View Full Version : Roofers (a rant).
Zundfolge
08-08-2018, 11:41
FFS, If I get another fucking call from another fucking fly by night roofer I'm going to start throwing things. [Mad]
I've actually had 3 calls yesterday from the same fucking company (Colorado United Materials Inc* or something like that) and I've told them each fucking time I didn't get any goddamn damage! Stop calling!
And if you fucking sound like Goddamn Habib I'm not even going to be nice to you anymore. CLEARLY fucking scammers.
Jeebus.
*There is a Roofing company in Denver called United Materials that has been around for like 90 years. I don't think this is the same company, just someone piggybacking on their good name.
colorider
08-08-2018, 14:05
Tell them you are a renter. Not the owner. Problem solved.
I like the postcards with a Google Street view picture of my house from 5-6 years ago and $150,000 in value ago offering to buy my house as is for cash.
Great-Kazoo
08-08-2018, 15:04
Even here with a 970 area code i'm getting calls. So i've started giving them my address as well as my rental property for them to come by an dgive me an estimate.
Been giving them the town's PD and rec center address.
9/10 on rant.
:)
Also what is up with roofers posting yard signs on a house they are working on? Is this some kind of discount deal or "post this yard sign and we will pay your deductable."
Also what is up with roofers posting yard signs on a house they are working on? Is this some kind of discount deal or "post this yard sign and we will pay your deductable."
Usually they offer you a monetary amount for any referrals generated by the sign in your yard.
Or that is at least what my contractor has offered.
First, who answers calls from numbers then don’t recognize these days? Just let it go to voicemail or your answering machine or whatever.
Second, if you insist on answering their calls then maybe pick up and say something like “Jim’s Roofing. How can I assist you with your roofing needs today?”
BladesNBarrels
08-08-2018, 17:11
Usually they offer you a monetary amount for any referrals generated by the sign in your yard.
Or that is at least what my contractor has offered.
We've had to replace our roof every 5 years on the nose.
We use the same roofing company every time.
I had an inspector look this last hail storm and he said I should call my roofer. We had used the high-impact shingles last replacement.
The roofer came out and said only damage was to the vent caps and he would replace them if I wanted, but it was cosmetic. We will wait until our 5th year again if we get lucky.
My wife talks to the neighbors and she got referrals for each of them. We all use the same roofer now, so no new business to refer.
Yard signs signal to the rest of the neighborhood that work is being done. It used to be that people would call after a storm of pea sized hail and cry and whine when they didn't get a roof bought. This year I've had more than one person tell me, "The roof is pretty new, I doubt there is even any damage, but look anyway." I ask how big the hail was and they are like, "Ummm, about 3 inches." That's how jaded people are becoming. A lot of people have damage and don't even think to look. A neighborhood full of roof signs lets them know that they should. Plus, maybe it stops other companies from canvasing that neighborhood as hard, but probably not.
encorehunter
08-08-2018, 19:17
Yard signs signal to the rest of the neighborhood that work is being done. It used to be that people would call after a storm of pea sized hail and cry and whine when they didn't get a roof bought. This year I've had more than one person tell me, "The roof is pretty new, I doubt there is even any damage, but look anyway." I ask how big the hail was and they are like, "Ummm, about 3 inches." That's how jaded people are becoming. A lot of people have damage and don't even think to look. A neighborhood full of roof signs lets them know that they should. Plus, maybe it stops other companies from canvasing that neighborhood as hard, but probably not.
Or you get the insurance adjustor who states you have no damage. Brand new roof 4 years before the hailstorm, now it leaks like a sieve. There is no damage though. All the new metal is riddled like it was shot with a shotgun. "It's fine, it's only cosmetic." The water coming in is from"wind driven rain." My ass.
Yeah, that's generally how roof leaks work. Leaks are most often at penetrations and flashing. If there isn't enough hail damage to replace shingles, then hail isn't what caused a leak.
encorehunter
08-08-2018, 19:23
How about when it leaks and there is no wind? Or the fact it hadn't leaked previous to the hail storm for 4 years?
