Ask for Recommendations

If you don’t have a contractor you trust or are new to the area, consider reaching out to friends, family, or neighbors for recommendations. You can also ask for recommendations on social media, which may give you a few options to work with. Make sure to ask questions, including:

• What was the customer experience like?
• Did the company offer a wide variety of products?
• Was the work completed in the timeframe and for the cost quoted?

You’ll save yourself a lot of time and frustration by getting these answers upfront.

Verify the Roofing Company

Take the time to verify the qualifications of the company that you are about to hire. Start by checking to see if they have an active business website, local phone numbers and even a local office. Google and Yelp reviews can be especially helpful when it comes to picking a contractor you can trust. You can also check the Better Business Bureau for ratings and see any lodged complaints. If a company isn’t registered with the BBB, it’s probably not the company you want to work with.

Additionally, any reputable roofing contractor will have (and offer) proof of insurance. If they don’t – don’t hire them. The last thing you want is to be responsible for the damage they cause or any injury that takes place.

Asking for Money Upfront

If a roofing contractor asks for money upfront, before you’ve the materials have arrived on site, that should come as an indicator that something isn’t right. Of course, your contract might state that you need to pay half of the total project upfront, but that should be something that is done on the day of the installation, not before.

Waiving Insurance Deductible

According to the Texas Department of Insurance, “it is illegal for contractors or roofers to offer to waive a deductible or promise a rebate for all or part of a deductible. Under the new law effective September 1, [2019], violators could get up to a $2,000 fine and up to six months in jail.” Simply put, if a contractor, roofing or otherwise, offers to waive the deductible you should consider it a scam and report it to the Texas Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Hotline.

Door-to-Door Salesmen

After a big storm, roofing companies are busy. Typically, they aren’t out looking for more work, but just trying to accomplish what’s already on their schedules. It’s pretty safe to say that while not all door-to-door salesmen are fraudulent, roofers looking for work after a storm probably are.

If you do choose to engage a door-to-door roofing contractor, make sure to verify the company using the tips mentioned above.

General Uneasy Feeling

When in doubt, if it doesn’t feel right – walk away. Your roof is important for maintaining the integrity of your home and if you aren’t confident that the roofing contractor will do the job and do it well, then it’s time to find someone who will. The same goes for that high-pressure salesman that wants you to make a decision immediately and without consulting anyone else, or the contractor that wants you to sign a contract without all of the information. If it feels wrong, it probably is.

Your Roofing Contractor in Central Texas

When you choose Tomlin Roofing Professionals as your Texas Hill Country roofing contractor, you can be certain we will provide transparency and work professionally as we assist in repairing or replacing your roof. With nearly 20 years of roofing experience, our family-owned company is well-known throughout the San Antonio and surrounding areas for providing the best prices in roofing, while maintaining the highest quality of customer service and materials.