Storm Chasers
/Storm chasers are roofing contractors who follow in the wake of severe weather incidents with hopes of doing a lot of repair work — and usually very quickly.
The contractor watches for severe weather to strike a region. “Severe weather” can mean anything from a hail storm to a tornado.
Following the storm, the contractor rounds up a crew, travels to the affected area and begins to use aggressive tactics to drum up business that can range from annoying to shady to scary. The storm chaser offers to repair storm damage done to a homeowner’s roof at little or no cost to the homeowner.
How is this possible? By encouraging homeowners to make use of their home insurance policies. Some storm chasers even offer to pay the homeowner’s deductible, or offer cash back!
The storm chaser completes a rush job on the roof, and a few years later, it’s already beginning to fail; or, in some cases, storm chasers have been known to simply take the money and run.
Stay Local!
Remember: a local/reputable company won’t drop by to do work that you haven’t requested. You make the first step: you call the reputable company, and you schedule an appointment. The company representative will look professional and show identification. You’ll have a chance to discuss the details of the damage, replacement options and any out of pocket costs to you.
A local/reputable company knows their product and local building codes. Their representatives will be able to explain the details of their labor and manufacturers’ warranty. They will give this information to you in writing.
A local/reputable company will be there to help you every step of the way during the process. Most importantly, the company will still be there if you need them tomorrow or years from now.
Consider Your Options.
Don’t underestimate the importance of quality labor and materials. If your “free roof” is installed improperly, it could fail. If your roof fails because of improper installation, your manufacturer’s warranty can be nullified.
If you can’t get a hold of your out-of-state or out-of-town contractor to uphold the labor end of the warranty, who is going to make the necessary repairs? You could wind up paying more in the long run for a cheap roof you chose in the short term.
Don’t Pay Anything Upfront
You’ve called your insurance company, done your homework and decided on a company you trust. Even then, quality contractors will not ask for any money down and have solid relationships with their local suppliers.
