Local contractors warn homeowners of roofing scams

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -

The demand for roofing workers created by hailstorms this year has increased the possibility of scam artists taking advantage of homeowners, according to local contractors.

"The guy who knocks on the door and has a ladder in the back of his pickup, and it doesn't say Colorado or Colorado Springs, that's what you have to watch out for," said Jack Caton, a roofing manager.

"Passing a test doesn't make you a roofer. I've heard stories about some awful things. We've actually seen people who offer to get up on a roof, take a look at the roof and show (homeowners) pictures of somebody else's roof that has hail damage."

Jeff Spinato, another roofing manager, said he finished a job that was done improperly by a roofer but the roofer charged the elderly homeowners a 25 percent fee for breaking his contract with them.

"They had no legal obligation to pay that fee but they did anyway -- unknown by me," Spinato said. "On top of what they paid me. They were out $3,000."

Contractors said such scam artists traditionally appear immediately after a hailstorm, but the number of storms this year has created more opportunities for them.

Becky Lewton lives just north of downtown in Colorado Springs, an area that was hard-hit by hail in May. She said she was approached by many people interested in repairing her damaged roof.

"We had a lot of people stop by, knock at the door and just had a clipboard -- not even a truck with a ladder," Lewton said. "And then we had a gentleman who said he was local. But when it came time for him to give an actual price and quote what his warranty was, never heard from him again."

Lewton said she also had a roofer do repair work without her permission, failed to do the work properly, then billed her for it. However, she said she didn't have to pay.

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Local contractors warn homeowners of roofing scams