MEMPHIS, Tenn. — As the Mid-South recovers from Ice Storm 2022, the Better Business Bureau says “storm chasers” could be moving into the area going door to door looking for work.
Daniel Irwin of Better Business Bureau wants citizens to know that most reputable companies are busy after a storm.
“They are not going to have time to just stop by your house and spend time to try to talk them into using your services,” he said.
He also said BBB is currently counseling two elderly Memphis women who are in the process of filing police reports. In the other case, he says a man posing as a roofer got away with $900, and in the other an alleged tree-trimmer stole $1,500.
“He scared her half to death telling her a tree limb was going to fall on her house, and he gave her a price and talked her into paying half of it up front,” Irwin said. “She paid cash and she’s not heard from the gentleman again.”
The BBB said to avoid falling, victims pay attention to red flags and ask the right questions.
“Are you licensed? Do you have insurance,” Irwin said. “If so, what’s your license number and show me proof of insurance.”
Irwin also said make sure to vet information, get a business referral, check with your insurance company for policy coverage and get everything in writing.
“We always recommend you never pay full amount up front,” he said. “30 percent is usually standard some contractors may want half.”
This is advice one homeowner agrees with.
“My motto is I wouldn’t pay until the job is done,” the homeowner said. “Make sure they do the job before you pay.”
The BBB said to be on the lookout for people well but aren’t qualified.
The BBB offers these additional tips for dealing with storm damage:
- Although you may be anxious to get things back to normal, don’t act in haste. Make temporary repairs while you engage a qualified contractor.
- Check with your insurance company about policy coverage and filing requirements. Keep copies of receipts for emergency repairs for reimbursement later.
- Consider getting competitive bids if time permits, particularly for big jobs, and don’t make your decision based on price alone. One bid may be higher because the contractor is using better materials. A very low bid may fall into the category of “you get what you pay for.”
- Verify the company has any required license and insurance coverage.
- Get everything in writing, including the work to be done, the materials to be used, all the costs, and a schedule. Don’t accept a vague description of the work to be done such as “remove tree” or “repair roof.” That leaves a lot of room for disagreement later.
- Don’t pay the entire amount in advance; try not to pay more than a third. If possible, pay with a credit card so you’ll have some recourse if something goes wrong.
Click here to check out what businesses you can trust with the Better Business Bureau.