We had the issue of leakage after a hail storm that didn't require replacing the roof. The aluminum flashing where the gas fireplace vented through the roof got banged up by the hail and it broke the caulking seal. The water followed the ducting down into the house. Some fresh caulking solved the problem.
I am getting close to replacing my 35 year roof after 10 good years...none of the hail storms this year caused any real damage; but I can see it has aged quite a bit over the last 3 years...
I think I am on at least hail storm #8 this year; mostly the small stuff that has been killing my garden and stripping some leaves off the tree.
I was going to do the roof replacement this year; but with all the other places in Col Spg getting hit; I think the roofers are a wee bit backlogged.
encorehunter
08-08-2018, 20:10
I'm sorry, I guess I'm just sour. I did the right thing and paid for a new roof out of my own pocket. We then have a hail storm a few years later that leaves little black circles on my amber colored roof, but I don't complain, because it doesn't leak at first. Everyone in the area has a new roof put on. Soon after, the roof starts leaking. I call and the adjustor stated he will meet my contractor at 11 AM. He calls on his way and says he is running late, he will be there at 12. I let my contractor know, so he gets there at 11:45. The adjustor is all ready gone, as he left chalk marks on my roof. I wait for a month, and nothing from the insurance company. I call them, my claim is closed because of no damage. I send them pictures of the physical damage, along with pictures of water coming inside at multiple locations.
They send out the same adjustor again. This time I am there with my contractor to meet him. He draws his little 10x10 square, we find "enough" hit marks for him to say that is enough. We go to the other side of the roof, he draws his 10x10 square, we find a lot more hits. He says that is more than enough and he leaves. I wait 3 weeks and nothing. I call, my claim is closed again because of no damage.
The adjustor lied directly to me and my contractor. My insurance agent came out and looked at the roof, and says he can not understand how it is not being replaced. This is my only claim in 17 years.
**#! It. I'm sour.
Don't apologize, you should be livid. How long ago was this? I'd file a complaint with the department of insurance. Those are taken seriously.
Another idea for you if it hasn't been too long. I worked for a company that actively browsed social media sites for their name and would jump on public complaints in a heart beat. One day I got an email and a "Social Media Alert" note in one of my files. I didn't know what was going on, but someone attached a screen shot of someone saying my company name, and my name on Facebook or something. If you have real pictures of damage, and that adjusters name and you put them on blast, that may get a response. I'm a little hesitant to suggest this though, because there are things that look like hail and aren't, and if you go down that road when it really is something else, then everybody just ends up looking like an A-hole in the end. I'm not saying I don't believe you though. I'm irritated at this story. Must have been a staff adjuster and not an independent.
I'm sorry, I guess I'm just sour. I did the right thing and paid for a new roof out of my own pocket. We then have a hail storm a few years later that leaves little black circles on my amber colored roof, but I don't complain, because it doesn't leak at first. Everyone in the area has a new roof put on. Soon after, the roof starts leaking. I call and the adjustor stated he will meet my contractor at 11 AM. He calls on his way and says he is running late, he will be there at 12. I let my contractor know, so he gets there at 11:45. The adjustor is all ready gone, as he left chalk marks on my roof. I wait for a month, and nothing from the insurance company. I call them, my claim is closed because of no damage. I send them pictures of the physical damage, along with pictures of water coming inside at multiple locations.
They send out the same adjustor again. This time I am there with my contractor to meet him. He draws his little 10x10 square, we find "enough" hit marks for him to say that is enough. We go to the other side of the roof, he draws his 10x10 square, we find a lot more hits. He says that is more than enough and he leaves. I wait 3 weeks and nothing. I call, my claim is closed again because of no damage.
The adjustor lied directly to me and my contractor. My insurance agent came out and looked at the roof, and says he can not understand how it is not being replaced. This is my only claim in 17 years.
**#! It. I'm sour.
Mind saying what insurance company it is?
encorehunter
08-09-2018, 05:33
I have been dealing with it for two years now. I turned it into the insurance comission a couple weeks ago because I now had a second complaint with them. I spoke with a gentleman on the phone from the insurance comission and he said to turn in both complaints. The second complaint is actually a seperate insurance company, but through the same agent. Again, the agent was awesome and didn't know what had happened until I called. He was able to call and get answers.
