Storm Chasers - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

IHI · 08-16-2006, 11:40 PM

Had a nice hail storm come through our area awhile back with upto 3" nasty jagged hail that fell for a good 20-30 minutes. Anyways, in our area (under 5 minute drive from my house in any direction) I've never seen soo friggin many different roofing company signs pop up...it's nutz!! I counted 6 different companies 6 houses in a row-literally LOL!!

I've been wtching how some of these fools are doing their work and living upto the name of storm chasers since they'll be leaving behind shoody work as usual. You'l think in this day and age with all the storm chaser stories folks would get a figgin clue, but like always btm dollar wins out. 2 layer tear off was quoted to a buddies buddy at $50/sq for labor

I dont see how they can afford to drive back and forth to the hotel doing it that cheaply.

**joasis** · 08-17-2006, 06:38 AM

Same thing here when the fly by night roofers show up. There was a wipe out storm toward OKC a few years ago, and I understand one local roofer sold out his business (basically a phone number, long established) for 200k...just so one of the out of town roofing company could claim legitimacy..it must be a big business now from all the billboards I see advertising. It is incredible the number of guys that will become expert roofers overnight and live out of a suitcase.

maj · 08-17-2006, 06:47 AM

joasis is exactly right. A local contractor here did the same thing. the chasers gave him a % commission for the use of his company name. Bad thing is... He lost all that commission & more in order to pay for the bigger leased office, and all the repair & warranty work. The chaser has never been seen around here again. They hired all illegal mexicans and one crew could do 2 small ranch houses per day.

The local contractor was (and still is) struggling to get work (bad reputation). So when he was approached by the chaser and given the offer of commission for using his name, he took the bait. BTW, the local had 2 ads in the yellow pages, which is how the chaser found him. The chaser just went through the list calling all contractors.

mattp · 09-02-2006, 02:12 PM

$50.00 a square tear off and replace. That's cheap I could maybe install the shingles for that.

Grumpy · 09-04-2006, 09:12 AM

Storm chasing is huge money and a scurge to the industry. A few years ago we were getting calls to sell the business. Many did. They have since folded, but that was the plan. Work it until there is nothing left, or the next huge storm hits, and fold for the greener pastures.

When ever I advertise for salespeople, I get many calls "What kind of storm are you working?"

When ever I advertise for subs, I get many calls "How many houses do you have sold? WHat kind of storm was it?"

You should put your sign out front of your house, with huge letters "locally owned!"

MJW · 09-04-2006, 11:29 AM

These wannabe companies are alot of trouble, but they create alot of jobs for us when things need to be fixed and they are long gone. When it is insurance money, homeowners get greedy and want to pocket alot of money. This system has to be changed. I'm not sure it is even legal.

In my area now, there are still some storm damage houses around from last year. The economy is slowing and there are very few new houses being built. Because of this, there are alot of framers turning into professional roofers and siders overnight. This type of thing is almost as bad as the storm chasers.

dougger222 · 09-05-2006, 09:42 PM

Drove down to Northfield to bid a couple recently and was blown away by all the roofing signs all over the place. Not only are the out of town guys in on it but big names like ABC Roofing, Sela, Western, Tacheny, etc.

Last week saw five crews working on roofs already in the area I visited and all were 100% white so it must be the local guys. When the storm chasers start working the Mex will come to town.

Adjusters are urging homeowners to sign nothing with out of state contractors. The city inspectors are removing out of state signs on public property. One homeowner I talked to said a guy with a new black truck had Got Hail? phone number on the side of truck written with a white for sale marker driving slowly up and down streets.

The hail damage was amazing. Vents with no tops, shingles with holes in them through the decking. Gutters smashed down flat. Steel siding with large dents. Most vehicles in the hail storm were complete insurance losses.

Either this weekend or beginning of next week will be job number 1. Wonder how much decking will need to be replaced?

MJW · 09-05-2006, 11:01 PM

I have heard of one "wannabe" contractor going around and saying that the roofs will leak unless he goes up and duct tapes the holes. In order for him to do this the homeowner has to sign a contract with them. Nothing but scams.

Grumpy · 09-06-2006, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJW

I have heard of one "wannabe" contractor going around and saying that the roofs will leak unless he goes up and duct tapes the holes. In order for him to do this the homeowner has to sign a contract with them. Nothing but scams.

Yeah the rule of the storm chasing game is anything to make them sign. What you are signing is away all your legal rights to negotiate with your insurance company, and giving the storm chaser power of attorney to negotiate "in your favor". You never see a check, it goes right to the storn chaser.

