Angie's List - Roofing Rip-Offs

Today on my desk this morning I found the July 2010 Charlotte magazine from Angie's List.  While a lot of the magazine is a massive ad, it seems this month's edition is focused mostly on roofing rip-offs and homeowners getting taken by scams.  I found it to be a quite interesting read actually and I wanted to share a few parts of it with our readers.

"One in three of you reported having trouble with a roofer."  

"Sixty-eight percent of you detailed problems with shoddy work.  Another 24 percent cited issues with roofers who allegedly overcharged, lacked a license, or took money and ran."

"The Texas Department of Insurance warned Houston-area homeowners earlier this year about roofing contractors who were intentionally wrecking roofs to mimic storm damage to convince residents they needed repairs."

"Asking for references from suppliers or running a credit check can also help you determine if a company is solvent."

"You should ask contractors for proof of workers' compensation and liability insurance.  They should have certificates to prove it and should be happy homeowners asked, because a lot of fly-by-night contractors don't.  If a contractor doesn't have insurance, the homeowner is taking some of the liability if a worker becomes injured on the job site."

"Some industry experts report that shoddy roofing jobs plague many developments built during the housing boom over the last 10 years, resulting in roofs that need replacing after only a few years."

"A recent online member poll revealed that nearly 40 percent who hired a door-to-door roofer said the contractor did shoddy work."

A large portion of this month's magazine is dedicated to the roofing industry.   You can view the main article from the magazine at: http://magazine.angieslist.com/articles/2010/july/national/roofing-rip-off-beware-of-scams-shoddy-contractors.aspx.

Please visit our website at http://www.Ridgeline-Roofing.com