It doesn’t feel very good to put your trust in a roofing contractor, only to find out they’ve ripped you off and you’re out the money you spent on their shady services. Unfortunately, this happens all too often in the roofing industry. In an effort to help you make an informed decision when working with roofers, and to help you know the signs to look out for that you’re being ripped off, your friends at Tim Leeper Roofing have a few handy tips you can use to spot a scammer before it’s too late. Keep reading to learn more.
They request a large down payment
Another sure sign of a roofing scammer is when the contractor asks for a ridiculously large deposit or down payment. Many roofers don’t require a down payment and can order materials and supplies without it, while some may require a reasonable deposit of anywhere between 10-15% to cover materials. That being said, if a roofer is asking for more than 20%, give them a hard pass.
No credentials, No insurance, No permits = No Good
A telltale sign that you’re getting ripped off by someone claiming to be a professional roofer is when they cannot produce the necessary credentials needed to legally complete the job. If a roofer is reluctant to provide a copy of their license or they can’t provide proof of insurance, this is a red flag. If the roofer says they don’t need a permit to complete the job, there’s probably a very good reason why.
Low Starting Bid
Some contractors will offer you an extremely low estimate, one that is far lower than any competitor you’ve talked with. Once the work starts, though, the price could creep up due to “unforeseen problems” and inflated material costs.
Mystery Damage
Your roof appears to be in fine shape, even after a big storm. One day, though, a roofer knocks at the door claiming to see damage on the roof. Some roofers claim there is damage to a roof when there clearly isn’t any. Others have even been caught causing damage themselves on purpose.
Insurance Fraud Scam
There are a few types of insurance fraud that a contractor may attempt to commit. One of these is submitting two separate invoices, a lower one to the homeowner, and a much higher one to the insurance company.
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