Beware of Construction Storm Chasers
Construction storm chasers are temporary contractors that drift from town to town, typically following the path of severe storms, to find work. A majority of the time, homeowners get burned by these companies because the contractors don’t do a quality job in their roof replacement.
Our Chief Operating Officer, Adam Bensman, was interviewed by the Steven’s Point Journal about storm chaser contracting companies that are present in the Wisconsin Rapids area. Earlier this year, Wisconsin Rapids had hail damage the size of golf balls to roofs, siding, and cars. This hail storm drew in dozens of contractors from all over the midwest.
Is your town being targeted by construction storm chasers? At times it can be hard to spot them, but here are a few key things to look out for:
- Offers a “too good to be true” discount
- Promises to pay all or some of your insurance deductible
- Approaches you unexpected, without an appointment
- Uses a high-pressure sales pitch
To help you be protected from these construction storm chasers, Wisconsin passed a new law as of January 1, 2014. This new law – statute 100.65 – states that residential contractors can’t attract customers by promising to pay or rebate any portion of an insurance deductible. As Adam states in the interview, “This means it’s illegal to accept a coupon advertising such a deal — and you should do your best to avoid being lured in.” This law also gives potential customers a three-day grace period where they can cancel a contract if their insurance company either partially or fully denies their claim. The repercussions for breaking this law results in a fine of $500-$1000 per instance.
When you home is affected by severe storms it is important to hire an established, local roofing contractor to do the repair work. By hiring someone local, you know that the work will be done to your local requirement standards and you will get quality work. You also have the security that the same contractor will be there in the future to do upkeep projects and fix anything that goes wrong. Although you may be anxious to start on your repairs, before you sign any paperwork be sure to do your research. Make sure that the contracting company you choose is properly licensed and insured for your area. Ask for local references from customers, suppliers, and manufacturers.
If you’re in the Wisconsin Rapids area and are still looking for a local roofing contractor, contact the professionals at ARC Contracting for a free estimate.
