Pressure tactics versus normal practice
Warning signs
- A pitch that you must sign today to lock in a spot on the schedule
- An offer to cover, waive or rebate your deductible
- Asking for a large cash deposit before materials arrive
- A one-page form at the door that gives them authority over your claim
- No physical address you can verify, or only a temporary local phone
- Claiming they have already talked to your insurer
What legitimate contractors usually do
- Leave written information and let you call back after you check them
- Explain that you pay the deductible and that the claim belongs to you
- Tie any deposit to materials delivery and spell it out in the contract
- Provide a full written contract with scope, materials and schedule
- Give a verifiable business address and references from earlier local jobs
- Encourage you to talk to your insurer before signing
Why Colorado Springs draws storm chasers
The Front Range has a reputation as one of the most hail-prone parts of the country, and a single storm can damage thousands of roofs across a wide swath of the city. That volume attracts roofing companies from out of state and from other parts of Colorado, along with sales teams that knock doors on commission. Out-of-area does not automatically mean dishonest, but it does make follow-up harder if something goes wrong a year later.
Contractors working on roofs in Colorado Springs and much of El Paso County generally need to be licensed through the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department, and reroofing usually requires a permit there. A contractor who seems reluctant to pull a permit, or suggests skipping it, is cutting a corner that protects you.
Colorado also has a law specific to residential roofing work. Among other things, it addresses what a roofing contract must contain, gives homeowners a way to cancel if the insurer denies the claim, and prohibits contractors from offering to pay or rebate a deductible. Read the current details on the state attorney general's consumer protection pages or ask an attorney before relying on any one provision.
Before you sign with anyone who knocked
- Search the contractor's name with the regional building department's contractor license lookup.
- Drive by or map the business address they give you.
- Ask for a certificate of insurance sent directly from their insurance agent.
- Call two references from jobs at least a year old.
- Get your own inspection or a second opinion before agreeing to a scope.
- Read every page, including any agreement about your insurance claim.
- Keep a copy of everything you sign.
Common questions
Is it illegal for a roofer to pay my deductible?
Colorado law prohibits roofing contractors from offering to pay or rebate a homeowner's deductible, and it can also create insurance fraud problems for the homeowner. Ask your insurer or an attorney if someone makes this offer.
What if I already signed something at the door?
Read it carefully and check whether it is a contingency agreement or a full contract. Colorado's roofing law and general consumer rules may give you a cancellation window. Act quickly and put any cancellation in writing.
General information for Colorado Springs, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.