The people of Portland are no strangers to storms, heavy rain, and the damage caused by them. As always, it’s important to keep up with your roof repair in Portland, OR, to ensure your home is ready for inclement weather.

Unfortunately, if you do end up with needed repairs after a storm, storm chasers will be waiting to take advantage of your situation. Unlike the local Portland roofing contractors, storm chasers arrive from outside the area after a storm to do the bare minimum of what’s needed for your roof repair. This often results in subpar work, and when you reach out for follow-up repairs, these storm chasers are out of the area and unable to help.

So, how exactly do you spot a storm chaser and avoid being scammed? Keep reading to learn how to spot a storm chaser and what to do instead if you need some help from Portland roofers after a storm.

How to Spot a Storm Chaser

While some of these scammers do blend into the local area, there are a few tell-tale signs to be wary of.

  1. Ask for an estimate. Any respected roofing contractors in Portland, OR will be able to provide you with an estimate of the total cost of repair and materials, but storm chasers often avoid doing this, so they can charge you a high price and then skip town.
  2. Don’t give in to A common tactic used is to send a door-to-door salesman to an area recently hit by a storm to get business. It can seem tempting at first. If your home has been damaged, you want to fix it as soon as possible. In addition, these salesmen often bid at a very low price, only to increase it once the work has started.
  3. Consult your insurance. Never sign paperwork or agree to a deal with a contractor before having our insurance assess the damage. In fact, respectable Portland roofing contractors would insist on doing this first to get a good estimate. If the person you’re talking to seems eager to avoid this, that’s a good indicator you’re dealing with a scammer.
  4. Do research. It’s always a good idea to vet the Portland roofing contractors that you’re working with. Ask for insurance and a license, and do a quick online search to make sure that the company is local and has an established presence among roofers in Portland.

What to Do Instead

Instead of choosing the first contractor to give you an offer, make sure you do your research when it comes to roofing contractors Portland, OR. It’s helpful to have a plan in place before inclement weather even hits your area.

Conducting roofing inspections is recommended for many reasons and is especially useful before a storm. This way, you already have an established relationship with a dependable roofing company in Portland, OR.

Learn more about Spring Storm Preparation for Your Roof in Portland, OR

Final Thoughts

Once you know what to look for to spot a storm chaser and to work with dependable Portland roofers instead, it will be easy to avoid these scams and, as a result, receive quality, dependable roof repairs for any damage your home may suffer.