**joasis** · 09-06-2006, 06:59 AM

When the storms hit here, my existing customers get first run, and I usually do not take on storm repairs, simply due to our regular schedule insn't going to get compromised. One other thing I have noted about storm damage and the local contracting scene is the guys who will call...who have never used you before, and promise they have some big project coming up, and can you please help them out? Sure...help them out and chances are excellent you will not be called for their next project...short term memory applies here.

Shingle Monkey · 09-08-2006, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joasis

When the storms hit here, my existing customers get first run, and I usually do not take on storm repairs, simply due to our regular schedule insn't going to get compromised. One other thing I have noted about storm damage and the local contracting scene is the guys who will call...who have never used you before, and promise they have some big project coming up, and can you please help them out? Sure...help them out and chances are excellent you will not be called for their next project...short term memory applies here.

I call that "betting on the come" It took me a few years to figure out that game.

I never bid on what might come...its a waste of my time

Brickie · 09-08-2006, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joasis

One other thing I have noted about storm damage and the local contracting scene is the guys who will call...who have never used you before, and promise they have some big project coming up, and can you please help them out? Sure...help them out and chances are excellent you will not be called for their next project...short term memory applies here.

We call it "selective amnesia"

minnesotaroofin · 09-09-2006, 08:42 PM

I was in New Market and Northfield today no local crews - local companies using sobs' . The worst is yet to come 1 - 2 years down the line there will be no work for us local guys. both Northern and southern suburbs were hit in the past year. Every lead i have run in the Twin Cities has some company telling them they have hail damage regardless if they do or not.

Adjusters driving around with local roofing companies giving money away. How can this be legal?

These companies are sending out 40 door knockers and 20 salesmen canvas entire towns in a day. Most people sign contracts that are open ended no prices no description of work. on the promise of getting new roofing and siding plus a kickback or cover deductable. Bigger companies with large pocket books are giving $500 - $1000.00 to post signs in homeowners yard and signing bonus introduction to neighbor refferal fee.. Making it up with the adjustment obviously.

What to do? Seriously thinking about doing it myself if i don't we will be in rough shape 1-2 years down the road. Fighting the 1000 other local companies over small repair jobs from the crappy workmanship.

minnesotaroofin · 09-09-2006, 08:49 PM

Oh it's only been a week i am already too late to join in. there are signs everywhere. You would think my phone would ring i ran full page ads last 2 weeks in a row plus direct mailings to both areas. But no every homeowner i meet has said they have at least 2 people a day knock their door sometimes as many as 5 or 6. and not just once but the same company several times over a week period.

Shingle Monkey · 09-09-2006, 10:01 PM

Do you not have a customer base?

Our hail storm in Indy was 5 months ago and we are still getting calls for estimates.

minnesotaroofin · 09-09-2006, 10:07 PM

About 7 years worth most of my roofs were quality roofs 1-2 inch hail does not really affect timberlines that are under 10 years old. i do have business now i am booked out a week and a half on estimates. My problem is all the work will be gone in 1- 2 years. Does'nt really matter that i have 3 times as much work this time of year as i normally do what matters is i will be out of work almost completely in 1-2 years.

minnesotaroofin · 09-09-2006, 10:12 PM

Same thing happened here in 1998 ther were hardley any storm chasers then and we got 4 good years and 3 bad til now. Funny thing is i have been roofing since 1989 and until 1998 we did no hail claims and we get hail here every year why is it now nobody ever has to buy a roof themselves. pre 98 people figured this was normal wear and tear on a roof.

minnesotaroofin · 09-09-2006, 10:16 PM

How many of you get banks and loan officers calling you asking you if you want to borrow money or refinance? How many letters from credit card companies do you get in the mail these people want to loan us money and they are almost desparate at it.

You think the insurace companies figured out how to get us that loan we did not want or the credit we did not want? more claims higher payments for everyone

**Double-A** · 09-09-2006, 10:17 PM

Sort of like the "El Nino" scare.

For almost 100 years of weather forecasting, and 40 years of radio and TV weather reports, no one cared. Then in one year, everyone and their mother had serious 'El Nino' related problems. Dan Rather couldn't do a newscast without using the phrase at least twice for about 18 months there.

I think its just some fancy money and willingness on the part of the companies to put feet on the ground in that area to saturate and 'educate' the consumer on hail damage.

minnesotaroofin · 09-09-2006, 10:17 PM

What a scam free money my $ss