Every line of business has its scammers. These scammers create horror stories that set a bad name for nearly every other company in that industry. The home improvement industry and roofing in particular are notorious for putting unsuspecting homeowners out of thousands of dollars or leaving the homeowner’s with costly damages. Understanding the signs of a roofing scammer can benefit homeowners and the roofing industry as a whole.

Severely Overcharging or Undercharging

It’s always a good idea to collect more than one quote when it is time for a roof repair or replacement. This will allow you to spot the average cost. A quote that is outlandishly high should be cause for concern, especially when your contractor cannot explain what the costs are associated with in the proposal. On the other hand, you should also be wary of any deals that seem “too good to be true.” If a roofing quote is far too low, then the contractor is probably cutting corners to save a few pennies. When it comes to roofing, you want to make sure that the job is being done “by the books” in order to meet the building codes and avoid costly issues down the line.

Unnecessary Repairs

All too often we come across homeowners who have been told by scammers that they need a costly repair or roof replacement, yet our own inspection proves that their roof was actually in prime working condition. We’ve also heard of unscrupulous roofers who purposefully cause damages to the roof during an inspection in order to sell a repair. Unfortunately unnecessary repairs aren’t as easy to spot as pricing scams, which is also a good reason to have multiple certified and reputable contractors take a look at your roof. Keep in mind that it’s always a good idea to have your roof inspected at least once a year by a roofing contractor that you trust. Doing so can help you keep tabs on the condition of your roof.

Shoddy Work

Some roofing scammers will offer you a reasonable quote, find a legitimate need for repairs, and seemingly “repair” the roof. Yet, instead of remedying the actual issue, they’ll just camouflage it. Yes, your roof will look great, but it will probably perform as bad as before, if not worse. For this reason, most scams involving shoddy work can go undiscovered for months and then once you realize what has happened, the roofer that completed the inadequate repair is long gone. This is why it’s always important to check the reviews and accreditations of your roofer in addition to verifying that they are a long-standing, local company.

At Gulf Western Roofing, we have always prided ourselves on our honesty and integrity. In addition to being licensed and insured, Gulf Western Roofing is locally owned and operated, doing business for over 17 years. We are also NRCA and FRSA affiliated and Better Business Bureau accredited. We’re in this for the life of your roof.