The term “storm chasers” refers to roofers that travel across the country, usually trailing the path of storms, to look for unsuspecting homeowners. Mostly, their schemes involve knocking on doors and offering inspections and repairs at prices that are too good to be true but with the intent of performing substandard work. By the time the victims realize this, they have moved on to the next storm-ravaged area.

In this blog, storm damage repair contractor DePalma Construction explains how you can spot and avoid these unscrupulous roofers.

Spotting a Storm Chaser

The fact that storm chasers go door-to-door to offer their services is already suspicious enough. Reputable roofing contractors will only pay a visit if the homeowner called them. If someone is offering their roofing services at your doorstep, a good way to begin evaluating their legitimacy is to ask the following questions yourself:

• Are they pressuring you into signing something?

A roofer shouldn’t be too pushy about getting your business. Unless you agreed to everything, from the scope of the roofing work to the materials to be used for the roof installation, never sign anything immediately.

• Are they asking you to pay upfront fees?

A roofer asking for a large payment before doing any work is probably a scammer. True roofing contractors don’t usually require their customers to pay upfront fees and instead get the job done first.

• Are they from within the community or from another location?

Treat a roofing contractor that is not locally based as a red flag. Also, be aware that some storm chasers may try to curb your suspicions by partnering with a local company as a way to conceal their shady business practices.

Avoiding Storm Chasers

The best way to avoid storm chasers is to work with a locally-owned roofing company with plenty of experience working with homeowners in your area. See to it that it has a working and updated website, manufacturer certifications, and insurance. Look up the roofer on the internet; a quick search of the company name can give you enough information about the contractor’s legitimacy in doing business.

For your roofing needs, turn to DePalma Construction. Give us a call at (717) 275-9589 if you have questions regarding our services or request a roof inspection. You may also fill out our contact form for a free estimate.