The Seattle area isn’t exactly known for strong thunderstorms. Nevertheless, they do occasionally occur. There was, in fact, quite a strong storm in early 2015 that included golf ball-sized hail. In the aftermath of a storm, homeowners need to be aware of unscrupulous storm chasers.
Who Are Storm Chasers?
No, we aren’t referring to the dare-devilish men and women who film storms dangerously up close. “Storm chasers,” in this context, are people who pose as residential roofers and offer to fix your roof at an extremely low fee. They may also provide other services, such as straightening your gutters or restoring damaged siding.
Storm chasers typically prey on a town right after it has been hit by a storm. They may even claim to operate locally and have a local address. What they actually do is purchase the name of a defunct roofing company.
They go door to door and calculate an estimate based on the square footage of the roof. If you give them the go-ahead, they will begin to address any damages. Here’s the issue: they only do the bare minimum to install a cheap new roof. Typically, the workmanship they do will only last five to seven years with no warranty. By the time homeowners realize they were conned, the storm chaser has already hit the road and the company has changed its name and address.
How to Recognize a Storm Chaser
Keep in mind that a legitimate company like Urbizo Bros Roofing will never go door-to-door. If a supposed roofer comes knocking on your door, ask to see proof of insurance. Contractors should also be able to show their license, which you can cross-check with the city’s regional building department.
If your roof incurred damage in a storm, call us instead of relying on a door-to-door roofer. We also do commercial roofing for local businesses. Never agree to a storm chaser’s repair service if the company can’t submit proof of operating a legitimate business.
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Posted on August 21, 2020 | Published by Ignite Local | Related Local Business