Utah Residents Should Beware of Roofing Scams
Utah Residents Should Beware of Roofing Scams
In the wake of the December 2011 wind storms that caused millions of dollars of damage to homes and businesses throughout Davis and Weber counties, reports of shady contractors have surfaced. The Utah Department of Commerce has cautioned area residents to be careful when dealing with contractors for wind damage repairs.
Many of these unlicensed contractors are little more than con artists who try to take advantage of residents by offering a great deal on wind damage repairs if the homeowner pays cash up front. They then either do shoddy work or simply disappear with the homeowner’s money.
The windstorms that struck Utah in December with gusts of over 100 mph damaged roofs on homes and businesses throughout the area. Especially hard hit were homes between Bountiful and Layton including Centerville and Kaysville.
If your roof suffered wind damage, protect yourself by working with a licensed local roofing contractor. Many out of state roofing contractors (often referred to as “storm chasers” ) are working in the area. Some of these are legitimate roofers, but it can be very difficult to tell the difference between the good roofers and the scam artists. When you use an unlicensed, out of state roofer you run a significant risk of winding up with a poorly installed, low quality roof or worse, simply being scammed out of your money by an unscrupulous contractor.
Before you sign any roofing contract, verify that the roofer is a licensed local roofing contractor like Jasper Contractors. Ask to see the contractor’s license and proof of insurance. A reputable local contractor will also have a permanent local office and will be around to handle any warranty work.