Sorry for the thread derail.
Yes I have actual pictures of the hail damage to my roof. The first insurance claim guy I spoke to on the phone suggested I had got up on the roof with a ball peen hammer. He no longer works there. The second said to make sure I took pictures of MY roof. I spoke with his supervisor after that comment, along with my agent who was sitting there listening to the abuse. I now have a fourth insurance claim person.
I won't say what insurance company until the insurancestors comission has time to work. I will say that I am no longer with them in any way now. I moved houses and vehicles to USAA now.
First, who answers calls from numbers then don’t recognize these days? Just let it go to voicemail or your answering machine or whatever.
Exactly! I was just having this same conversation with the room-temperature IQ neighbors on Next Door that were ranting about some guy going door to door to sell security systems that was a little pushy. My response:
"People still answer their door or phone for unknown callers in 2018?"
Why would you? Expecting a lottery winning notification or something? Guess what... they'll leave a voice mail if you won millions.
Other than being so lonely and hard up for human interaction I haven't the foggiest idea why anyone would answer their door to a stranger. Nothing good will come of that transaction and you're opening yourself up to a potential world of problems.
If nobody answered their door to solicitors or phone to unknown numbers the solicitor would become extinct the next day. Do your part.
I answer my door to strangers all the time. If I have time to hear their schpeal I do, then tell them no thanks. If I don't, I let them know up front that I'm busy and don't have time to talk to them. I answer every phone call I get unless it has the same prefix as mine.
Someone told me to download the Hiya app. So far it is working very well to filter spam/scam, telemarketing calls.
ChickNorris
08-09-2018, 17:17
If it's super late at night and they look sketchy, I put on some lingerie [I keep a set by the door for this purpose], open the door, and ask if they've ever ignored a man before. Then I call them by the nickname biscuit, and lick my lips. Suffice to say, it resolves the problem. If they ask if I've ever heard the good word, I respond by asking if they've ever heard the safe word, cause selective hearing is hawt.
[Spank]
Snowman78
08-09-2018, 19:39
Another idea for you if it hasn't been too long. I worked for a company that actively browsed social media sites for their name and would jump on public complaints in a heart beat. One day I got an email and a "Social Media Alert" note in one of my files. I didn't know what was going on, but someone attached a screen shot of someone saying my company name, and my name on Facebook or something. If you have real pictures of damage, and that adjusters name and you put them on blast, that may get a response. I'm a little hesitant to suggest this though, because there are things that look like hail and aren't, and if you go down that road when it really is something else, then everybody just ends up looking like an A-hole in the end. I'm not saying I don't believe you though. I'm irritated at this story. Must have been a staff adjuster and not an independent.
I am a insurance adjuster, I had some dude put me on blast on Twitter.
My company took it very seriously, luckily I had done everything right so it was not a problem.
Dude was unhappy with our total loss settlement amount for his Subaru.
The car had a salvage title and we still offered him about 90% of the full retail value.
He also would call my office phone late at night and leave me messages ( he sounded drunk).
That's why I was reluctant to post that idea. I don't really feel like I'm giving away any secrets though.
I don’t get very far into any conversation when the roofing company calls.
Hello……Hi sir, I’m from X Roofing we are going to be in your area tomorrow doing free roof inspections. What time would like us to stop by for your free evaluation?
I don’t have any damage, it didn’t hail at my house.
Sir, it hailed at your neighbor’s houses.
No, it didn’t.
Sir, you may still have damage you don’t know about.
I’m a building inspector, I don’t have any damage.
Have a nice day.
In the last 15 years I have never had one person pursue the issue after I said I was a building inspector.
Grant H.
08-09-2018, 21:25
Does someone here have a roofing company they would recommend?
One of the "walk-by" inspectors caught me outside and basically wouldn't take no for an answer. I was changing brakes on my truck, so I told him "fine" and he said I have damage.
I figure if I can get someone reputable to take a look, then I'll take it up with INS.
