Storm chasers: how to spot a door-knocking roofer after a hailstorm
5 min read
When a hail or wind storm rolls through, roofing crews follow - some local and reputable, some out-of-town operators who work the neighborhood hard and are gone by the next season. Most people call the second group storm chasers. Not everyone knocking on your door is a problem, but a few habits are worth watching for before you sign anything.
What a storm chaser is
A storm chaser is typically an out-of-area contractor who moves into a storm-hit region for a few weeks, signs as many roofs as possible, and moves on. The work may be fine or it may not - the concern is that if something goes wrong later, the company and its workmanship warranty can be very hard to find.
Red flags worth pausing on
Pressure to sign today, before you have compared other bids, is the biggest one. Be cautious of anyone who offers to waive or cover your deductible - in many states that is insurance fraud, and it puts you at risk, not them. Watch for a contract or an assignment of benefits (AOB) they want signed before you understand it, and for a company with no local license, local address, or verifiable track record.
How to protect yourself
Slow the process down. Confirm the contractor is licensed and insured where your home is, get more than one estimate, and read anything before you sign it - especially an AOB, which can hand your claim rights to the contractor. A reputable roofer will not rush you.
If you want an independent read before you commit, ScopeCheck compares the estimates you have gathered and explains what each includes and leaves out. It works only for you, takes no referral fees from contractors, and never sells your information - so it has no reason to steer you toward anyone.
Before you sign with a post-storm roofer
- ✓Confirm a local license and insurance for your area
- ✓Get at least two or three estimates to compare
- ✓Never accept an offer to waive or cover your deductible
- ✓Read any AOB or contract in full before signing
- ✓Check for a real local address and reviews you can verify
- ✓Refuse to be pressured into signing the same day