How To Avoid Storm Chaser Scams

There’s a reason storm chasers get a bad rep in the roofing industry, both from homeowners and other roofing contractors. Hiring a licensed, reputable roofing contractor shouldn’t be complicated. Yet many have fallen victim to fly-by roofing “companies”. To avoid paying for poor workmanship, encountering recurring issues down the road, and being pushed into hasty contracts, it’s vital to know the warning signs of roofing scams. In this blog post, Weather Stop Roofing explains how to avoid storm chaser scams so you can be rest assured you’re getting high-quality service.

What Are Storm Chasers?

Storm chasers are predatory roofing contractors who follow storms around the country. Following a severe storm which has caused a lot of damage to homes in a particular area, these companies show up and start knocking on doors seeking jobs. They may also call you directly, claiming to be a representative from your insurance company. Typically, these contractors will be from out of state, and almost always disappear following payment and completing a job, oftentimes lacking in quality workmanship. If a storm has recently moved through your area and someone shows up at your door trying to get on your roof and get a signed contract on the spot, chances are they are a storm chaser looking to take advantage of your situation. These are some of the hallmark signs of storm chasers below to better understand of what you should beware:

1. Only Show Up After a Bad Storm

Storm chasers don’t show up in town or in your neighborhood until right after a storm. If they come knocking at your door or call you without being contacted, asking to get on your roof on the spot, consider taking a step back to do some research on them before calling them back to conduct an inspection. While an inspection may seem harmless in and of itself, beware of signing any documents giving permission for them to get on your roof. Fine print on these documents may allow them to do more than they initially let on and could also prevent you from working with another company. Most legitimate roofing contractors do not require a signature or contract to conduct an inspection.

2. Are Typically from Out of State

Storm chasers can move across multiple cities, states, and even the entire country chasing job opportunities from communities in distress. Always ask a company who shows up at your door where their office is located. If it is not in or around your community, consider calling a local company instead. Even if they are able to provide a quick answer, always fact check online. They should be able to give you a precise address which matches what you find online.

3. Pushy Salesmanship

Roofing jobs, whether they’re urgently needed or not, can be huge investments. A reputable contractor will never try to push you into signing a contract or making a decision on the spot. Traditionally, you will receive an estimate a day or two after an inspection, sometimes sooner, but very rarely on the spot. In order to accurately and competitively price a project, contractors need to consider more than just the condition of your roof. Storm chasers will often push you to let them on your roof, use fear tactics to frighten you about the condition of your roof, and insist you sign a contract and let them get started right away to avoid massive costs and issues. They may even ask for upfront payments. While some roofs may need urgent attention, it is very unlikely that a few days or even a week is going to make or break your roof. Take your time and make an informed decision on contractors and estimates.

4. Don’t Communicate Well

Storm chasers are not only pushy when it comes to salesmanship, but they are also poor at communicating. Once they have a signed contract, chances are they are not going to bother with quality customer service. This could look like: not answering phone calls/emails, not notifying you on start and finish dates, showing up unannounced, and not following up on post-project issues.

5. Vague or Non-Existent Estimates

Estimates provided by professional roofing contractors will detail the process of the project and include any brands, colors, or types of materials they will use, where applicable. The fine print on estimates will be kept to a minimum and be clear and concise. Estimates from storm chasers are often very vague, if they exist at all, leaving lots of room for a corner-cutting roof job. If a company representative is dodging your questions, providing vague answers, or waving off your concerns, don’t sign the contract. Reputable contractors will be willing to go over your estimate with you line by line, so that you are perfectly comfortable with your quote and the work to be performed before ever moving forward.

6. Disappear Following Payment

Since storm chasers move around, as soon as they’ve finished jobs in a particular town, they’re on to the next. The issue with this is they cannot be reached to return to correct the issues that arise from poor workmanship. Furthermore, they cannot uphold their warranties, if they exist, which dictate free corrective measures for defects in installation. Unfortunately, this leaves many homeowners with future costs to correct a bad roof job. When a professional roofing contractor does come in to provide quality repairs/replacements, it may be difficult for them to determine what was done by a previous company if you as a homeowner cannot reach them and were left with no documentation of the work completed.

7. Non-Committal Warranties

Different roofing contractors have different warranties and different warranty parameters. Contractors will provide a warranty which conveys their level of confidence in the workmanship they provide and the products they use. If a warranty’s parameters or warranty period doesn’t make you confident in the contractor you’re considering for hire, it’s likely the contractor isn’t confident either. Storm chasers will either provide no warranty, non-committal warranties, or vague warranties. Do some research on typical warranty periods for established roofing contractors in your area and use them as the standard for the company you’re considering.

How Does The Scam Work?

The business model of storm chasers centers around fear tactics and pushy salesmanship. Storm chasers are in it to make quick and easy money, cutting corners as a rule, and spending little to no energy on customer service. The process follows a pattern similar to this:

Scam Step 1.

Severe storm hits your area, causing widespread or isolated and devastating damage

Scam Step 2.

Storm chasers approach you through door-knocking or cold-calling campaigns, canvasing your neighborhood without first being contacted for their services

Scam Step 3.

Insist on inspecting your roof on the spot, and possibly request a signed contract to do so (some contracts signed for inspections may have fine print which legally binds you to using their services)

Scam Step 4.