Exactly! I was just having this same conversation with the room-temperature IQ neighbors on Next Door that were ranting about some guy going door to door to sell security systems that was a little pushy. My response:
"People still answer their door or phone for unknown callers in 2018?"
Why would you? Expecting a lottery winning notification or something? Guess what... they'll leave a voice mail if you won millions.
Other than being so lonely and hard up for human interaction I haven't the foggiest idea why anyone would answer their door to a stranger. Nothing good will come of that transaction and you're opening yourself up to a potential world of problems.
If nobody answered their door to solicitors or phone to unknown numbers the solicitor would become extinct the next day. Do your part.
Alas, some of us have to answer the phone, regardless. Business. If it goes to voice mail, they'll take heir business elsewhere.
Rucker61
08-09-2018, 22:20
Exactly! I was just having this same conversation with the room-temperature IQ neighbors on Next Door that were ranting about some guy going door to door to sell security systems that was a little pushy. My response:
"People still answer their door or phone for unknown callers in 2018?"
Why would you? Expecting a lottery winning notification or something? Guess what... they'll leave a voice mail if you won millions.
Other than being so lonely and hard up for human interaction I haven't the foggiest idea why anyone would answer their door to a stranger. Nothing good will come of that transaction and you're opening yourself up to a potential world of problems.
If nobody answered their door to solicitors or phone to unknown numbers the solicitor would become extinct the next day. Do your part.
I sure miss my Rottie.
kidicarus13
08-09-2018, 22:26
"People still answer their door or phone for unknown callers in 2018?"
Why would you? Expecting a lottery winning notification or something? Guess what... they'll leave a voice mail if you won millions.
Other than being so lonely and hard up for human interaction I haven't the foggiest idea why anyone would answer their door to a stranger. Nothing good will come of that transaction and you're opening yourself up to a potential world of problems.
If nobody answered their door to solicitors or phone to unknown numbers the solicitor would become extinct the next day. Do your part.
Riding in the same boat.
If it's not one of my neighbors or a food delivery that I initiated, I don't answer the door.
Does someone here have a roofing company they would recommend?
One of the "walk-by" inspectors caught me outside and basically wouldn't take no for an answer. I was changing brakes on my truck, so I told him "fine" and he said I have damage.
I figure if I can get someone reputable to take a look, then I'll take it up with INS.
If you know your agent, call them and ask if they have a roofer they trust to give you their opinion of if 1) You have damage, and 2) you have enough to file a claim. Most insurance agents (and some real estate agents) have these roofers that they work with.
If you don't have an agent, you're back to square one. I get asked this question all the time on, and off the board. I generally only remember bad roofers that have pissed me off. The good ones get lost in the mountains of business cards. I have a few roofer friends, but they are so small of outfits, that most probably wouldn't want to work with them.
Fentonite
08-09-2018, 23:01
I sure miss my Rottie.
I’d offer to let Calvin come visit, but he’d be no help. Every day, he waits for the mailman. Then he ferociously charges the porch gate, spits a ball through the gate onto the sidewalk, and waits for the mailman to throw it back and then lean over the gate to give him a hug. Solicitors will sometimes see him and pass on by, but those who are dog-savvy, they have his number.
ChadAmberg
08-12-2018, 16:46
I'm sorry, I guess I'm just sour. I did the right thing and paid for a new roof out of my own pocket. We then have a hail storm a few years later that leaves little black circles on my amber colored roof, but I don't complain, because it doesn't leak at first. Everyone in the area has a new roof put on. Soon after, the roof starts leaking. I call and the adjustor stated he will meet my contractor at 11 AM. He calls on his way and says he is running late, he will be there at 12. I let my contractor know, so he gets there at 11:45. The adjustor is all ready gone, as he left chalk marks on my roof. I wait for a month, and nothing from the insurance company. I call them, my claim is closed because of no damage. I send them pictures of the physical damage, along with pictures of water coming inside at multiple locations.
They send out the same adjustor again. This time I am there with my contractor to meet him. He draws his little 10x10 square, we find "enough" hit marks for him to say that is enough. We go to the other side of the roof, he draws his 10x10 square, we find a lot more hits. He says that is more than enough and he leaves. I wait 3 weeks and nothing. I call, my claim is closed again because of no damage.
