» INPUT NEEDED: examples of roofing scams

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BeHonest




Joined: 03 Jun 2008
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 8:52 pm    Post subject: Flashing - caulk or metal? Reply with quote

I was quoted and billed over $1800 for flashing on my metal roof at a couple of locations and what i got was a clear caulk that appears to be silicone. There was not more than 4 tubes of caulk used. The contractor told me that caulk is flashing and what did I expect. Total time on my roof was about 2 hours. Is caulk considered flashing or is flashing usually metal.
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-Axiom-




Joined: 28 Jul 2007
Posts: 1818
Location: N. Michigan

PostPosted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 9:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Start a different thread about it.

No I don't consider caulking as flashing, though it is a part of the flashing sometimes.
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OnlineHouseDoctor




Joined: 18 Jun 2008
Posts: 33

PostPosted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 2:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

One Roofing scam in this area is Cedar Shakes that are improperly installed ,, all Cedar here is installed over solid decking, which if anyone knows much about cedar it should be installed over skip decking to allow it too breathe,, anyway 1000s of homeowners in the area have this problem the Cedar shakes only lasting 7-12 years and they have almost rotted off the roof. There are many people running around claiming that they can pressure wash the roof then treat it or stain it, and every time they end up doing 3 times more damage getting the owners money and disappearing I get probably 6-10 calls a month pertaining to this problem.

Northern Va.
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Z car Fan




Joined: 01 Sep 2008
Posts: 149
Location: Conshohocken,PA

PostPosted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 11:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

there was a roofing company in philadelphia about 15 years ago that was collecting money from the customers for a new torched down roof when in fact all they did is patch it and silvercoated.
The owner went to prison for a couple of years and the company disappeared but now they started doing business again in the philly suburbs.They are your typical lowballers who hire mexicans and pay them 50$ a square.
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RanchHandRoofing




Joined: 26 Jan 2007
Posts: 1619
Location: Austin, Texas

PostPosted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 6:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You might be surprised to know that in Texas, % 50.00 per square is on the "average to high" end of scale per square for a sub crew (we're not state regulated & workman's comp is not required).
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Z car Fan




Joined: 01 Sep 2008
Posts: 149
Location: Conshohocken,PA

PostPosted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

jesus christ! How many square a day can those guys do?
Tear off and new shingle install.
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RanchHandRoofing




Joined: 26 Jan 2007
Posts: 1619
Location: Austin, Texas

PostPosted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 1:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Z car Fan wrote:
jesus christ! How many square a day can those guys do?
Tear off and new shingle install.


An "average" sized crew of 6, using guns & not hand nailing, on an "average" 7:12 or less walkable, not very cut up, single story...

50 Squares or so, + / -, as a suggestion. Oh, & 90% of all crews in this area also cover the trash hauling @ that price.
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rooferama




Joined: 04 Jan 2002
Posts: 267
Location: Conroe, The country of Texas

PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 5:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Before storms hit the area, "Travelers" love to hit nieghborhoods with fliers. They love Hurricanes. They'll leave fliers saying how they can offer quick response from the homeowners when the storm passes. They will ask for the homeowner to call their offices and give their name and information about their roof so they can have them on file. They will claim that they will give these people first priority help when roof failure occurs.

People, these are scam artist. They always use toll free numbers and they will rip you off. During Hurricane Rita, we saw where "Travelers or Gypsy's as I knew them, would go to a damaged home, remove some limbs and caulk, or claim to spray this mystery fix-all sealant on the roof. They would then go down, an hour later and charge 1500 dollars. Tell the owner to turn it into FEMA and they would get reinbursed.
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TimePiece




Joined: 24 Jan 2009
Posts: 23
Location: Cincinnati

PostPosted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 6:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

skiconstr wrote:
Well I gave an estimate to a customer on a roof and he wanted me to fax it to his insurance company so I did that. They approved it and I was set to start the job. He wouldnt sign a contract till he had the money from them. A week later I get a call he found someone cheaper wouldn't tell me who or how much they were doing it for. Now I dont know if that is a roofing scam or not.

