Louisiana's FORTIFIED Evaluators. Not Contractors. Not Salespeople.
Built Around This Community
Homes Evaluated Across Louisiana
Fortified Gulf Coast has guided homeowners through FORTIFIED certification across Southeast Louisiana, from Orleans Parish to the River Parishes. Every evaluation is documented to IBHS standards and submitted for independent certification review.
25+ Years Living and Working in New Orleans
Our founders are not out-of-state vendors who set up shop after a grant program launched. They are New Orleans residents with family roots in the River Parishes who have built their professional lives around improving this community.
Certified IBHS FORTIFIED Evaluators
Fortified Gulf Coast holds IBHS-certified FORTIFIED Evaluator credentials. That certification is the only credential that can earn your home a FORTIFIED designation -- and it cannot be held by anyone doing the roofing work itself.
Why It Matters That We're Evaluators, Not Contractors
The most important thing to understand about working with Fortified Gulf Coast is what we do not do: we do not install roofs.
A FORTIFIED Evaluator and a FORTIFIED Contractor are two distinct, independent roles -- and that separation is the foundation of what makes FORTIFIED certification credible. The evaluator's job is to verify that the work was done correctly and submit documentation to IBHS. If the evaluator is also the contractor, that independence disappears, and with it the integrity of the certification.
We are evaluators only.
We will never recommend ourselves to do your roofing work because we do not do roofing work. What we do is verify it was done right -- on your behalf, not the contractor's.When you hire us as your evaluator, you get someone whose entire job is to make sure your roof qualifies for the FORTIFIED standard and that your documentation is clean enough to pass IBHS review the first time. We recommend qualified FORTIFIED-trained contractors in your area, help you understand the bids you receive, and coordinate the process from first inspection through certificate in hand.
That is a different relationship than hiring a roofing company that happens to offer FORTIFIED as an add-on.
Stosh Kozlowski -- Founder and Partner
Stosh Kozlowski's background is unusual for someone running a construction evaluation company -- and that's exactly what makes him effective at it.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Policy and a Master of Public Policy with a concentration in Economic Development from Georgia State University. He has served on the City Planning Commission for the City of New Orleans and worked with the Department of Planning in the City of Atlanta. He completed an internship with the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development in Kenya, where he contributed to sustainable development initiatives.
Stosh brings that lens -- policy, community development, equitable access -- to every part of how Fortified Gulf Coast operates. The FORTIFIED program has enormous potential to reduce risk and lower insurance costs for Gulf Coast homeowners, but realizing that potential requires navigating grant programs, coordinating with contractors, managing documentation, and communicating clearly with insurance carriers. That is exactly the kind of cross-system coordination his career has been built around.
He founded Fortified Gulf Coast to support homeowners, contractors, and insurance providers across the Gulf South in reducing risk, strengthening communities, and improving access to affordable coverage through mitigation-based construction.
Remy Richard -- Founder and Partner
Remy Richard brings more than 17 years of experience as a licensed General Contractor to Fortified Gulf Coast, grounded by a degree in Economics from Louisiana State University. He has lived and worked in New Orleans for over 25 years, with deep family roots in the River Parishes.
That combination -- construction expertise and economic training -- is what shapes how Remy approaches every FORTIFIED project. He understands what the work actually requires in the field, and he understands the financial and insurance implications for homeowners who complete it.
Remy holds a FORTIFIED Evaluator license, a General Contractor license, and multiple homebuilding classifications. He co-founded Fortified Gulf Coast because he saw firsthand how much stronger homes could be built on the Gulf Coast -- and how many barriers stood between homeowners and the grants and programs designed to help them get there.
His commitment extends beyond individual projects. Remy and his team have published papers on the Louisiana Legislature's official website and delivered presentations to the Capitol on the benefits of FORTIFIED construction. They have contributed to the development of legislation aimed at securing insurance discounts for homeowners who build to FORTIFIED standards -- helping shape the policy environment that makes FORTIFIED financially practical in Louisiana today.
