Common Roofing Scams to Avoid

Here at Elite Roofing & Solar, our motto is “roofing done right.” To us, that means we always work to provide the best roofing solutions for our customers. It also means we hold ourselves to high standards and strive to conduct our business with the utmost integrity. Unfortunately, not every roofing company believes in this. Far too often, we hear stories of roofing scams where homeowners and business owners were taken advantage of by unethical roofers. We’ve helped many folks fix their roofs after such scams, but we feel the best way to deal with roofing scams is prevention. So today, we’re discussing some of the most common roofing scams to help our readers avoid hiring unethical roofers. 

Storm chasers

We often mention storm chasers on our blog—and no, we’re not talking about meteorology enthusiasts and thrill-seekers who get close to tornadoes and other severe weather. In the roofing industry, storm chasing is one of the most common roofing scams. Shady roofers will look for storm forecasts in an area and canvass neighborhoods, offering to repair supposed damage to homeowners’ roofs. And while storm damage should certainly be repaired, storm chasing roofers tend to either lie about the damage or provide shoddy repair jobs that may not even last the whole summer. By the time you contact the roofer to fix your leaking roof they supposedly repaired, they’re long gone, leaving you with the bill and a leaky roof.

Offering to waive deductibles

Whether it’s through promotions, guarantees, or references, roofers have many ways to try to rise above the competition. However, beware of any roofing company that promises to waive your insurance deductible in order to offer a lower price. This is one of the more subtle roofing scams, as it can be difficult to see how it might come back to bite you. But the truth is that this practice is illegal in Colorado (and many other states), and often falls under the umbrella of insurance fraud—for which you can be held just as liable as the roofing company. If any roofing company offers to waive your deductible, that should be an immediate deal-breaker.

Low bids, then “unforeseen” problems

When it’s time to replace or repair your roof, it can be tempting to just pick the lowest bid to save some money. Unfortunately, another one of the most common roofing scams is when roofers intentionally underestimate the costs of a roofing project, then raise their prices midway through. They’ll cite “unforeseen” problems they encountered during the process of fixing your roof to justify the sudden change in price. And while it’s true that unforeseen problems do happen from time to time, the real problem is often that they lied in their initial estimate. 

How to pick a reputable roofer

With so many possible roofing scams out there, how do you find a roofer who will stand by their word? Here are some of the most important considerations when choosing a roofing company:

 

  • Shop local – One of the keys to storm chasers’ roofing scams is that they’re nowhere to be found by the time you realize they’ve conned you. When you work with a local, established roofer, however, their work must stand up to scrutiny, or else their reputation would be in shambles.
  • Value openness and honesty – As you compare roofers, take note of which companies seem forthcoming throughout the entire process. They’ll be the ones giving out reliable quotes that don’t wildly underestimate costs, the ones offering warranties and workmanship guarantees, and the ones with all the necessary licensing.
  • Read many reviews – Reviews and references are one of the best ways to learn what kind of quality you can expect from a roofer. This is also an especially good way to avoid the “unforeseen problems” scam. If many reviews are saying a roofer underestimated on their initial bid, that’s probably not an accident. 

 

At Elite Roofing & Solar, We Believe in Roofing Done Right!

It’s disheartening to hear about the many roofing scams that dishonest roofing companies pull on people. That’s why at Elite Roofing & Solar in Denver, “roofing done right” is all about doing the most to help homeowners and business owners protect their families and their livelihoods. We provide honest quotes, we always operate within the law, and we never compromise on quality just to get a job done faster and make a buck. As a family-owned roofing company, we value trust and integrity because that’s exactly what we’d want from a roofer. If you find yourself in need of an inspection, a repair, or a roof replacement, our team at Elite Roofing & Solar in Denver is always standing by. Contact us today to see what “roofing done right” truly means!

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