The adjustor lied directly to me and my contractor. My insurance agent came out and looked at the roof, and says he can not understand how it is not being replaced. This is my only claim in 17 years.
**#! It. I'm sour.
You know, this is exactly why I always tell people when you get insurance, don't make your only comparison the amount you pay, that all insurance companies are not the same.
Amica bought me 3 new roofs on my previous house in 10 years, without any hassle in the least. The last time, the adjuster was pointing out things that the contractor needed to fix in addition to the roof, like some downspouts, window screens, and other things that we hadn't noticed at all and really couldn't even tell were issues.
Tell them you are a renter. Not the owner. Problem solved.
Thanks for this tip. I used it on one of these people who called about a new roof and it immediately shut down the whole conversation.
You know, this is exactly why I always tell people when you get insurance, don't make your only comparison the amount you pay, that all insurance companies are not the same.
Amica bought me 3 new roofs on my previous house in 10 years, without any hassle in the least. The last time, the adjuster was pointing out things that the contractor needed to fix in addition to the roof, like some downspouts, window screens, and other things that we hadn't noticed at all and really couldn't even tell were issues.
Amica may or may not be my favorite company to work for so far, if in fact I have ever worked for them.
Zundfolge
09-20-2018, 10:20
Jeebus the roofing guys are getting pushy AF ... now they call and instead of saying "Mr Zundfolge, we'll have inspectors in your area on Friday, would you like us to look at your roof and make an assessment of any hail damage?" they say "Mr Zundfolge, when we do your roof inspection tomorrow we'll provide you with paperwork for your insurance company" and you have to interrupt them and say "Dude, for the last fucking time I don't want a goddamn roof inspection!" And you really want to add; "...and if your guys set foot on my fucking property they're going to get to lay in the grass proned out at gunpoint waiting for police to arrive, Capiche?"
Grant H.
09-20-2018, 11:30
Jeebus the roofing guys are getting pushy AF ... now they call and instead of saying "Mr Zundfolge, we'll have inspectors in your area on Friday, would you like us to look at your roof and make an assessment of any hail damage?" they say "Mr Zundfolge, when we do your roof inspection tomorrow we'll provide you with paperwork for your insurance company" and you have to interrupt them and say "Dude, for the last fucking time I don't want a goddamn roof inspection!" And you really want to add; "...and if your guys set foot on my fucking property they're going to get to lay in the grass proned out at gunpoint waiting for police to arrive, Capiche?"
My wife is out of town, and I have a strange schedule this week, so I showed up at my house randomly in the middle of the day, just in time to watch one of these idiots take a ladder off his truck and start walking towards my garage (easiest access onto the roof, although you can't see that from the cul de sac, so I assume he had already scouted where he was going).
Needless to say, when I pulled in the driveway and hopped out with a sharp toned inquiry as to what he was doing, he was bumbling around about checking for hail damage. I asked if he had received permission to inspect the roof, and he didn't want to answer. When pressed he said no. He had rung the door bell and when he didn't get a response he was going to check the roof and leave us a form with his notes, and a request that we call.
I made a very obvious show of taking a picture of his truck/license plate, and informed him that if I saw him on our cul de sac again, I would call the police. (Completely unenforceable if he's just on our cul de sac, but I think it scared the piss out of him).
I have had additional security cameras sitting in the garage to add to the couple already installed, but I have been procrastinating due to work.
Yeah, they're all installed now.
Screw living in the city... Time to move.
Two years ago, after a decent hail storm, our neighborhood was CRAWLING with roofing companies. If they weren't knocking on our door, they were leaving damn leaflets and brochures all over the porch. I caught the brochure-stuffing door knocker on the second day, pointed out my "No Trespassing" sign, and politely asked him to no longer bother us. He was a twenty-something kid that mumbled something, but left.
