Protect Yourself From Roofing Scams
After a big hail storm in North Texas roofers start flooding the zone. Case and point, I happen to live in Lavon, which is a small community just East of Wylie, Texas. We got a little bit of hail, but definitely not a “Storm of the Century” candidate. Given the number of dually pickups cruising our neighborhood you would think the governor had declared collin county a disaster area. Nope. What we really have instead are opportunist post flyers like this one. It’s not always easy to separate the opportunist from the real roofing professionals, so I thought it might be helpful to describe what a roofer sees when they read this ad.
Exaggerating the Storm
The first thing Shady Roofers does is exaggerate the size of the storm. Shady Roofers knows Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt increases the chance of the homeowner making hasty decision.
Implying Special Favor From the Insurance Company
Right after Shady Roofers hypes up the storm he implies he has the inside track with insurance companies. All you need to do is agree a free inspection and sign a few documents. This is probably the biggest read flag because people go to jail for insurance scams. The last thing you want to do is work with someone who suggests they are colluding with an an insurance adjuster to overstate your damages so you get bigger payout on a claim.
Implying Kickbacks
This is the most dangerous one. It’s illegal for roofing companies to “eat” your deductible. That will land them in very hot water! A roofing company offering to take care of the deductible is essentially lying to the insurance adjuster about the extent of your insured loss.
Short Window of Opportunity
Shady Roofers is only around two weeks so you better act fast. That makes no sense. You have time to file your claims, and what happens after Shady Roofers leaves the area? Are they ever coming back?
Misleading BBB Claims
An A+ BBB rating from the BBB just means you don’t have any complaints on file. However, that’s a very different thing than being an accredited member of the BBB who go through a stringent application and verification process. Turns out Shaddy Roofing isn’t even a BBB member.
Misleading Claims about Being Licensed, Bonded and Insured
Most of these claims are flat out lies. First, there is no such thing as a Texas roofing license. There are very credible roofing organization that will give you a membership license. If Shady Roofers were members they would be proud of that fact.
Here a few tips to protect yourself from roofing scams:
Don’t put up with scare tactics
Anyone pushing you to make a fast decision does not have your best interest in mine. Don’t put up with that. Simply say “no” and close the door. You don’t owe anyone an explanation, so don’t give one.
Report Bad Behavior
When you see roofing companies pulling fast ones report them!
Use Local People
Look for companies that are headquartered by where you live, preferably in the county the work is being performed.
Ask For References
Roofing professionals who have worked a market for years have a lot of references. The best references are people who had a roof fixed or replaced by the company at least one year ago, but not longer than three. A year is long enough for potential problems to show up. Longer than three years and memories start to fade.
Sign Documents at the head office
Yes, it convenient to sign on the spot, but if you have time go see the roofing company’s place of business. It will tell you a lot about how they run as a company.
SpringTree Restoration has a lot of experience in the areas hit by the recent hail storm. If you need a second opinion from people you can trust we hope you will give us a call.