---doesn't that one sound familiar. I hate it when you bust your butt and dishonest people rob you. And roofers get accused of scams. Oh whatever!
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Liberty Roofing and Const




Joined: 17 Feb 2008
Posts: 176
Location: Akron/Deerfield Ohio

PostPosted: Thu Jan 29, 2009 1:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

STORM CHASERS

THOSE COMPANIES THAT USE ILLEGALS
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Roofsrus




Joined: 12 Aug 2008
Posts: 77
Location: Portland, OR

PostPosted: Thu Jan 29, 2009 10:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Our roofing market out here in Oregon, both for residential and commercial, has been and is continuing to be decimated by those contractors who use the illegals and nonlegal alien work force. This business has become a drag and is no longer as commercially viable and prosperous as it once was but we continue to chug along and shall continue to ;proceed as long as our Creator gives us breath.
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rbravoconstruction




Joined: 03 Feb 2009
Posts: 18
Location: Houston TX

PostPosted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 7:06 pm    Post subject: RE: Scams by Customers and Roofers Reply with quote

I've been bit twice by customers who take my bid, send it in to the insurance company, get paid, and then hire someone else. I immediately call the insurance company and tell them I am not doing the work; not to gripe, but to make sure I'm not liable for damages. I recommend all my peers to do the same; you don't want to be held responsible for someone else's shoddy work.

The scammers and storm chasers are really making teh market hard, so customers should take note. One customer of mine showed me a signed contract with no dollar amount attached to it by one of the larger roofing company's in the US. They called him days later requesting a down payment over the phone! They spoke to him a month after I did his work (2 1/2 months after they initially contacted him) and threatened litigation. No word since.

IMHO, customers should never pay upfront. Any reputable contractor/ company should be able to at least start the job with its' own capital. I know that's tough on smaller company's like myself, but you have to protect yourself as a customer. I usually get half of contract on material delivery and start of work and remainder at end of work.
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Bruce LeBlanc




Joined: 23 Sep 2008
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 11:19 pm    Post subject: Stormchasin Roofin Companies Reply with quote

Well, maybe here is a bit of a twist. We know that many customers are scammed by many roofers, but what about the average experienced roofer who tries to go make some $$$ after a storm (IKE) by agreeing to sell/estimate for what he THINKS is a reputable roofing only to discover all the unethical and conniving methods that are being used. I went to Houston to make an honest buck. Worked my butt off, and was held in very high regard by the "sales manager" (jk). Eventually, I realized how two faced he really is and tried to get my jobs through to production. I left with getting shorted several hundred dollars on only 2 jobs and was promised to be paid fairly for my effort on my signed contracts.
Two weeks after I KNOW another of my jobs is done, I contact this company is ask about my fair share. After they ignore my calls I finally get my old "sales manager" (jk) who freaks out on me about calling him. So, I then call his boss (owner) and get the same.
Seems they don't want to pay but they sure want you to sell, sell, sell.
So, because of my own naivete in this "who's scamming who" business, I have also become a victim.
My advise to anyone with an ounce of integrity thinking about going to a storm to sell roofing for big bucks is DON'T DO IT.
BTW: The company in question? ?????? Roofing
Houston, Tx
Yea, I learned my lesson. Never again
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Jrock3369




Joined: 24 Oct 2008
Posts: 106

PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 3:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

TimePiece wrote:
skiconstr wrote:
Well I gave an estimate to a customer on a roof and he wanted me to fax it to his insurance company so I did that. They approved it and I was set to start the job. He wouldnt sign a contract till he had the money from them. A week later I get a call he found someone cheaper wouldn't tell me who or how much they were doing it for. Now I dont know if that is a roofing scam or not.

---doesn't that one sound familiar. I hate it when you bust your butt and dishonest people rob you. And roofers get accused of scams. Oh whatever!

I am dealing with the same thing. When I started with them they only had half the roof paid for by insurance so I got them to sign a RCV contract with me. I met the adjuster for the re-inspect and got it totaled and now they want to pocket about 2 grand of the money I got them.
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ATC1984




Joined: 17 Feb 2009
Posts: 61
Location: Indianapolis, IN

PostPosted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 6:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

There is alot of that going on down here right now. I have run in to it myself with some of my sales reps customers. It is a constant problem actually. I find myself going and meeting with a customer atleast 2-3 times a week to save a job.

Once I explain to them how everything works they are fine and everybody is happy. Besides once they find out that profiting from their claim is insurance fraud they tend to realize that if they just pay insurance procedes and their deductible they will get a better roof than if they bid it out and try to keep some money.

I have found that the reps that set expectations correctly for the homeowner from the beginning aren't having issues. The ones that just want to sign a deal and get out of there as quickly as possible end up shooting themselves in the foot and running into people not wanting to pay deductibles, pocket the money, etc.
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