Storm Chasers

We just received a phone call from a man with an Australian accent claiming he was with "American Shingles", I believe, and he proceeded to tell me about all the homes in my area damaged by storms. I let him know we were not interested in having him assess our damages, yet he kept insisting I have him come. I mentioned the outstanding claim we have with our insurance company and he abruptly disconnected the call. It was amazing how quickly he went from polite, to agressive, to RUDE!

I mentioned the call to my husband and he told me the man must be a storm chaser. According to an old post on Wikipedia's site:

Storm Chaser (contractor): A term used by insurance companies, municipal building departments, local contractors, and the general public to describe roofing and siding contractors from outside a local area that come to help people in need of repair. General contractors do not have enough skilled workers on staff to compensate for such severe damage, so contractors from all over come with a helping hand and their expertise.

Apparently these "storm chasers" often times charge very little money but perform terrible jobs and then disappear. The reputable companies have to come in behind them and re-roof the house.

So consider this a buyer beware - if you receive an unsolicited call asking for permission to check your roof, decline the invitation. You can then contact a reputable roofing and siding company in your area to obtain a FREE damage estimate.