Welcome to the Topic “Common roofing scams you should know about”
If you run into problems and need roof repair or replacement, it is vital that you understand how to prevent falling victim to roofing fraud. Yes, it is true that roofing scams are prevalent, particularly following severe storms when homeowners who have suffered roof damage are left exposed because they need repairs to be completed as soon as possible. That’s when the con artists come in to play.
At Agile roofing Canberra, we will assist you in not only avoiding roofing scams but also identifying them from a distance. It’s important to choose a reliable roofing contractor when it comes to making repairs to your roof. Here’s how to make certain that this occurs.
Roofing Scams Come in Varieties.
There are roofing scams that occur on a regular basis enough that we have learned how to identify them straight away. The following are the most frequent fraudster strategies you may encounter while looking for roof repairs.
Storm chasers
Storm chasers do just that: they will go to an area that has been hit by a powerful storm and begin knocking on doors to offer their services. This is due to the fact that these contractors are there to make a fast profit and are often from out of town, which has led to the term “fly-by-night” contractors being coined. They swoop in and offer discounts on roof repairs, but they do it quickly and disappear into thin air, never to be seen or heard from again.
When storm chasers get on the scene, the most serious concern is that they will knock over householders who are already on the ground. They take advantage of the situation and offer you a new roof or roof repairs at a discount, they will trick homeowners into believing their roof has been damaged, whether it has or has not.
They may even involve your insurance company, telling you that if you make a claim with insurance, they will be able to offer you a better price and would manage the rest of the process for you. This is a RED FLAG in the sky.
These contractors haven’t even been out to look at your roof but they’re telling you that you need repairs done right soon, and that they can do them for a reasonable price. So, if anything like this occurs, make sure you don’t fall prey to their tricks. In order to have an inspection performed, contact a reputable local contractor.
Insurance Fraud
Whenever a contractor offers to handle a homeowner’s insurance claim, the homeowner should be very cautious, particularly if the contractor also offers to pay the homeowner’s deductible and provide a “free” incentive on top of that. According to this fraud, the contractor will “cover your deductible” by billing you less money, paying the deductible, and charging the insurance company more money than they charged you for the services they performed.
Profit for them and money in their wallets comes from the additional money they get from the insurance company. Homeowners should always participate in the insurance claim process and keep track of how much money has been granted and how much money has been spent on the service. Any contractor that promises to pay your deductible in full for you should be avoided at all costs.
Contractors who are not properly licensed
There are a variety of reasons why hiring a contractor who does not have a license is a bad idea. In other words, if there is an unlicensed roofer on the job, it is likely that they are either roofing illegally or that they are a fly-by-night storm chaser from out of state.
To guarantee a safe and protected roofing installation, professional roofing contractors are required to hold liability insurance as well as other types of insurance coverage. Hiring a licenced contractor also ensures that you will get high-quality labour, higher-quality materials, and ethical business methods. Roofers who aren’t licenced haven’t been thoroughly screened to ensure that these things don’t happen, and they should be avoided at all costs.
Demanding Full Payment Upfront
When it comes to roofing contractors, they should not demand payment in full before beginning work. This should serve as a huge warning sign that they are up to anything questionable. Certain contractors may want a little down payment up ahead to cover the cost of some supplies; however, the entire cost of labour and materials should never be charged until the project is completed and the client is satisfied.
While your roofers are working on your roof, anything might go wrong, and if they have already been paid for the project, they have little motivation to stop and rectify the problem.
It’s also important to notice if a contractor provides you with an extremely low-ball quote on the spot. Obtaining a handful of quotations from a variety of different roofers will assist to avoid situations like these from occurring in the future. Depending on the materials they employ, their estimations should be pretty comparable to one another.
Damage That Isn’t Explained
Finally, but certainly not least, there is the roof scam, in which a roofer comes to check your roof, climbs up on the roof before you have agreed to work with them, and then says that they caused the damage themselves.
Never allow a contractor to climb up on your roof unless you’ve signed the papers and hired them on the spot. And, if at all possible, take photographs of your roof or storm damage before you have your inspection performed. After a roof inspection, this might help protect you against any “mystery damage” claims that may arise.
Takeaway
In these kind of circumstances, you should always go with your gut instinct. It will almost always turn out to be the best choice. If anything doesn’t appear right or if something doesn’t sit right with you, contact a local contractor like who has an office and an address like Agile roofing Canberra. In this way, you may avoid roofers who are unlicensed and just interested in making a fast money.
Agile roofing Canberra has a physical location where you can come and see us whenever you like! We would be delighted to collaborate with you in order to guarantee that you get the professional and dependable roofing services that you deserve.
Have any questions regarding the topic “Common roofing scams you should know about” feel free to comment below.
