Putting a roof on you home is something that most of us only have to do once or twice in a lifetime. BBB warns homeowners suffering damage from the hailstorms not to let disaster strike twice. It's an unfortunate truth that con men often breeze into town after a storm, along with many reputable contractors. The fly-by-night contractors clean out as many people as possible, then blow back out of town.
Rule #1- Never pay for a job up front; never sign anything until you are ready to hire a contractor, read and get a copy of anything you do sign.
To find a reputable roofing contractor, the BBB urges homeowners to take the following precautions:
- Obtain bids from several firms unless you have a trusted contractor
- Keep specifications identical by getting the weight per square for composition shingles. This enables homeowners to judge the quality of the materials -- the heavier the weight per square, the higher the quality.
- Get a business card and the home location of the roofing company
- Obtain a reliability report on the firm by calling the Better Business Bureau at 325-691-1533 or look it up on the internet at www.abilene.bbb.org.
- Check with City Hall on local contractor requirements. In Abilene you can contact them at 676-6270 or 676-6273.
- Get it in writing, if the sales person promises, write it on the contract including terms & conditions of payment. Withhold final payment until you are satisfied with the job
- Beware of fly-by-night repair businesses soliciting work in unmarked trucks and requiring advance payment, and do not succumb to high pressure techniques such as the price is "good only for today".
About BBB:
BBB's mission is to be the leader in advancing marketplace trust. BBB accomplishes this mission by creating a community of trustworthy businesses, setting standards for marketplace trust, encouraging and supporting best practices, celebrating marketplace role models and denouncing substandard marketplace behavior.
Businesses that earn BBB Accreditation contractually agree and adhere to the organization's high standards of ethical business behavior. BBB is the preeminent resource to turn to for objective, unbiased information on businesses and charities.
We serve the following Texas Mid-West Counties: Brown, Callahan, Coleman, Eastland, Fisher, Jones, Mitchell, Nolan, Scurry, Runnels, Shackelfore, Stephens, and Taylor.