Roofer invasion in Castle Rock has already occurred and it may be difficult to determine which one of the Denver roofing companies is right for you
No, he is not a storm chaser. This man is in the Army reserve and he is a project manager for a local roofing company!
The day of the storm was not too bad a lot of people driving around and you may have talked to a couple of roofing companies Denver has to offer. The day after the storm is a whole different experience, especially if it is during the beginning of storm season. You will see countless number of Denver roofing companies and out of town companies driving around and people walking throughout your street with a clipboard or backpack. Eventually, they will all come to your door and if you don’t open they leave a flyer behind. You might, have even notice vans packed with sales men: that once they begin to disperse from their vehicles it appears that an invasion is taking place!
If you work from home you might be tempted to disconnect your doorbell. Many will start to put signs on doors to try and deter them, but this doesn’t work. The experience after the storm might actually be worse than the damage the storm created to some.
Should I use my insurance companies roofer?
The insurance companies roofer works for the insurance company and you’ll have to decide if that’s really beneficial for you. As a homeowner, I’d prefer working with a company that has Haag certified roof inspectors that are trained by engineers and not by the insurance company. Additionally, choose a company that works in the insurance restoration industry. We happen to have former insurance staff members and a former insurance adjuster that is part of our team. As a result we work well with all insurance companies, yet we don’t work directly for the insurance company, we work for our clients. Find someone that will prevail on your behalf.
Storm Chasers!
The local media puts out a lot of information to beware of storm chasers and things to look out for. It has given this industry a bad rep. You might even look at every contractor like the bad guy trying to scam you. This is because of what is happening due to storm chasers.
Let’s not confuse what a storm chaser is. It is not your local contractor that has been servicing your area for years. Storm chasers are contractors that travel across the country chasing storms. Their office headquarters will more than likely be in a different state. They at times commit insurance fraud and have you be part of it. Some steal your money and never show up to do the work. It’s hard to collect from someone that lives several states away! In addition to this issue, another question is, “How will an out of town storm chaser take care of repairs if needed?”
Local media puts out all the things storm chasers do and categorizes them as a gateway to scams. What they don’t realize is that not all of them are necessarily part of a scam.
For instance, all door knockers are categorized as storm chasers. Just because a company knocks on your door does not mean they are a storm chaser trying to steal your money. Like I said before, local companies are tired of losing business to storm chasers. They have to go to you at times so they don’t lose business to them.
By knocking on your door, local companies are actually trying to save you from some of the scams of storm chasers. “How can they be helping? Easy, they don’t want you to get caught up in insurance fraud which can have very negative effects on your family and your career.”
What to look for?
“So what do I need to do to protect myself and get through this process,” you may ask? Be well informed and look for some of these signs that are frequently used by scammers and storm chasers.
Homeowner must pay insurance deductible
The biggest one is offering to pay for your deductible. As attractive as it may sound it is insurance fraud! They might call it a discount, advertising bonus or even straight out tell you they will pay your deductible for you. That company will have to submit an invoice to your insurance when work is completed and will provide false documents for the remaining balance to be released. You have been warned don’t do it! Colorado Senate Bill 38 goes into some of the specifics.
On top of paying for your deductible some might even offer to upgrade your shingle to a class 4 rated for free! Sounds even better right? Well the truth is they will need to do something to make up the cost of that upgrade. Might get cheaper products and left with roof flashing that should have been replaced. Don’t be surprised if you experience many leaks down the road with that roofing company.
Storm chasers may or may not have a local office or number. Be sure to call their office and see where they are located. As weird as it may sound some storm chasers actually list the hotel as their office for the time being. Some storm chasers will use a temporary business address.
Ask for insurance paperwork and verify they have Colorado worker’s compensation insurance, as well. Some states don’t require that. They need the necessary insurance to be licensed in the state of Colorado. However, some of these guys will cancel their policy as soon as they their Colorado roofing license.
These are just some of the things to look out for with signs of scammers and storm chasers. Best way to protect yourself is to be a well-informed homeowner.
Who to use?
With all this information is can be an overwhelming process. How do you find a reputable company that will not take part in insurance fraud and steal your money?
Read some of their reviews on different sources like Google and BBB. If you are a member to Angie’s list that is another great source. Are the reviews recent and are they positive?
Talk to your family and neighbors to see what their experience was. If it wasn’t great learn from their experience and avoid that company.
Whether you have found some companies that came to your door or you searched for online, do your homework and read up on them before making a decision. Look at their website it will be a giveaway if they are not local and what services they provide. Be well informed and take as much time as you need. Your local companies are not going anywhere. Support them and keep storm chasers out! Let them earn your business so you can trust them with all the roof repairs needed now and in the future.
Integrity Roofing and Painting is a local Castle Rock roofer. Contact Integrity Roofing and Painting, we make roof replacements easy!