Steer Clear of Storm Chasers, Part 1

Summer storms often bring high winds, heavy rain, and occasional hail that cause moderate to severe damage to your roof. While this is a problem for many homeowners, storm damage in Kansas City is not the only problem that comes with summer storms. It’s not uncommon to find storm chasers canvassing the neighborhood, trying to encourage homeowners to let them fix the damage. And that can spell Trouble – with a capital T.

What is a Storm Chaser?

A storm chaser is someone who uses online weather apps to plot the path of a heavy storm. These people then follow in the storm’s footsteps, offering their services to homeowners for roof repair and storm damage cleanup. They may or may not be real roofing contractors. But they’re familiar with insurance companies and claim processes, and they offer to fix your roof damage or replace your roof for you quickly. Since roof damage can lead to other damage inside the home, the homeowner may jump at the chance to get this issue taken care of immediately. But beware of these storm chasers because any work they do may have to be re-done later. 

The Perils of Working with a Storm Chaser

Here are some things you need to know about storm chasers when they come knocking. While they may be legitimate Kansas City roofers, they may also not be.

Lack of licensing. Many storm chasers are not state-licensed roofers, and most of them don’t show up in the Better Business Bureau listings. These people are opportunists out to make a buck. They don’t plan on being around long enough for you to check out their qualifications or licenses, so they don’t worry about all that pesky paperwork.

No customer testimonials or references. Storm chasers won’t have any customer testimonials and won’t give you any references to check out ahead of time. They’re in too big a hurry. They want to come in, make repairs, get your money, and get out – before you figure out what you’ve gotten into.

Shoddy workmanship. Storm chasers usually do substandard work using the cheapest materials they can find. Unlike professional roofers in Kansas City who are concerned with their company’s reputation and thereby do top-notch work, storm chasers just want to make a few quick repairs and move on to the next victim. They often don’t fix everything; in fact, sometimes they make the damage worse. If they put a new roof on your home, you’ll be lucky if it lasts ten years. By the time you start having problems with it, the contractor is nowhere to be found. And you won’t be able to track him down if you have issues with his workmanship, either.

The work may negate your roof’s warranty. The work done by storm chasers may void the warranty on your roof. It could also cause problems with your insurance company when you go to file a claim. You may end up having to have the work re-done by reputable Kansas City roofers. And because storm chasers don’t care about neighborhood codes, you could also get fined by the city or your HOA if they make repairs or put on a new roof that doesn’t comply with local codes.

Shamrock Roofing and Construction Has Your Interests at Heart

In the next article, we’ll discuss how to recognize storm chasers when they come knocking. For now, know that there are many professional roofers in Kansas City that offer storm damage repair and roof replacement. Shamrock Roofing and Construction is one such company. We’ve been in the Kansas City area for over 55 years. Contact us if you think you have storm-related roof damage. We’ll make sure it gets repaired the right way!