Part 1: Professional Roofing Done Right – How Homeowners Get Scammed
By Stacy MelleteWith so many homeowners asking for help with fixing or installing their residential roofs in Riverview, there is an abundance of contractors to choose from. Unfortunately, not all roofing contractors provide the level of service that homeowners are paying for and deserve.
Some contractors are more concerned about lining their own pockets rather than providing a good customer experience.
In 2013, many homeowners in Tampa fell victim to scammers posing as legit roofing companies. In the scam, the company offered the homeowner a new roof at a very attractive price. In one instance, the victim authorized the “roofing company” to be paid $9000 from their insurance coverage.
The company kept the money but did not provide any roof repairs or replacement in Riverview FL of the homeowner’s roof. The victim ended up hiring a different contractor to work on the roof, which also forced her to spend even more cash.
In some cases, the contractors actually complete the work, but homeowners are blindsided by hidden costs. In this scam, the contractor (the scammer) receives the money from the client, which hires a third party contractor and supplier to work on the roof.
The scammer keeps the money instead of paying the third party contractors This leaves the client responsible for paying the third party contractors after the scammer disappears with the initial payment.
Scammers can cost homeowners much more than a significant amount of cash and an unfinished roof. An unfinished or damaged roof is vulnerable to more damage, which may require more expensive roof repairs in Riverview FL, if not addressed properly. Unfortunately, by this point, the client doesn’t have the cash to fix the roof.
The insurance company is not likely to help since a second insurance claim (for the same reason) in such a short notice is not likely to be approved.
These are the most common scams and now that you are aware, Part 2 of our series will show you how to protect yourself by detailing the signs of a scammer.