Signs of A Bad Roofer : Warning From an Expert Massachusetts Roofer

By: Doug Partridge: Doug Partridge has worked in the home improvement industry for  over thirty years in the areas of project design, estimation, project management, sales and sales management.

Part 1: Signs of a Bad Roofer: Financial

1. The lowest price.  A  sub-standard roof job can be done for ½ to 1/3 of the price of a thorough, properly installed and warranted roofing system.  Corner-cutting is very profitable!
2. Large deposits.  No more than 1/3 deposit.  The contractor should be willing to be financially upside-down, never the homeowner.  Contractors often disappear completely, take too much time, or demand huge surprise add-ons, if the financial leverage is in their hands, at any point in the process.
3. Payment by cash only.  Any reputable business will be able to take payment by credit cards and should be able to offer financing through a nationally known financial institution. “Cash only” is often an indication of intent to commit tax fraud and a dying business.
4. Payments to an individual.  Writing checks or paying cash to an individual is dangerous and an unnecessary risk.  Payments should be made to a business, not to (example: John Smith, dba. Trustworthy Roofers).
5. Omissions.  A.)  The costs of removing and disposing of extra layers of the existing roof.  B.)  The installed costs of replacing rotted or damaged decking and structure (example; joists). C.)  The costs of any add-on work to be agreed-upon by the customer before the work is performed.
6. Old  and/or poorly –maintained vehicles.  Any well-run business will have pride in the professional images they portray.  (example:  vehicles, clothing, paperwork and tools).

Stay tuned for Doug’s next post Part 2 : Signs of a bad roofer: Professionalism

Many homeowners are interested in finding out how much does a new roof cost. You may also find our free roofing guide helpful.