Roof Repair Rip-Offs: Beware of These Common Scams
Licensed roof repair contractors provide high-quality, ethical services for their customers.
Licensed roof repair contractors provide high-quality, ethical services for their customers. However, there are unethical scam artists intent on stealing from homeowners.
Roofing repair scams are on the rise. A hint that a roofer is less than reliable is when one comes to the door uninvited or makes a cold call. Few, if any, ethical roofing contractors go door-to-door or make calls to solicit business. The simplest way to avoid these types of scams is to politely decline to purchase roof repair services from anyone who approaches in this manner.
Awareness of common rip-offs will help protect homeowners from scams and ensure they pay for quality roofing repair and replacement services only licensed contractors provide.
Storm Damage Roof Repair Scams
So-called “gypsy roofers” prey on homeowners after severe wind and hail storms. They go door-to-door, explaining to homeowners that they’re already in the neighborhood doing work for other residents and would be happy to help with any needed roofing repairs.
They’ll offer their services to repair the roof and usually provide a low-ball price to entice the homeowner to sign up. Then, because their estimate is so low, they’ll request a large cash deposit to purchase materials.
Once they have the cash in hand, they’ll disappear, never to be seen again.
Roofing Repair “Insurance” Scams
These con artists go door-to-door in a neighborhood offering to sell roofing repair insurance. They’ll tell their victims that the neighbor down the street signed up and suggested they stop by.
They’ll start by describing the costs others in the neighborhood paid for roof repair last summer after a particularly harsh wind storm. The cost will be high enough to be alarming and make the homeowner wonder if they could afford the expense if similar damage occurs to their home.
Once the so-called salesman has worried the homeowner sufficiently, they’ll offer their insurance program. Pay them a one-time premium (usually a few hundred dollars), and the homeowner won’t have to pay a penny if extensive roof repairs are needed in the future.
What happens once the homeowner needs roof repairs? The company is nowhere to be found, and they’re out the money paid.
The “Elevator Ride” Roof Repair Scam
The ”elevator ride” roof repair scam is easy to fall victim to because it’s often perpetrated by a local, seemingly legitimate roofing company, possibly even a licensed contractor.
In this common scam, the contractor will provide a low estimate—so low that it almost appears too good to be true. The catch is that the homeowner must sign on the dotted line that day. Once the contract is signed, the contractor will proceed with the work, and everything will appear to be on track. That is until they find a previously unforeseen problem that increases the cost.
Usually, the first change order will be small, perhaps a few hundred dollars. But then more problems mysteriously appear, and the cost keeps increasing until it exceeds the other bids the homeowner received. The problem with this scam is that it can be difficult or impossible to prove that the contractor did anything wrong.
To protect themselves against roofing repair rip-offs and scams, homeowners should check out any potential contractor before agreeing to have work done. Hire only licensed, bonded, insured roofing contractors. Check their online reviews and read any contracts carefully before signing.
Master Pro Services provides expert roofing repair and replacement in Richmond, Chesterfield, Midlothian, Hopewell, Ashland, Glen Allen, Moseley, Fort Lee, and surrounding areas. Our services encompass all residential and commercial roofing structures, including flat roofs, Dimensional, three-tab, designer shingles, metal roofing, EPDM roof membranes, thermoplastic roof membranes (TPO), as well as windows, gutters, and other roofing components. Financing is available. BBB member. Call us now at (804) 552-5007.
