5 Common Roofing Scams and How to Avoid Them

Repairing or replacing your roof is a major investment in your home. The work is expensive, but a new roof can pay for itself on your home’s resale value according to Home365. However, since there is a lot of money involved, there are often scammers who will try to get a piece of it. Here are five common  roofing  scams and ways in which you can avoid them.

If a roofer comes to your door and tells you they spotted damage on your roof, be cautious. They might go up and cause the damage they claimed, then charge you for the repair. You’ll have no way of knowing unless you go onto the roof with them. In order to avoid this scam, don’t allow this roofer into your home. Instead, call another contractor and ask them to give you a free quote on any potential damage.

Any door-to-door sales should be suspicious. Most reputable roofing companies don’t need to drum up business this way. If someone comes to your door for any reason offering roofing services, don’t sign anything right away. Take their information and look into it first.

If a roofer says they want all or most of their fee upfront, it is likely a scam. This will give them an early payday and they can disappear with the work only half-finished. If you put in a deposit upfront, it should only be a small percentage of the total cost.

If a roofing company offers to cover your deductible, they’re not being generous. Instead, this allows them to bill your insurance company fraudulently for the work. Make sure that any company you work with is handling the insurance aspects in a legal way. That way, you won’t end up with any problems yourself.

Cash can’t be traced. So if your roofing contractor wants you to pay them in cash, especially upfront, be suspicious. If you give them the cash and they don’t finish the job, there is no way to track that cash and get it back. Pay with a check or credit card to leave a paper trail.

With some common sense and planning, you can avoid becoming a good target for scammers. Keep these scams in mind when looking for roofing companies and you’re more likely to get an honest contractor.

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