What Ways Can I Get Ripped off by My Roofer?

Homeowners continue to fall prey to roofing scams year after year. Victims of these scams often find themselves cheated out of their savings and saddled with subpar roofing jobs.

Identifying dishonest roofers can be challenging. But several signs should raise red flags. In this sense, we will describe seven typical roofing scams you should avoid.

Scam #1: The Storm Chases Roofer

After a severe storm, worried homeowners might be easy targets for con artists looking to take advantage of the situation. Some roofers, known as "storm chasers," would actively seek inclement weather, hoping to find damaged roofs. They go door-to-door, offering repairs or replacements for roofs that seem damaged or, sometimes, are not damaged at all.

The storm chaser tells the homeowners that if they file an insurance claim, they may get a new roof at an enormous discount.

Yet, storm chasers usually deliver subpar results. The storm chaser will arrive in your neighborhood looking to replace roofs poorly before fleeing the town. These quickly installed roofs may not last half if a properly built one.

This roofing scam is typical! So, do not be fooled.

Scam #2: The Low Opening Bid

Dishonest contractors will frequently quote you a price far cheaper than the going rate in your region to lure you in. However, once construction begins, "unforeseen issues" and rising material costs might drive that number higher.

Roofing material prices might indeed go up or down. But your contractor should not do so in the middle of the job.

Scam #3: Mystery Damage

Your roof looks to be in excellent condition. However, one day, a roofer knocks on your door and says he observed some damage in your roof that you can't see but is a major red flag.

Some unscrupulous roofers falsely claim damage to a roof when, in fact, there is no damage, or at least not enough damage, to require a complete roof replacement. Some have even been caught creating or increasing the damage!

Scam #4: Insurance-Related Cons

Non-professional roofers can attempt insurance fraud in a few different ways. One method is to send in two bills, one to the homeowner at a reduced price and another, a larger one, to the insurance company.

This is fraudulent activity, which may lead to legal repercussions for you.

Scam #5: High-Pressure Sales

A frequent tactic used in roofing scams is for a contractor to show up to a consultation or sales presentation with a "today only" deal. They hope to convince the homeowner to sign a contract without first doing any investigation.

Scam #6: Low-Quality Materials

Certain unscrupulous contractors try to increase their earnings by offering an unusually low price for repairs. Then, they perform poor jobs that need to be redone. Frequently, these fixes only mask a deeper issue that will require more extensive and expensive work later.

These repair scams by fraudulent roofing contractors can be tough to detect until it is too late. Thus, doing preliminary research on a company is critical.

Scam #7: The Large Down Payment

Any roofer who requests a sizable down payment before commencing work on the roof is likely to be a scammer. These scam artists take unsuspecting homeowners' money and then go without a trace.

It is appropriate for a contractor to request a down payment to offset the upfront costs of purchasing supplies. However, this payment should not be over 20% of the total cost.

If a contractor requests a down payment of 50% or more before beginning work, run in the other direction.

Trust Your Roofing Concerns to Reputable Professionals

HUDCO Roofing is proud of its stellar reputation in the roofing industry. We offer expertise, safety, and dependability.

HUDCO Roofing & Exteriors can provide you with the help you need. Getting in touch with us can be done by calling us at 225-364-1007. We service areas in Bossier City, Shreveport, and Baton Rouge, LA.