After a Disaster: Avoiding the Scammers

Areas that have experienced extensive damage from extreme weather events draw all kinds of people, including volunteers and aid workers, as well as some looking to take advantage of the situation to make a quick buck. Here are 4 ways to tell if the person who wants to repair your roof is either under-qualified or a pirate roofer trying to rip you off.

• An unsolicited knock on the door – Pirate roofers often arrive from out of town and send canvassers out to stricken neighborhoods to drum up business. These canvassers may leave a business card or knock on the door to speak directly to you. Be very wary if the card does not have a local address and displays only a mobile phone number as a way to contact the roofer.
• An offer of a discount due to having excess materials from other jobs – Pirate roofers often use this tactic as way to get a fast commitment for roofing jobs. While the promise of savings may be tempting, applying a little logic to the proposal can shine a light on the potential for problems. For one, how does the roofer know that there will be enough materials to finish the job on your roof?

How does the roofer know the materials are right for your roof?

• A decision that must be made “right now” – Hard sells are never pleasant, but don’t fall prey to one in your haste to get your roof repaired. Hard sell tactics are often accompanied by demands for an upfront deposit for work with little or no paperwork to document the payment or the work that is supposed to be done. In these situations, it’s not uncommon for homeowners that are tricked into paying a deposit to call a telephone number that has been disconnected and to never see the roofer again.
• A contract that is light on details on how money will be spent – While some roofers will abscond with the deposit and never come back, others may not be as willing to blatantly break the law. These roofers will typically follow the normal protocols of providing a contract to stay on the right side of the law, but will then perform what turns out to be inferior work with inferior materials.

The rush to get repairs done after a natural disaster may allow less-than-scrupulous pirate roofers to take advantage of damage to your roof. If you see any of these warnings signs from a company that is trying to get your business, take a deep breath and call highly regarded roofers that work in your area to ensure that you get what you are paying for.