subject: Awareness Helps To Avoid Roofing Scams [print this page] Not too many problems strike as much fear to a homeowner's heart as a leaking roof. Seeing water come into a home---or hearing a drip---gives a feeling of vulnerability and loss. This is because a good roof is the first and best protection for the home. Water entering a home can cause great destruction to possessions and the house itself. It is easy to understand why some people panic and want leaks fixed as soon as possible. Roofers are well aware of this, and unfortunately, so are scammers.
After an area is hit with damaging storms or tornadoes carrying heavy rain, wind and hail, widespread damage is often left and roofs are hit particularly hard. Almost every professional roofing contractor is hard at work after such a weather event and some will work as many hours as possible to repair or replace customer's roofs quickly. Scammers know this and watch weather and areas of damage carefully so that they can move into an area within in a short time.
Beware Bargain Rates
Because so many roofs need attention after storms, homeowners may have a difficult time trying to hire roofers to work on their roofs immediately. This creates the perfect opportunity for roofing scammers to work. They may come into an area and pass out pamphlets or even take out an advertisement in the local newspaper offering their services. Some even go door to door offering a free evaluation and free estimate. If anyone is interested, they will then offer to do the work immediately and at a low or bargain rate.
This is too much to resist for some people who are desperately worried about their leaking roofs or missing shingles. It is true that they will work quickly and charge a low rate. This is often enough to even gain them referrals to other desperate people. Unfortunately, the workmanship is generally shoddy and the materials of poor quality. Because the roofing repair or replacement is substandard, it will eventually leak, but the scammers will be long gone by that time.
Roofing scams do not just happen after strong storms. Recently in Indianapolis, a man posed as a neighbor and approached several elderly victims, telling them he saw their roofs were damaged and offered to repair them. He convinced them to write checks for him to buy materials and promised to come back to do the work. Needless to say, they never saw him again.
How to Avoid Scammers
Never agree to have work done by someone who approaches you or knocks on your door. A professional roofing contractor does not solicit work that way. Find a roofer by using the Yellow Pages or searching websites such as Angie's List on the Internet. Even so, check with the Better Business Bureau and the Local Area Chamber of Commerce to ask if complaints have been filed against a potential roofer. Legitimate roofers do not object to having their customers check them out because they know it will give the person confidence to hire them. Ask to have a written estimate and if the person is hired, keep all paperwork such as the contract and all warranties and guarantees. Taking these precautions will help to ensure a satisfactory transaction.
