Businesses share how to avoid scammers targeting hail damaged roofs
TYLER, Texas (KETK) – Just days after the hailstorm hit Tyler and other parts of East Texas, swarms of roofers flooded neighborhoods and knocked on doors. Two experienced roofers are warning residents to be careful who they trust.
East Texas experts share tips on hail damage repairs, avoiding scammers
Posts on Facebook and Nextdoor from Tyler residents said things such as, “The amount of roofers and dent repair trucks in Tyler is astounding today,” and “I’ve had six so far today and one from Dallas yesterday.”
For those who have never experienced roof damage, it can be overwhelming to know who to trust.
“This is a prime example of when we can help our community the most,” said Tyler Hartwig, a salesman with Cable’s Roofing, a 25-year company, who said some roofers just see dollar signs after the storm and are even coming from out of town.
“They come knocking on your door because they don’t have a reputation here,” Hartwig said. “I think the first thing you want to do is find out if they’re local.”
Hartwig said this is because if something goes wrong and they are from out of town, the customer will not be able to find their office to hold them accountable.
The next step is to be sure the company is insured. At the same time, some companies are not sticking to their warranties.
“If you think about it, 170,000 homes damaged from this storm, there’s a potential for a large payday and starting your own business just with a sign on your truck,” said Hartwig.
He adds a swarm of new businesses have opened within East Texas this past year, and it is important to look at reviews.
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Hartwig said he has heard of customers trusting a roofer who knocked on their door, giving them a paycheck, but never seeing that roofer again to fix the damage.
Another experienced roofer, Joseph Kozel with ASAP Roofing, said customers should never have to pay any money upfront.
“You should not be paying money out of your pocket for anything right now. There’s plenty of local roofers that will tarp your roof for free,” said Kozel.
Kozel encouraged residents to take the same steps, encouraging people to choose a local company.
On top of the large number of roofers already out, Kozel expects more businesses to open in the area following this storm.
“I’ve seen hail this bad in other cities. Like, last year, Henderson got it really bad, and it was bigger hail than this. I’ve just never seen it this bad in Tyler and this widespread,” Kozel explained.
Kozel anticipates more people to be knocking on doors this Saturday, because they know that is when residents will be home. Because of this, both Hartwig and Kozel say to do research and “trust your gut.”
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