On the third day, I came home to another brochure on my door. I walked down the block until I found the kid, whipped out my cell phone and started recording video. "If I find one more goddamn brochure on my door, I WILL hunt down the owner of your company and dump every brochure in this neighborhood on his doorstep, and I will call the sheriff on you. Now I have video evidence to telling you to stay off my property. Do. You. Understand."
I never received another brochure from that company. Alas, four more stepped up to take their place. Roofing companies must be a front for Hydra.
BlasterBob
09-20-2018, 16:12
I can’t recall the name of the roofing company but they were a pretty big concern out of CO Springs. We hired them to replace our roof down in Trinidad just prior to selling our place and moving out of Colorado. Instead of being on hand to start the job at 8 AM, they allegedly got lost and didn’t get to our place until 3PM. Told them they should forget starting that late and come back following day. No, they had to do it that day! Only one guy could speak english and they finished the job that night in the dark using FLASHLIGHTS. Also, the wrenches the needed to remove hardware attached to the roof, they didn’t bring along so I had to loan them some of my own tools. Of course, they “forgot” the tools were mine and did bring them back a few days later. The application of shingles was actually passable but reapplying the dish and other hardware was as if some kid in the first grade did that job. Wish I could recall the name of the C.S. roofing company. [blaster]
Why do people keep putting up shingles? Why put up heat soaking colors instead of a reflective color and materiel?
BTW Shelter Insurance has been excellent to work with.
Why do people keep putting up shingles? Why put up heat soaking colors instead of a reflective color and materiel?
BTW Shelter Insurance has been excellent to work with.
I once heard a roofer say that they tested the temp difference between their darkest shingle, and their lightest shingle and the difference was only 3 degrees. I have no way of confirming that though.
There are lots of reasons to use shingles though.
- They are cheap and easy to install.
- No roof is so tough that hail can't damage it, so paying for a more expensive material just means that you're paying more to have a more expensive roof damaged down the road.
- Metal and tile roofs are considerably more durable than shingles, but they are much more prone to leaks on any but the most simple of roofs. The more cut up the roof is, the more potential you'll have a leak from overwhelmed flashing at transitions.
- Metal and tile last so long that the felt under tile and the gaskets under the metal mounting screws likely wear out long before the roof, and since people don't pay any attention to their roof, that becomes a leak potential that can be a nightmare to locate and/or fix.
- Many companies have cosmetic damage endorsements for metal roofs where they only change the roof if there is damage beyond cosmetic, so you can have your nice metal roof all dented up, and no coverage.
- If your house wasn't originally built with tiles, it may not be structurally sound enough to support the increased weight.
Just some reasons that come to mind. Shingles have their place, and not every situation warrants having a more durable roof.
Zundfolge
09-21-2018, 12:04
Our roof is a hip roof (so it slopes down all 4 sides). We looked into a metal roof a few years ago when we replaced it, but it would be ridiculously expensive as there would be a ton of waste. If he'd have gone with metal, our home owner's insurance would have gone up due to the increased cost of replacement.
Considering the fact that the shingle roof we replaced had been up there for more than 25 years and we were only replacing it because we had a branch fall on it and damage the subroof, I think shingles are probably just fine.
We have neighbors that have T-Lock shingles that have lasted 30-40 years and they're only replacing them because they look dated (apparently the T-locks are so good that the companies that made them went out of business because nobody needed replacement roofs)
I think that T-locks went under because they didn't adhere to each other and had very low wind ratings. I think they didn't pass minimum wind ratings for local code. I feel the same way that T-locks are some of the best shingles around. It's subjective though because just like older 3-tabs, and organic 3-tabs, the only ones left around today were the best ever made, so it seems like they all must have been great, when it's more likely that the majority weren't as good and are long since replaced. Every organic shingle I've ever seen in Colorado looks like complete garbage and it decomposing right on the roof. But swing over to Nebraska or Kansas and they still have a bunch of organic 3-tabs that look like they are no more than 5 years old.
Did the agent tell you that it would be more to insure a metal roof? Generally you get a discount on your policy when you have a more hail resistant roof. A simple hip roof isn't that much waste, in fact where an insurance company would write for 15% waste on a hip roof, it might only be 5-10% on a metal hip roof.
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