Putting a roof on you home is something that most of us only have to do once or twice in a lifetime. BBB warns homeowners suffering damage from the hailstorms not to let disaster strike twice. It's an unfortunate truth that con men often breeze into town after a storm, along with many reputable contractors. The fly-by-night contractors clean out as many people as possible, then blow back out of town.
Rule #1- Never pay for a job up front; never sign anything until you are ready to hire a contractor, read and get a copy of anything you do sign.
To find a reputable roofing contractor, the BBB urges homeowners to take the following precautions:
- Obtain bids from several firms unless you have a trusted contractor
- Keep specifications identical by getting the weight per square for composition shingles. This enables homeowners to judge the quality of the materials -- the heavier the weight per square, the higher the quality.
- Get a business card and the home location of the roofing company
- Obtain a reliability report on the firm by calling the Better Business Bureau at 325-691-1533 or look it up on the internet at www.abilene.bbb.org.
- Check with City Hall on local contractor requirements. In Abilene you can contact them at 676-6270 or 676-6273.
- Get it in writeing, if the sales person promises, write it on the contract including terms & conditions of payment. Withhold final payment until you are satisfied with the job
- Beware of fly-by-night repair businesses soliciting work in unmarked trucks and requiring advance payment, and do not succumb to high pressure techniques such as the price is "good only for today".
