Avoid Storm-Chaser Roofing Contractors

Choosing the right Cincinnati Roofer to hire for your home can be challenging and confusing. We know that. With the alarming number of scams that are related to roofing companies, it’s only understandable.

The Urban Roofing Legend

We’ve all heard the story about the friend of a friend who decided to hire a Cincinnati roofing contractor after they claimed to have noticed something on the roof, and knocked on the front door offering to inspect the roof. Asking for the money upfront, they agree on repairing the house roofs but weeks later they’re unwilling to service or even complete the roofing work that they had promised. There was no contract signed, or if there is one, it’s a scam Cincinnati roofing contractor. Not only is this the most widely-known nightmarish tale about roofers, but sadly, it is actually a true story in many places around the country.

Anyone can say that they can hang up a shingle and they can start calling themselves a roofing company. It’s common to see an influx of roofers that are recently “expanding” into the city after a big storm. These could the feared storm chasers.

Learn How to Identify Storm Chasers

Sometimes there may be locals who have decided to start a roofing business right after a major storm hit the city, with the likes of hail and tornadoes.  Sometimes they are painting contractors that suddenly become roofing contractors. They know that the most vulnerable times for any homeowner is right after possible damage to their Cincinnati roofs, so they will likely contact you or stop by to give you an inspection for free.

It can be a challenge to avoid offers from various roofing contractors at times, but getting contracts and offers in writing can help you analyze them carefully and choose the one that is most beneficial to you. Learn to stop yourself from signing or agreeing to anything before you’ve studied various options.

Other clues that might give them away are lack of license certificates or lack of insurance.  Just like in many other cities and states, Cincinnati roofs are often inspected after major storms.

Every roofing contractor that does this kind of work needs to cover workers from injuries if they go up any and fall down from any roof, whether it was Cincinnati storm damaged or not. It’s the insurance company or the homeowner who becomes liable if something happens to the roofer, so it’s best to ensure that the roofing contractor has a current, valid insurance. This will cover the workers in case anything gets ugly.

I repeat, you don’t want to risk your home just because the roofing company you hired didn’t have insurance. Avoid signing any contingency agreements, unless you have already agreed you want to do business with them. Do some research and find out more about the company online or in Better Business Bureaus.

Storm-chaser contractors might even fail to pay for supplies, making you responsible to pay for them. You need to make sure that all the materials have been paid for, so ask directly and ask to see the invoices for the purchases.

It’s best if you hire someone from the area. Local roofing specialists will know about any state licensing requirements they need to have in order to operate. They will also be available to service your roof later on if you need them to. Hiring local will also help you guarantee their work. They will have to respond to their own work after they have finished it.