1. Avoid door-to-door sales people or solicitors
Many roofing companies are just traveling or drifter companies, meaning that they aren’t local and only rush to disaster areas where widespread damage has occurred. They go through damaged areas and sell door-to-door. Generally, they’re just salespeople who don’t have a roofing contractors license and simply hire subcontractors to do the work for them, or they have homeowners sign an Assignment of Benefits and take the money and run.
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2. NEVER sign an Assignment of Benefits
An Assignment of Benefits (AOB) is an agreement that, once signed, transfers the insurance claims rights or benefits of your homeowners policy to a third party. AOB’s are rife with abuse and fraud, and drive up insurance premiums for Floridians. With Zebra Roofing, you will NEVER sign an AOB!!! We work directly with you and your insurance company to confirm that your claims are being handled smoothly. We do not require any funds upfront. You and your insurance will pay in full at completion of the project for all qualifying insurance jobs. Never sign over your homeowner’s insurance settlement upfront and avoid a company that offers to pay or help with your deductible. In Florida, deductible help is considered insurance fraud.
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3. Always pull permits
Never assume that a company has pulled the appropriate permits for your job. Be sure the company pulls necessary building permits before starting work, At Zebra Roofing, we schedule any necessary inspections and acquire permits for the homeowner. Generally, we assist the homeowner in gathering and submitting all necessary documentation for their HOA as well.
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4. Hire local contractors and check the company’s information
Before settling on a contractor, try to hire a local company. Get the company’s phone number and address or visit the physical office – but be aware that some contractors set up temporary offices to appear local or use a local company’s name. Try to ask for local references. Do not let any unvetted contractor inspect your home or property – scammer contractors have been known to fake storm damage with hammers or golf balls. If you haven’t had a chance to vet a contractor, it’s best to deny them access to your home. When looking for a contractor, look for local, reliable, and credible companies, like Zebra Roofing.
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5. Verify the license, insurance, and bonding of the company
Contact your community’s local licensing board and state attorney general’s office to check for complaints and disciplinary actions, or the Better Business Bureau. Contact the company’s insurance and bonding companies to determine whether their liability and worker’s compensation policies are big enough to cover your job.
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6. Avoid down payments – pay at completion
A contractor may ask for a down payment, but be wary if they want a large deposit or cash payment that’s more than 1/3 of the job’s total cost. Withhold the remaining balance until the job is completed and has passed final city inspection. At Zebra Roofing, we never ask for homeowners to pay any money upfront. No deposits are needed. Payment is due in full upon completion. Get lien waivers or a paid in full receipt from the contractor at the same time you make final payment for the work. A receipt is great, but if you want something a bit more concrete, a lien waiver constitutes proof of payment and protects you if a general contractor fails to pay