We Know the Grant Programs -- Because We Helped Build Them
Louisiana has some of the most generous FORTIFIED grant programs in the country. The Louisiana Fortify Homes Program offers up to $10,000 toward eligible upgrades. Jefferson Parish homeowners can stack an additional $5,000 through RELIF. Orleans Parish homeowners below 80% of Area Median Income may qualify for up to $35,000 through the CDBG program.
Navigating that landscape -- knowing which programs stack, which have active lottery windows, what documentation the applications require, and how to coordinate the grant timeline with the roofing process -- takes experience. We have guided homeowners through all of these programs. We understand the sequencing, the common mistakes, and what it takes to get an application across the finish line.
That expertise did not come from reading a brochure. Remy and our team have been active participants in the legislative and policy process that created these programs. We have presented to the Louisiana Legislature, contributed to the development of the relevant legislation, and worked directly with insurers and state agencies to shape how FORTIFIED benefits are recognized and delivered in Louisiana. We have been in these rooms, at these tables, because we believe in what this program can do for this region.
When you work with Fortified Gulf Coast, you work with people who understand not just the construction requirements, but the full policy and financial ecosystem around them.
Questions Homeowners Ask Us Before Getting Started
You need a FORTIFIED Evaluator -- and your roofing contractor cannot serve that role. The evaluator must be an independent third party certified by IBHS. They inspect your roof before, during, and after installation and submit the documentation that earns your designation. Without a certified evaluator involved from the start, your project cannot earn a FORTIFIED designation, regardless of how the roof is built.
We handle the evaluation and certification side: pre-construction inspection, on-site documentation during installation, documentation package preparation, and IBHS submission. The contractor handles the roofing work itself -- materials, labor, installation. We can recommend qualified FORTIFIED-trained contractors in your area and help you evaluate bids, but the contracting relationship is yours, not ours. Our loyalty is to the standard, not to any contractor.
We walk clients through the available programs, help identify which grants they qualify for, explain the sequencing requirements (you must be selected for the LFHP grant before work begins, for example), and assist with the documentation the application requires. We have guided homeowners through the LFHP lottery, the Jefferson Parish RELIF program, and the New Orleans CDBG program. If you qualify for multiple programs, we help you understand how they interact.
Yes. We work with homeowners across Southeast Louisiana, including the River Parishes and surrounding areas. If you are outside our primary service area, contact us -- we can discuss whether your project is a fit or refer you to a qualified evaluator in your area.
Evaluator fees typically range from $400 to $750 depending on the size and complexity of your home. The fee covers your pre-construction inspection, on-site documentation, IBHS submission, and your official Designation Certificate. We provide a free initial evaluation and estimate before any fee is charged or commitment is made.
We are independent of both. We are IBHS-certified FORTIFIED Evaluators, which means we are trained and authorized to conduct evaluations under the FORTIFIED standard -- but we are not employed by IBHS. Similarly, we assist clients with Louisiana grant applications but are not employees or agents of the Louisiana Department of Insurance or any state agency. We are a private business that specializes in FORTIFIED evaluation and certification for Gulf Coast homeowners.
Start by confirming the evaluator is actually IBHS-certified -- you can verify any FORTIFIED Evaluator in the IBHS directory. Beyond credentials, look for experience with Louisiana's specific grant programs, familiarity with local contractors, and a track record in your area. We are happy to answer any questions about our credentials, our process, or our experience before you make a decision. We'd rather earn your trust up front than be one name on a list.
Louisiana Expertise. Independent Certification. No Conflicts of Interest.
We are not a roofing company that added FORTIFIED as a service offering. We are FORTIFIED Evaluators who built this company around one job: making sure Gulf Coast homeowners get the designation, the grants, and the insurance savings they're entitled to -- with the documentation done right the first time.
Start with an evaluation. We'll tell you exactly what your home would need, what it would cost, and what grants you likely qualify for.