The Most Common Roofing Scams

The roofing industry is an area that is highly prone to scams and cowboys looking to make a quick profit at a homeowner’s expense. What makes roofing a very susceptible trade for scams is that it is difficult for you to see the work that is carried out on your roof in any detail, due to the location of the work that will need to be accessed via ladder.

You may also have seen incidents on social media, showing different ways that criminals try to scam elderly and vulnerable people by confusing them and charging them for work that they either didn’t need or that they don’t actually do. Unfortunately, roofing scams are on the rise, so you need to be vigilant about any roofing work you agree to.

Here are some of the most common scams to look out for:

Marked up prices on materials/using sub-standard materials

One way that frauds try to make money out of roofing jobs is to give you one price for materials, whilst using lower costing materials that are of a much lower standard. As well as being cheated financially, your roofing materials will be less durable and more prone to damage. It can be difficult to spot this but you can ask for the receipt for the order.

Costs that spiral

Another increasingly common scam is one where you get an initial price for the job that seems reasonable, therefore you agree to go ahead and then numerous additional costs get added without any plausible explanations. Experienced roofers should be able to give you an accurate quote and give you a detailed explanation of why any costs have ended up higher.

Preying on the vulnerable

An alarming number of con artists target elderly and vulnerable people, so if you have elderly relatives, talk to them about the dangers of scams and tell them to check with you before they agree to any work or hand over any payments. If people approach your house to offer a trade or tell you that they have spotted a roof problem, this should set alarm bells ringing.

Large up-front deposits

Most reputable companies will only ask you to pay for materials in advance, not for the whole roof project before they start. A common scam involves requesting a big deposit and then you risk never seeing them again, so do some research about any company that asks you for money up-front.

Unfinished jobs

Another common problem involving scam roofers is when they start a job but then never actually finish it off. They might give you excuses as to why they can’t come back, or you may just never hear from them again. Researching the company is the best way to avoid falling for this kind of scam.

These are just a few of the current scams that are catching unsuspecting people unawares and taking advantage of their good nature and trust. It is so important that you find a roofing company that you can trust, so always do as much research as you can before agreeing to any roof work.

Permaroof has a large network of expert roofers that you can rely on to deliver a top quality roofing job. Established for over 14 years, Permaroof only employs high quality, trustworthy roofers so you can be 100% confident in the quality of the materials and the work. Find your local installer here

PermaGroup has established links with some of the biggest names in our industry thanks to our reputation of excellence. Read more about becoming a supplier or stockist here.