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). It goes beyond building code to make homes more resistant to hurricanes, high winds and tornadoes, and hail — the three weather perils responsible for the majority of catastrophic home damage in the United States.
A FORTIFIED Home has been designed, built, and independently verified by a certified FORTIFIED Home Evaluator to meet the FORTIFIED standard. The Evaluator documents the home’s construction with photos, drawings, and a checklist of every FORTIFIED requirement. The documentation is reviewed by IBHS, and the home receives a FORTIFIED Home certificate that is recognized by insurance carriers, mortgage lenders, and government programs nationwide.
There are three FORTIFIED Home designations, each addressing a specific set of weather risks: FORTIFIED Roof™ (the most common — addresses roof failure), FORTIFIED Silver (adds windows, doors, and attached structure protections), and FORTIFIED Gold (full building envelope — the most comprehensive designation). All three are awarded only after a certified FORTIFIED Home Evaluator verifies the home meets the standard.
All three FORTIFIED designations include the FORTIFIED Roof (the foundation of the program), then add increasing levels of building envelope protection.
The foundation
A sealed roof deck, locked-down shingles, reinforced roof-to-wall connections, and impact-resistant coverings. Required for every FORTIFIED designation.
Best for: Re-roofing projects, all geographies
Roof + openings + gable
Everything in FORTIFIED Roof, plus impact-resistant windows and doors (or impact-rated coverings), gable end bracing, and chimney anchoring.
Best for: Hurricane zones, severe weather, full re-siding projects
Full building envelope
Everything in FORTIFIED Silver, plus a continuous load path from roof to foundation, engineered wall connections, and a tied-down structural system.
Best for: New construction, severe weather, maximum insurance discount
From first call to certificate, here is what to expect when HECS is your FORTIFIED Home Evaluator.
1
You call HECS at (859) 983-7382. We confirm the project is a fit for FORTIFIED — most re-roofing projects qualify, and new construction is always a fit. We answer your questions and outline next steps.
2
For new construction, we review your architectural plans and the FORTIFIED requirements checklist with you and your builder. For re-roofing, we review the existing roof condition and the proposed materials.
3
HECS performs the on-site inspection at the right construction phase. For re-roofing, this is during the tear-off and re-installation. For new construction, this is at pre-drywall and final. We photograph every FORTIFIED requirement.
4
HECS assembles the FORTIFIED documentation package — photos, drawings, materials specs, contractor certifications — and submits it to IBHS for review.
5
IBHS issues the FORTIFIED Home certificate. You receive a digital certificate for your records, your insurance carrier, and (if applicable) your mortgage lender.
The FORTIFIED Roof designation is the most common starting point. It addresses the roof — the most damageable part of the home in severe weather. Here is what HECS documents during the on-site inspection:
A FORTIFIED designation is not a marketing claim — it is third-party verified certification. The home must be inspected by a certified Evaluator, and the documentation must be approved by IBHS. Here is what FORTIFIED certification delivers:
Many insurance carriers offer premium discounts of 20-55% for FORTIFIED-certified homes. In coastal states (AL, FL, LA, MS, NC, SC, TX) and several Midwest states, these discounts can be substantial — often recouping the evaluation and upgrade cost in 2-4 years.
FORTIFIED homes have been independently shown to reduce damage from hurricanes, high winds, and hail. The IBHS research facility in Richburg, SC subjects full-scale homes to realistic weather loads to validate the standard.
A FORTIFIED designation is a recognized upgrade that buyers and appraisers understand. FORTIFIED homes typically command a measurable resale premium in severe-weather markets.
FEMA, USDA, HUD, and many state programs either require or strongly prefer FORTIFIED certification for grant-funded affordable housing. The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program both recognize FORTIFIED.
When a major storm is forecast, FORTIFIED homeowners sleep better. The home has been designed, built, and independently verified to resist the kind of damage that destroys unrated homes.
In severe-weather markets, many insurance carriers are non-renewing homes that don’t meet resilience standards. A FORTIFIED designation keeps you insurable when neighbors may not be.
HECS is an IBHS-trained FORTIFIED Home Evaluator based in LaGrange, Kentucky. We are headquartered in the Midwest and built to serve the region that increasingly needs FORTIFIED certification: Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Illinois, and Missouri.
What sets HECS apart is our whole-building expertise. We are not a roofer who learned to do FORTIFIED; we are a third-party energy and building envelope firm that holds NCI, HERS, and other national certifications. That means your FORTIFIED evaluation benefits from the same rigorous documentation culture that makes our TAB, blower door, and energy certification reports pass third-party review the first time.
For a FORTIFIED project, HECS is your single point of accountability from the first consultation to the IBHS certificate — and beyond. Many of our FORTIFIED clients also pursue blower door, radon, and energy certification work; HECS handles the entire scope, on a single schedule, with a single contract.
Our FORTIFIED Evaluator has completed the IBHS FORTIFIED Home Evaluator training and maintains the continuing education required to keep the designation current.
Our office is in LaGrange, KY — within driving distance of every major Midwest market. We travel to your project, document, and return for follow-up inspections.
FORTIFIED + blower door + radon + Energy Star + NGBS? HECS handles all of it under one P.O. with one project manager and one master schedule.
