It is difficult to choose a roofing contractor. Most homeowners make their decision based on the price. They may use two or three estimates and forget to consider the history of quality workmanship.
What happens if you have a fair estimate but the contractor is unable to finish the job? Worse, what happens if the roofing contractor disappears and returns asking for more money?
When roofing costs started to mount up, a homeowner in Maine turned to Reddit. Her initial estimate for the job was increased by the roofing contractor she hired, based on claims that asbestos was present under some of the roofing materials.
The homeowner paid the increase requested and received a receipt indicating that the payment was made in full, but the project had not been completed. Instead, the homeowner’s project was delayed twice because of injuries sustained by her roofing contractor.
To complete the job, the roofing contractor demanded yet another payment. He did not give any explanation for the price increase. The homeowner is suspicious of the roofing contractor and believes she may be being scammed. She is unsure how to proceed.
This happens all the time. Sometimes, the reasons behind an increase in price or delay in time frame are valid. How do homeowners know if they are being scammed and how can you tell?
If you find yourself in a similar situation, don’t accept additional payments unless the job has been completed satisfactorily. It’s time for you to move forward if the roofing contractor refuses payment.
One option is to send a certified letter stating the time frame for completion of the roofing project. This letter can be sufficient to help the roofing contractor get back on track or can be used as a first step towards pursuing legal action against him.
Sometimes it is better to find another roofing contractor and move on. This will incur additional costs, but it will ensure that the job is done satisfactorily. To learn more about how we protect our customers against such experiences, please read our blog article How to Avoid Tales from Roofing Contracts Goes Wrong.
The best form of advertising for roofing contractors is word of mouth. Let others know your experiences. The Better Business Bureau can help you file a complaint or post reviews on local home improvement sites. It will help prevent others from suffering the same kind of poor workmanship.
This post was written by Ted Williams! Ted is the owner of A Old Time Roofing which is the best roofing company in Clearwater! Ted is a Master Elite Weather Stopper GAF Roofing Contractor, a double award winner of Best Steep-Slope Contractor from GAF and achiever of Master Elite Consumer Protection Excellence from GAF. He has been serving the Pinellas County area since 1978. Old Time Roofing has a tradition of quality workmanship, servicing residential and commercial properties.