A roofing scam can fool anyone. After all, it’s not often that homeowners have their roof replaced. You may not know what’s normal and what’s not.
When a “contractor” seems like they know what they’re talking about, it can be tempting to just say yes. A deal that seems to be a discount can quickly become a disaster if the contractor takes off with your money and leaves your roof a wreck.
Avoid a roofing scam by watching out for suspicious behavior. The sooner you spot con artists, the sooner you can send them packing and alert the authorities.
The Contractor Suddenly Shows Up
Storm-chaser scammers are the worst. They prey upon need and ignorance.
If a major storm has taken a toll on the neighborhood, these types of con artists show up without an invitation and knock on your door. They may also leave a flyer in your mailbox. They’re hoping that you will hire them because you need a quick fix, but they don’t plan on providing quality service — or sometimes even any service at all.
They Offer a Free Quote … If You Let Them on Your Roof
Most reputable roofing contractors offer a free quote before your project begins, and they may need to get on your roof in order to give you the most accurate price. But you should always conduct in-depth research on any contractor before you give them the go-ahead to get up close and personal with your property.
Less-than-honest roofing contractors may inflict damage on purpose to inflate the quote. They also may show you pictures of a damaged roof, but the roof in the pictures might not be yours.
Offering a free quote is an attractive feature, but when it’s offered out of the blue by a door-to-door salesman, it could be a roofing scam.
Their Offer Is Accompanied with a Sense of Urgency
Dependable roofing contractors will try to give you the best quote possible, but they won’t pressure you to take the deal. It’s your choice whether to have your roof replaced or repaired or not. No honest contractor will make you feel stressed or guilty during the proposal process.
Always be wary of one-time offers and expiring credits — they’re usually attached to a roofing scam.
They Ask for the Money Up Front
Never trust a roofing contractor who asks for cash beforehand. Yes, companies typically ask for deposits on signed roofing contracts, but they never ask for the entire balance in advance. Also, if they ask you to sign a document that allows them to claim repair benefits from your homeowners insurance, don’t do it.
Ultimately, the point of a roofing scam is to convince trusting homeowners to part with their money for nonexistent or shoddy roof repairs or replacements. Before you consider having any work done on your roof, make sure the contractor is fully vetted. Or just call the Roof Doctor for trustworthy, dependable service.