Avoiding Roofing Scams
Avoiding Roofing Scams
The unfortunate reality is that there are shysters and con artists in almost every line of work and the roofing industry is no exception. There are no limits the variations of scams that a creative fraudster can dream up, but there are a few common ones in the roofing industry that you should avoid.
Storm chasers are out of state itinerant roofers who travel from area to area following a major hailstorm or other severe weather event. While some of these roofers do good work, many do not and the result is a poorly installed roof that fails within the first few years. The problem is that the roofer is long gone by then and you have to pay a good local roofer to fix the damage.
Offering free roof inspections is another area fraught with potential for fraud. You should understand that most reputable local roofing contractors offer legitimate free roof inspections. If you think your roof may have been damaged by hail or old age, calling a reputable local roofer for a free roof inspection is a good idea.
The problem is when some stranger shows up at your door uninvited and without any local credentials and offers to inspect your roof. They always find damage and get you to file an insurance claim in the hopes of having the claim approved. In a few cases, they actually cause damage to an otherwise healthy roof and make it look like hail or storm damage.
Protect yourself from roofing scams by dealing with a local roofing contractor with a reputation for high quality roofing work and who will be around to stand behind their work if necessary.
