When the economy is declining or business is slowing down for roofers, many of them will start to solicit business by going door to door to let homeowners know that they may need a new roof due to recent storms or weather. Please be aware of this as many times it is just to get the business by stating they will inspect your roof to determine if a new roof is warranted. Once they inspect your roof, more often than not, they will tell you that you need a new roof and to submit the claim to your insurance company. However, what they don’t tell you is that if you have an older roof the insurance company will not pay for it and then you as the consumer are not only responsible for a huge bill, but also have a claim against your homeowners insurance when you did not need to.

There have been reports in some instances that the contractor inspecting the roof may also cause damage so they can get the business. They may damage the roof and take photos or show you photos of another roof claiming it is yours when it isn’t. In addition, they may give you a very low estimate but once the work starts, the cost escalates. Although this is not always the case, we want you to be aware that it does happen.

The 5 most common roofing scams (there may be more, these are just the most common): 

1. A salesman representing a roofer going door to door
2. Gypsy roofers who chase the weather
3. High-pressure sales pitches and immediate demands for a decision
4. A roofing quote that keeps going up and up
5. They take the deposit check and run

Things you can do to help protect yourself if you do feel that you need a new roof:

• Get several estimates
• Look into the roofing company with the Better Business Bureau to see if they are reputable or if there are any complaints against them and what type
• A legitimate roofing company should be able to provide you local references, business licenses, roofing credentials, written manufacturer and labor warranties
• Question yourself if there was a storm recently that could have caused the damage 

Please do your research as this is a large expense for you as well as for an insurance company should it be covered. Sadly, there are those people out there that will take advantage of you and we want you to be prepared. As always, contact us if you ever have any questions!