Arlo and Janis by Jimmy Johnson for April 13, 2023

Many “contractors” who show up after a disaster are con-men

I’ve had these guys approach me after the recent tornado we had here and I didn’t have any damage. Told me they could get me a new roof. Don’t need one.

No job is too small especially with expensive price tag?

Small slice of humanity on display after most any disaster. Some rush in to see if anyone needs help. Others to see if they can help themselves.

Just realized the problem with my roofing contractor, he wasn’t “etcetera.”

(Have to be careful with roofing jokes…. Don’t want them to be over everyone’s heads! Personally, I think I nailed it.)

An after storm chaser.

I don’t know you, haven’t heard of your company, don’t if you’re company is located locally, haven’t been referred by anyone I know.

So sure, I want you to touch my house.

They trolling for insurance payments and claims that can be inflated. The dormer is too small for the corporate buzz saw.

Worse than ambulance chasers…

Good chance the majority of them after big storm are con-artist like the electrical contractor that kept me waiting for 7+ months after the event. Finally reported them to the state contractor board.

The contactors come back, as they said in Dumb and Dumber. like “The Salmon of Capistrano.”

Nothing generates a revenue stream like legislation or disaster.

This has led to a major insurance crisis here in FL. Roofing contractors bilking insurance companies, who then fold up their tents and stop providing insurance. Yet the governor wastes time bashing Disney. At least the weather is decent!

… in the state of Denmark.

(Someone had to say it.)

I’ve told the pest control guys I need something that will keep pest control people off of my property.

Yeah, ever since I replaced my windows I’ve been getting endless offers to install new windows. ??

Dormers are the WORST!

We has a huge hailstorm here several years ago. All of a sudden, every guy with a tool belt and a six pack (not abs) decided he was a roofing contractor.

Let him replace your roof and he might fix the window for nothing!!!

Small jobs pay less than big jobs. Make sure fixing the other is part of the deal.

15 years ago we bought our current house to retire in. I went to the local builders spring home show and gave my number to many contractors because we needed a new furnace, water heater, windows, roof, etc. no one called or showed up. So the next weekend we went down the road to the nearest large city (15 miles away) to a similar show. gave my name and number to 7 or 8 more. NO ONE called. Then as the summer progressed a few posted on FB that they were disappointed that they were not busy. I got blocked from 6 contractor FB sites because I posted that they never showed up after the shows. The work got done but by contractors from over 30 miles away who were willing to do the work and not charge travel as long as they could put up signs on the lawn for a few weeks.

I’m with Arlo on the rotten dormer window. It’s hard to find a “small job” fixit person. I used to do it all myself ‘cause I was thrifty. Now (retired) I feel I can still do small jobs but the wife gets the “snits” if I get on a ladder. Can’t find a reasonable “handyman”.

Sometimes a bad contractor has a bit of a silver lining. We had 2"+ hail that did in the roof. I set things up, but because there were tons of roofs getting replaced, ours was down on the list. Neighbor’s roof was replaced just 2 weeks before the second hailstorm of 2"+. They had to replace theirs twice. I only had to replace mine once. Life hack: A beach umbrella stuffed through the busted bathroom skylight and anchored to the vanity makes a great temporary cover. Fortunately I had another one to replace it after the second storm.

More money and insurance will pay…..

Watch out for the scammers. Research each one through the BBB.

Too bad they couldn’t have taken their car to one of those “free” windshield repair persons who sprang up on shopping mall parking lots a few years ago.

I am so sorry for all of you who have been ripped off by scam contractors. I do have a bit of a warning I would like to share. You also have to be careful even with reputible contractors. In my area of PA over the last 5 years or so there have been at least 5 or6 reputible contractors that have a lot of business and have been around for many years who have been sued and taken to court and witht most getting a prison sentence and their licesnse taken away for life and have to pay retribution that have been hired to do repair work/new work, such as decks, porches, roofs and the such,and are paid the deposit for materials and even come back to homeowner and say material prices were highter than expected and have asked for and got additional payments and then they never show up to do work, but still cash cecks or get credit card users payment or they will show up once or twice and then not come back to finish work and the homeowners are out the money and work either not started or partially started and when they call the contractor and don’t get an answer or leave a voice message that is never answered. Mind you these aren’t always older people, which our state has one of the highest elderly populations, that get scammed it is even young to mid aged people also. So my warning is not only double check but triple check their credentials and ask around about a company before you hire them and give them money.