Unfortunately, not all home improvement companies are ethical. Here are some of the red flags I have encountered while searching for a roofing contractor:
- The salesperson who asks if I am married and then insisted that the spouse be present for his presentation. They do this because they use high-pressure sales tactics and they don’t want the homeowner to delay making a decision to discuss it with a spouse.
- The company says that they will be in the neighborhood next week and pushes to schedule an appointment. It is true they will be in the neighborhood if you schedule an appointment.
- Promises of a big discount if you sign up right now. They will tell you the can only offer you the discount right now.
- Asking various questions to determine the age of the homeowners. This is done so that the salesperson knows ahead of time to use techniques designed to scare, bully or intimidate the homeowners.
- The roofing company says that while they are looking at the roof they will inspect the attic for mold. I call that the old mold in the attic routine. Since mold is everywhere on the planet there is a 100% chance mold will be found in your attic. Please hire a specialist if you are concerned about mold, not a roofing salesperson.
There is more. In the past couple of weeks, we have seen a few invoices for some outrageous charges our clients have paid to plumbers and electricians.
Often the plumbers or electricians are found online and they have a lot of reviews and most are favorable yet the prices they charge appear to be at a minimum twice as high as others pay for the same services.
Try to do a little research to find out what average cost for various types of work is. The biggest company isn’t always the best choice neither are the franchises and the company with the best online appointment system may not give the best service when it comes to doing the repair.
