Hey Texans! Storm season in the Dallas Fort Worth area starts in March and usually lasts until July. When storms hit, random roofing companies suddenly show up at your door offering to inspect and repair the damage. As a homeowner, you may feel relieved that someone is ready to help, but BEWARE! These storm-chasing companies DO NOT have your best interest in mind. They focus on maximizing profits from your insurance company while leaving you with sub-par repairs.
What to look for when choosing a roofing company.
Before choosing to go with a roofing company during the storm season, don’t let them hassle you into signing anything right there on the spot without you first getting some basic information of the company. Here are some questions you might like to ask before making a decision:
Roofing License
While the state of Texas does not require a roofing license, going with a licensed roofer can give you peace of mind that the company is legitimate and has gone the extra mile to build your trust.
Insured and Bonded
When choosing a roofing company to work on your damaged roof, make sure they at least have valid insurance. Even better if they are also bonded. This protects you, the homeowner in the event anything should go wrong during the roofing process.
Business Location
When choosing a roofing contractor, ensure they are actually based and operate in Texas. This can give you piece of mind knowing that they can provide the right materials needed for the Texas weather and if anything should go wrong later on down the road, they will be available to head back to your property.
Website
While it’s not necessary to have one, choosing a company that does, shows establishment and didn’t just appear overnight. You can also use the website to view all their information to help you make a more informed decision.
Professional Appearance
That person that just rang your doorbell. Are they wearing a company uniform or are they in shorts and a polo? Are they actively listening to your concerns or are they more worried about getting your information into their tablet and moving onto the next house? Use your gut feeling when being approached about how this company will take of you.
Contact Information
Have you received a business card or an E-mail with contact information for this roofing company? Have you tried to call the number or send them an E-mail? Do they even work? Make sure there is some way to get a hold of the company when you need to.
Reviews
The easiest way to make an informed decision to look at the company’s reviews. Do they have a lot of 5 star reviews? Is there a (1) 5 star review that their grandma left them? Do they have a 2 star rating with a lot of customer complaints? Make sure there is a way to view the roofing company’s past projects to see what you could potentially getting yourself into.
Warranty
What kind of warranty does this company offer? Sure you can get a manufacturer warranty from the company whose shingle they use, but what about a workmanship warranty? If you new roof starts leaking the next time it rains, will you be able to contact that company and have them come back to rectify the problem? Or will they have simply taken your money and disappeared? Ensure the company you choose to go with backs their work with a warranty.
Price
As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. One company may charge you your full insurance deductible, and another may say they don’t need your deductible. While option B may sound great as insurance deductibles are steadily rising, this is Illegal and that money will have to be made back somewhere. This happens with the company using cheaper materials, inexperienced labor, and corners being cut.
Contract
Is this company pushing you to sign a contract upon the initial meeting or are they already asking for a payment? Red flags like this should raise concern as to the legitimacy of the company. When presented with a contract, take the time to read it over to make sure there you understand what type of agreement you are entering into and at what part of the process payments should be made. Also, make sure there is a cancel clause in there in case you change your mind. This is a mandatory requirement due to Texas Law 601.051 “Consumer’s Right to Cancel”.
The Process
Your roof is leaking. Your life is pretty hectic right now. A lot of things are happening that you have not experienced before. Are these “professionals” understanding of your situation and are they doing what they can to reduce the stress you are currently experiencing? Dealing with the insurance company can be just as stressful so is the roofing company handling the insurance company or are they having you make all those phone calls and setting up all the appointments? Make sure you know who is handling what responsibility throughout the entire process.
Not all Roofing Companies are Looking out for your best interest
In Texas, many reputable roofing companies operate across the state, but some dishonest contractors take your money, leave you with a roof that looks like a kindergarten field trip built it, and then disappear. When storm season damages your roof, research your options carefully and choose a reliable, reputable company to ensure the job gets done right. Using search engines like Google and Bing, or AI like Chat GPT or Gemini can further help you gather information on a roofing company before making your decision.
