Beware: Storm Chasers On the Loose

I had a knock on my front door the other day. There stood a gentleman who appeared to be from a motorcycle gang: Black jeans, black Harley shirt with the sleeves ripped off, and a bandana on his head.  He looked like Hulk Hogan without the steroids, but the clipboard in his hand looked out of place for a Hells Angel. 

When I questioned what he wanted, he informed me that a horrible hail storm had ravaged the homes in my neighborhood, and he wanted to inspect my roof for damage. I must have missed this storm, but hey, who wouldn't trust the Hulkster? However, after asking to see his roofing license and a copy of his insurance policy, he scurried away like the cockroach that he was, and hopped into his beat-up pickup with Florida plates and drove away.

My friends, this individual was a storm chaser. These guys drive from state to state after storms and look for restoration work. The problem is that since they are not local, there is usually no guarantee on their work and no way to track them down after the work is completed.  Often, they will try to pressure you into signing an agreement with them on the spot.

Don't subject yourself to a door to door storm chaser—don't even let them on your property.  If this guy falls off of your roof and breaks his back, you're going to get sued.

If you need a project done at your home, ask your friends and family for a referral to a local contractor who they trust. In future posts, I'll share some tips for interviewing potential contractors.