5 Roofing Scam Red Flags

Did you know roofing scams are some of the most common and pervasive contractor scams out there? The team at Barfield Contracting & Associates, Inc. wants you to protect yourself. We want to arm you with information which will help you separate real roofers from fake ones.

To that end, we’ve put together a series of red flags you can watch out for.

Red Flag #1: The Contractor Asks for Cash

Scammers like cash because it’s easy to use and hard to trace. Once they get your cash they’re gone with the wind. Professional contractors don’t take cash payments. They take checks and credit cards

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Red Flag #2: The Contractor Asks for Down Payment Before Materials Arrive

You wouldn’t walk into a store and hand someone money for nothing, right? Don’t do it with a contractor, either. Barfield Contracting delivers the materials to your site before asking for any kind of down payment. We never ask for more than 10% of the total job–and by then you’ll know exactly what that number is, because you’ll have received one of our thorough, customized, personalized quotes.

Red Flag #3: The Roofer Shows Up After a Storm

Roofing scammers tend to come out of the woodwork right after a storm hits. Sometimes, they’ll offer a free inspection, and then they’ll head up there to start damaging the roof themselves, hoping to create an insurance claim they can cash in on.

When in doubt, after a storm, don’t let just anyone up on your roof. Be safe by calling a licensed professional contractor that is trusted in the community.

Remember, too, that reputable roofing companies schedule estimates at your request. They don’t show up, get in your face with high-pressure sales tactics, and offer you an estimate like they’re bestowing some sort of great gift. 

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Red Flag #4: Rock Bottom Pricing

There’s always going to be a difference between roofing company bids, but you should be wary if prices seem too low. It means the roofer is cutting corners on materials, labor, or both. It also means the roofer might well have every intention of discovering “unexpected” problems and delays so he can jack up the price of the job later.

You shouldn’t hire a roofer on cost alone to begin with! There are a lot of other factors to consider, including quality.

Red Flag #5: Offering to Pay Your Deductible

It probably sounds great, but don’t be fooled. This scammer is going to over-bill the insurance company to recoup that money. This goes for offering to “reimburse” your deductible, too. This would make both you and the scammer guilty of insurance fraud…but only one of you will be easy to find when the fraud is discovered!

Do your homework.

The only way you can be absolutely certain you’re not about to get burned is to do some research. Ask for the roofer’s license number. Read the roofer’s reviews. Find out how long the roofer has been in business. Read the roofer’s website–is there a lot of content, indicating they know their stuff? Is it all up on a professional, branded, domain name? Or did they slap up a site overnight?

Your roof is the most important part of your home. When you choose a roofer you shouldn’t make the decision lightly.