HECS provides FORTIFIED Home Evaluations across the Midwest region from our headquarters in LaGrange, Kentucky. Call (859) 983-7382 to confirm coverage for your specific project.
FORTIFIED certification is for any home that needs verified resilience against severe weather. Here are the most common projects HECS delivers FORTIFIED evaluations for:
If you are replacing your roof, the FORTIFIED Roof designation is the natural time to upgrade. A FORTIFIED Roof costs 5-15% more than a code-built roof and typically pays for itself in 2-4 years through insurance savings.
Builders and developers constructing new homes can pursue FORTIFIED Gold for the highest level of certification. HECS works with your design team to integrate FORTIFIED requirements from the start.
Insurance professionals refer clients to HECS for FORTIFIED evaluation. We coordinate with the carrier to deliver the documentation needed for premium discount approval.
LIHTC, HUD, and USDA RD projects pursuing FORTIFIED for grant eligibility, insurance cost reduction, or tenant safety. HECS delivers the full documentation chain for funder approval.
Roofers who want to offer FORTIFIED to their customers partner with HECS for the third-party evaluation. We handle the documentation so the roofer can focus on installation.
Multifamily and HOA portfolios can pursue FORTIFIED to reduce insurance costs across the entire property. HECS delivers portfolio-wide evaluations with consistent documentation.
Most FORTIFIED Roof evaluations run between $500 and $1,500, depending on home size, roof complexity, and region. FORTIFIED Silver and Gold designations cost more because they include additional inspections. Many insurance carriers offer premium discounts of 20-55% for FORTIFIED homes, which typically recoups the evaluation and any upgrade cost in 2-4 years. Call (859) 983-7382 for a project-specific quote.
A FORTIFIED Roof typically costs 5-15% more than a code-built roof. The additional cost comes from sealed roof deck (tape or sealant under the shingles), upgraded underlayment, and enhanced roof-to-wall connections. The insurance discount typically pays for the upgrade within 2-4 years — and you keep the savings every year after.
For a re-roofing project, HECS performs the on-site inspection during the tear-off and re-installation (typically a single site visit). The documentation package is submitted to IBHS within 2-4 weeks of the final inspection. IBHS reviews and issues the FORTIFIED Home certificate, typically within 4-8 weeks of submission. Total project time is usually 6-12 weeks from start to certificate.
Many carriers do, but it depends on your state, carrier, and policy. Carriers known to offer FORTIFIED discounts include State Farm, Allstate, Farmers, Liberty Mutual, USAA, and many regional carriers. Discounts range from 20% to 55% off the wind portion of your premium. HECS does not negotiate insurance discounts — that is between you and your carrier — but we deliver the documentation your carrier needs to apply the discount.
All three include the FORTIFIED Roof (sealed roof deck, locked-down shingles, reinforced roof-to-wall connections). FORTIFIED Silver adds impact-resistant windows and doors (or impact-rated coverings) and gable end bracing. FORTIFIED Gold adds a continuous load path from roof to foundation, with engineered wall connections and a tied-down structural system. Most re-roofing projects pursue FORTIFIED Roof; new construction often pursues Gold.
Both. FORTIFIED was designed for both new construction and re-roofing / retrofit projects. Most FORTIFIED designations in the Midwest are re-roofing projects — homeowners who upgrade their roof to FORTIFIED Roof standards. FORTIFIED Silver and Gold are typically pursued as part of a major renovation or new construction, since they require changes to the wall and opening systems.
HECS is the third-party Evaluator. We do not install roofs, siding, or windows. We coordinate with your contractor (roofer, builder, GC) to inspect the work at the right phase and document compliance with the FORTIFIED standard. Many roofers in the Midwest partner with HECS as their preferred FORTIFIED Evaluator.
Many existing homes do not meet FORTIFIED Roof requirements without some upgrades — typically the sealed roof deck, reinforced roof-to-wall connections, and upgraded underlayment. HECS performs a pre-construction consultation to identify the gaps, then works with your roofer to scope the upgrades. Most re-roofing projects can be brought up to FORTIFIED Roof standards during a normal roof replacement.
HECS is based in LaGrange, Kentucky, and serves the broader Midwest: Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Illinois, and Missouri. We cover Louisville, Lexington, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Columbus, Nashville, Chicago, St. Louis, and surrounding areas. For projects outside our region, we partner with other IBHS-certified FORTIFIED Evaluators. Call (859) 983-7382 to confirm coverage for your project.
FORTIFIED is required or preferred by several federal and state programs: FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, USDA Rural Development, and many state housing finance agencies for LIHTC allocation. Some insurance carriers are also requiring FORTIFIED for new policies in severe-weather markets.
Many FORTIFIED projects also benefit from HECS’s other services. Here are the most common pairings.
A FORTIFIED home is also a tight, energy-efficient home. Blower door testing documents airtightness and verifies envelope performance.
FORTIFIED + ENERGY STAR is the gold standard for severe-weather + energy efficiency. HECS handles both in an integrated workflow.
A tight building envelope is the foundation of FORTIFIED performance. Air leakage consulting identifies and prioritizes envelope fixes.
Free consultations. Insurance-savings analysis on the first call. Same-day callback during business hours.