If you’ve ever lived through a natural disaster, then you’ve most likely encountered storm chasers. These are contractors who visit neighborhoods offering repair services after severe weather conditions. Often, they offer roof repair or replacement.
They often entice clients with quick, cheap labor. Some might even offer a cashback or rebate depending on the homeowner’s insurance policy. Sounds great, right?
But working with an out-of-town roofer or storm chaser risks the safety and quality of your entire roof. You might even end up with bigger issues than what you started with, including the loss of your money.
Here are five storm chaser danger threats to keep in mind whenever you feel tempted to work with a no-name, unlicensed roofing repairman.
1. Terrible Craftsmanship
Most storm chasers don’t have any certifications, licenses, permits, or references to back up their services. Without documentation, there’s no legitimate way to gauge their skills and experience. They could be a group of random, inexperienced handymen looking to make a quick buck.
2. Project Delays
Storm chasers only want one thing: to make money. In fact, most of them solely focus on negotiating with insurance companies. They strive to land a great deal where they make a lot of profit.
Since they’re taking on so many clients at once, the actual repair job often gets overlooked. These practices could lead to days, weeks, or even months of delays.
3. Risk of Getting Scammed
Some storm chasers don’t even intend to replace or repair your roofing in the first place. Their only goal is to collect down payment fees from different homeowners.
Now, you might think that this kind of scam is easy to spot. Of course, storm chasers know that customers will be wary about their offers, as well.
That’s why they try to convince clients by pitching some kind of too-good-to-be-true deal. Often, they’ll offer a deal that’s better than an insurance claim. The storm chaser will then capitalize on the devastated homeowner’s emotions and trick them into shelling out money.
4. No Product or Service Warranty
Another solid reason why you shouldn’t work with a storm chaser is they don’t offer any form of warranty. Even factories would null their warranty policies if their products were installed improperly or misused. So, if your storm chasers do a poor job, you won’t have anywhere to turn.
5. Uninsured Contractors
Most storm chasers are unlicensed, uninsured rookies. If you hire one, and they get into an accident while working on your roof, you’ll be held liable.
Depending on the gravity of the situation, you could end up having to pay thousands of dollars for medical bills alone. Never work with unlicensed contractors, no matter how cheap their services may be or how slick their pitch.
Should You Hire Storm Chasers?
Before working with any roofing contractor, make sure they have the necessary licenses and permits. Don’t be too quick to sign a check just because some storm chasers are offering a seemingly good deal. If it’s too good to be true, then it probably is.
Is it ever safe to hire a storm chaser? The answer is no. The simple truth is a legitimate roofing company won’t come knocking at your door begging for work.
If you need professional roofing repair and replacement services, trust none other than our experts at Peach State Roofing. We can handle everything from simple shingle repairs to full roofing replacements.
