Roofing Contractors-South Jersey Fed Up With Storm Damage Roofing ScamsTop 10 Storm Damage Roofing Scams Exposed By One Of The Top Roofers In South Jersey
By: Advanced Roofing Systems 
roofing contractors-south jersey storm damage chal “Roofing and siding storm damage scams are a creeping virus that invades, grows and cripples our industry,” commented Medina in a recent interview. “When these scams infect a region, news coverage appears on TV, in newspapers and on the Internet. Consumers lose trust in roofing and siding contractors, including those of us who are long-established local contractors who work very hard year after year to earn a reputation for reliability and integrity. Consumers get cynical and suspicious.” One study documented a 400% increase in roofing scams nationwide between 2008 and 2011. It used to be that these scams were mostly found in the Midwestern tornado alley states and the southern hurricane belt. “But what’s so upsetting now,” said Medina,” is that It’s happening here in our own backyard in South Jersey.” Recently a Sellersville NJ man was convicted of conspiracy with a Norrisville PA contractor to cause damage that looked like hail damage to defraud an insurance company. The NJ Division of Consumer Affairs found that 124 of 630, or about 20 percent, of contractors working on Hurricane Sandy-affected homes in Atlantic, Ocean and Monmouth Counties during the first quarter of 2013 were unregistered. How do roofing and siding scams work? And what can area homeowners and commercial property owners do to foresee and forestall even more damage from storms – both financially and emotionally? Top 10 Scam Symptoms To Look Out For: 1. Exaggerating damage – If, after inspecting the roof or siding, the contractor says the damage is greater than it seems, be cautious. A dishonest contractor may actually cause damage to inflate the repairs to the insurance company. If the contractor shows you photos of damage that you cannot see from the ground, be cautious – it may be of someone else’s house. Get a second opinion. 2. Demanding immediate payment before the work is done - Sometimes, depending on the size of the job, a modest deposit may be appropriate, but only if you know the contractor and have total confidence in him. Never pay in advance. Also beware if a contractor pressures you to start the job immediately. 3. Signing a contract allowing the contractor to negotiate with the homeowner’s insurance company or authorizing the settlement to be signed over to the contractor – Never relinquish control of the insurance settlement and the quality of the materials that may be included in that settlement. 4. Refuses to provide local address, local telephone number, show license #, local references or driver’s license – “Stormchaser” 5. Offers you a “super low price” because they have leftover materials from another job – don’t even think about it. 6. Asks you to agree to an inflated price to bill the insurance company so he can reimburse you the insurance deductible – This is pure insurance fraud and extremely dangerous. Again, don’t even think about it. 7. Asking your authorization to place a sign in your yard in exchange for letting him bill the insurance company for work not done that will be paid, in part, to you – More fraud. 8. Signing a contract without a detailed estimate of the work to be performed – an invitation to bad behavior. No reputable contractor would start a job without a clearly defined and detailed signed estimate. 9. Knocking on doors or leaving a flyer – The established professionals in your area don’t do this. 10. Asking for inspection of final work and payment at night in darkness – Only do a final inspection and payment in daylight. In summary, Medina cautions anyone affected by South Jersey Storm Damage to “Be careful, don’t rush into an emotional decision under distressed circumstances, and only look to one of the local, established Roofing Contractors- Photo: https://www.prlog.org/ End
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