Conduct and vague and dishonest inspection which may even include further damaging your roof

Scam Step 5.

Use fear tactics to scare hyou into hastily signing a contract – they may tell you that if the work is not completed right away, your roof will suffer irrevocable damage which could spread to other portions of your home and/or cost you far more by waiting

Scam Step 6.

Provide a vague estimate for the work and dodge any questions regarding the details or refuse to amend the bid according to your concerns or preferences

Scam Step 7.

Hastily complete the job, oftentimes cutting corners by using low-quality materials and cheap labor while ignoring local building codes (this may leave you with a subpar roof resulting from shoddy workmanship)

Scam Step 8.

Collect the payment, either upfront or immediately following the job with or without an invoice and/or warranty

Scam Step 9.

Leave town after job is completed and do not answer your phone calls/emails

Scam Step 10.

Are untraceable online for contact or reviews because they do not have a presence on local listings such as BBB, Yelp, Google, Angi, Facebook, etc.

How To Avoid The Scam

Not all door knockers are scammers. Following a severe storm, some local roofing companies may conduct door-knocking campaigns simply to make their presence known and make homeowners aware of their services. The difference is these local companies will not try and pressure you into a hasty inspection or contract. When a roofing contractor does knock on your door, you should take the following steps to verify their legitimacy before moving forward with their services:

1. Ask for Their Local Address and Phone Number

Fact check their answers online. If they either do not provide this information or it does not match what you find online, this is indicative of a scam. On the otherhand, they may provide you with a legitimate address for their business, but if it is an out of town or out of state address, this is still a red flag.

2. Ask How Long They’ve Been in Business

There are many pop-up roofing companies out there. While not all of them are scammers, when it comes to a major investment in your roof and the integrity of your home, you want to stick to companies with experience and a positive history with homeowners in your area.

3. Research Them Online

Research their website, their BBB listing, and their Google reviews. Be sure to look over these carefully, as some scammers take special care to create a illusionary reputation online.

4. Check Their Licenses, Certifications, and Insurance

If a company is not willing to provide proof of these documents, beware, as they may be trying to hide their illegitimacy. Familiarize yourself with the law requirements for these various documents in your area, as they differ from state to state.

5. Push Back on Pressure Sales Tactics

While storm damage may very well need to be repaired sooner rather than later, it is rarely dependent on a number of days or even a week or two. Avoid signing anything on the spot. If you are considered about waiting, request an emergency tarp-in to protect your home from exposure to the elements. Carefully read over estimates and contracts. Ask questions and don’t settle for vague or non-answers. Consider getting estimates from other companies to compare. A lowball offer is sometimes an indicator of a scam. They can afford their low price because they use low-quality materials and cut-down on hourly labor costs.

6. Avoid Inspection Contracts

Some storm chasers will insist you sign a contract allowing them to inspect your roof. This is not a common practice of reputable roofing contractors. Inspection contracts could include hidden language that allows scammers to do much more than they are letting on and may even prevent you from working with another roofing company without breaching the contract and incurring financial implications. Read everything carefully before signing and reaching back out with an informed decision.

7. Contact Your Insurance Company

If your roof qualifies for an insurance claim repair or replacement, reach out to your insurance company and/or an established local roofing contractor who specializes in insurance claim roofing services. They will offer you support and guidance, alleviating any fear instilled by a storm chaser scam. Some scammers may try to convince you that you will not be able to get the necessary repairs through your insurance company. This is because they know their prices and lack of reputation will set off alarm bells. While insurance claims can get complicated and may require a bit of negotiation, they are worth it in the long run when the alternative is a shoddy job from an uninsured company.

Always Use A Reputable Roofing Contractor

Weather Stop Roofing is the go-to roofing company for storm restoration in Greater Cincinnati. Here’s why:

1. Trusted and Local

Weather Stop Roofing has been serving home and business owners in Greater Cincinnati with our quality roofing services since 2007. We pride ourselves in being fair and honest, providing thorough inspections, competitive estimates, and quality workmanship. All of our work is warrantied, and our full roof replacements are backed by our Lifetime Material Installer’s Watertight Warranty. We are an A+ rated Better Business Bureau accredited business, fully-insured, and Carlisle Certified.

2. Extensive Experience

Weather Stop Roofing provides a full spectrum of roofing services and specializes in storm-damage roof repairs and roof replacements, having done many jobs working with insurance companies over the years. Furthermore, we provide emergency roofing services, such as emergency tarp-ins. This way, you are able to take the time you need to make an informed decision without worrying about further damage to your home through exposure to the elements.

3. Put Your Satisfaction at the Top of the Priority List

We want you to be completely comfortable with the entire process of your project from start to finish. We don’t consider a job complete until you and our team are 100% satisfied with the result. When you contact us, you will receive a free inspection and a free, no-obligation estimate, with all questions answered. When it comes to our workmanship, you can expect nothing short of industry standard-setting quality. Our goal is to not only have happy customers, but customers who will refer us again and again to their friends, family, and neighbors.

Conclusion

It may seem daunting trying to avoid a roofing scam, especially in the vulnerable period following a severe storm. The most important thing is to simply be aware – if it doesn’t feel right, it’s probably not right. Always choose a reputable roofing company like Weather Stop Roofing to get on your roof following a severe storm.