We always do our best to do things by the book and treat every customer like our own family. Sad to say, but not every roofing company shares our enthusiasm in this area. There are plenty of roofers out there who are just looking to make a quick buck and move on to the next town. This is especially true during storm season, when outlaw roofers are out in full force.
To help you see these scams coming, here’s the five most common roofing scams.
- Down Payment and Disappear– It’s one of the oldest tricks in the book. Get the down payment and get out of town. If a roofers says they need a down payment to “pay for supplies and labor” before they start work, it should be a red flag. Sometimes a down payment check is the only thing a roofer wants. Make sure you have some way of tracking them down and holding them accountable if you write a down payment check before work begins.
- Out of Town- When it comes to roofing, it’s always best to hire local. Out of town companies are notorious for ripping people off. It’s good if the company you hire at least has a physical office in your state, and it’s better if they have an office in your town or a close by town.
- The Change Up- If you agree to pay for an upgrade on shingles, make sure you get what you’re paying for. It’s not uncommon for roofers to sell you fancy expensive shingles, and then use a cheaper shingle without you knowing. When you purchase an upgrade, write down the name of the product and ask to see a sample. When the supplies arrive, check the package for the right product name and see if sample match what’s on your roof.
- Licensed- Not every cowboy with a hammer is allowed to put a new roof on your house. Roofers need to be properly licensed in the state they are working in. Always ask to see a license number, it’s probably on their business cards or trucks.
- References- Ask around and see if any of your friends have heard of or used the company you’re thinking about. You can also check online reviews on Facebook, Yelp, Google and other rating services. If all else fails, ask your sales rep if you can call any of their past customers for references.
A new roof is a major investment that you don’t want to get scammed on. If you watch out for these scams and stick with an established Broken Arrow roofing company like Tier-One Roofing, you’ll be fine.