Common Roofing Scams And How To Avoid Them

Unfortunately, during times like these, we tend to see a spike in scams and that includes shady business and dealings with “contractors”. Review the basics below and keep in mind that the only contractor that should be working are those that are considered essential. Any issues that you run into like plumbing, electrical roofing, HVAC are considered essential to you and your family. 

It seems that every night the local news is investigating a roofing scam that has put an innocent homeowner into a very expensive and frustrating situation. There are a handful of ways that roofing businesses, claiming to be reputable, can give you a run for your money. Here are the common roofing scams you need to be on the lookout for. 

Storm Chasers and The Door To Door

We cringe when a big storm blows through neighborhoods, not only because of the hardships we know that the homeowner will experience but the aftermath visits of the door to door storm chaser. Storm chasers literally are just that. They follow the news to see what cities and neighborhoods have been hit by a large storm. Then they send a handful of employees out door to door to sign up as many homeowners for roofing repairs. 

Their goal is to strictly book as many as roofs as they can, fix them (and majority of the time, sloppily) and then off to the next city! Be wary of anyone that comes to your door, chances are they are looking for a quick buck and not worried at all about building a relationship with the homeowner. 

The door to door guys you see canvassing your neighborhood are also the ones that “happen to be in the neighborhood and saw your roof has some damage” as they point in a general area on your roof. Their goal is to instill homeowner fear and again, to book a quick job. When it comes to roofing you want to find a reputable company that will have a lasting relationship with you. 

The “Too Good To Be True” Low Bid

So you get a few roofing companies out to your home and all seem to be around the same price, except for this one company. WOW! It’s so cheap…at first. These type of roofing contractors like to start low and over time things start to add up. Before you know it, you are paying for things you never knew you needed. The general rule of thumb in home improvement is, ‘If it’s too good to be true, then it most likely is too good to be true.” 

How to Avoid A Roofing Scam

You can avoid getting scammed by doing your homework! Checking with your local BBB, reading the reviews on Google, Yelp and Facebook are all great practice when you are in the market for a new roof. Roofing contractors should be happy to provide references, certifications and licenses when asked by a homeowner. Any hesitation and you know you need to move on to the next! And always trust your gut, if you don’t feel right about a roofer… NEXT!

And finally, you can always trust that Hire it Done has the best roofing contractors to choose from. Hire it Done chooses only the most elite contractors to be a part of the network – our 10 -Point Pre-Screening is the most comprehensive in the industry, and our Code of Ethics let’s our homeowners know they can trust you with their most valuable asset – their home. Let our roofers compete for your business today!