We recently received word from the BBB about one St. Louis roofing contractor who has swindled thousands out of desperate homeowners looking to do anything to repair their home. It hurts us to read articles like that and we want consumers to be extra careful when choosing a contractor to repair or remodel their home.
This particular St. Louis roofing contractor took money for deposits and work done and then didn’t complete or even start the work in some cases! Then, he went so far as to not honor warranties he sold to former customers and ignore calls when they had issues with the products he installed. It’s truly sickening to hear of things like this, but it unfortunately happens every day to consumers throughout the U.S. So, our main advice to homeowners: DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE HIRING A CONTRACTOR!
In many cases, your home is your biggest investment. So, why wouldn’t you research and call references for someone who is performing work on it? Protect your investment and do the work before hiring someone!
A few tips from the BBB that we want to share are:
- Beware of possible scams. Watch out for contractors in unmarked trucks or for companies requiring advance payment. Don’t succumb to high-pressure techniques, such as notices that the price is good for one day only.
- Try to verify the business’ true identity. Get a business card and a physical location of the company and visit the offices if you have doubts. It is always better to deal with well-established businesses.
- Ask for references. Make sure the company that wants your business has satisfied other customers.
- Understand that when an insurance company issues a settlement check for damages, that payment is going to you, not to a contractor. Just because you have been dealing with one contractor doesn’t mean you can’t decide to hire a different one if you are uneasy about the first.
- Do not pay the full amount in advance of the work being completed. A good rule of thumb is to pay one-third when the contract is signed, another third when the job is 50 percent complete and the final third when you are satisfied with the completed job.
- Check a company’s BBB Business Review at www.bbb.org or by calling 314-645-3300.
We are proud to be a BBB Accredited business with an “A” rating. So, when choosing a St. Louis roofing company, the most important thing we could say is check their background and references! The BBB is always very helpful to consumers wanting information on a company, so don’t be shy. Ask all the questions you want and protect yourself from making a costly mistake in choosing someone to perform repair work on your home.
