Thursday, April 21, 2011

BBB warns of roofing scammers - have you been targeted?

After recent hailstorms and thunderstorms, Charlotte's Better Business Bureau issued a warning to local homeowners: Watch out for unscrupulous roof contractors, some of whom are from out of town, angling for repairs.

We've heard about contractors going door-to-door in some Charlotte neighborhoods and offering estimates for roof damage. According to the BBB, while many of these companies might be legitimate, others are likely storm chasers offering shoddy work at cut-rate prices.

And they may have a lot of roofs to work on. One Observer employee said a roof contractor at his house said he believes there are as many as 250,000 damaged roofs in the county (of course, he has a vested interest).

Here are some of the BBB's tips (see more here)
  • Check out a company’s BBB rating and complaint history at www.bbb.org
  • Get at least three bids in writing
  • Check to see if the company you plan to hire has the proper licensing
  • Do not permit work to start without a signed, written contract that includes start and completion dates, exact costs, specific work to be done, and warranty information. 

Have you seen or been contacted by a roofing contractor? I'd like to hear about it. Call me at 704-358-5041 or email me at elyportillo@charlotteobserver.com.

11 comments:

  1. What's the secret for getting your insurance to pay? I went through this hail damage deal last year and Nationwide would not pay. Now, after golf ball sized hail last week should I try again?

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  2. Roof Estimates are always tricky. In difficult times like these, we can only expect such solicitations to get worse before things get better.

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  3. There is no secret to getting your insurance company to pay. If there is damage, they pay. If there is not, it is not covered. Just because hail strikes your roof, does not necessarily mean that it damaged your roof.

    Try having an expert come out and look at your roof, not a roofing company. A roofing company is trying to sell you a new roof and only makes money when you buy, of course they will say you need a roof. An expert (engineer, etc) is paid regardless of damage.

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  4. Also, be sure the roofing contractor you hire is licensed, bonded, and insured! If they aren't, beware!

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  5. These contractors may also come off as a bit insistent with their services. In these cases, you can always say no and close your door. Remember that some are opportunists and they will try to coax you out of your money.

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  6. Great Blog!! That was amazing. Your thought processing is wonderful. The way you tell the thing is awesome. You are really a master.

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  7. It is not covered. Just because hail strikes your roof, does not necessarily mean that it damaged your roof.
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