Shifty Shingler may underbid everyone else to get the job, then ask for a large down payment, to cover 'materials,' etc., before starting the work. The scam is to make you believe you won't pay a deductible for a new roof or that the roofing company will somehow 'discount' the job or otherwise finagle the claim so someone other than you will cover the deductible (see No Such Thing As a Free Roof, below). Here are some of the most common roofing scams.Īny roofer claiming your new roof will be free-courtesy of your homeowner's insurer-is as oily as tarpaper. Unfortunately, there is more than just one type of roof replacement scam, and some of the tactics favored by hucksters are also used by legit roofing contractors, but if you take your time and assess the situation, it's easy to tell the difference. If you're not home, he'll probably leave one of those annoying hanging flyers on your doorknob (reputable roofers may do the same, but it's still annoying). Shifty prowls the streets most often after a big hail or windstorm, but he might come knocking at your door any time of year. If you put all these slimy types together, you come up with a new breed of unscrupulous opportunist: the aggressive roofing salesman. And you might remember the 'before/after' scammers in the movie Tin Men. You've heard of ambulance chasers and snake oil salesman.

Photo of a roof being replaced (not a scam) by Bryn Pinzgauer/Flickr Creative Commons.

Internet networx scam