CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — This week’s persistent rain is sure to bring flood and other water damage that homeowners will need to deal with. But you will also need to watch out for those who may come along and make the recovery process even more challenging.
All this rain has a way of causing, or at the very least, exposing leaks and other damage to your house. It is something you cannot ignore, but how you choose to deal with it, could end up being the difference between “satisfied customer” and “scammed consumer.”
Katie Galan with the Better Business Bureau says that when the weather turns bad, the so-called “storm chasers” will start to pop up.
“It’s people who come and solicit you instead of you going and soliciting them,” she says. “’Buy today, price is only good for today, I need payment upfront, I can get it done today,’ are all things to look out for.”
They appear on your doorstep, usually from out-of-state, offering a quick-fix and sometimes promising more than they can deliver.
Randy Ramirez is with B. Ramirez Roofing in Corpus Christi. He tells us they have had to come in and fix work that wasn’t done right to begin with, because a homeowner tried to save a few dollars.
According to Ramirez, “A lot of the ‘storm chasers,’ they can promise you the sun and the moon, that it’s not gonna happen, that they are going to be here right away, only for the homeowner to find out that they’re already gone.”
When it comes to getting your house back in order, start with these steps:
- First, find out if you are covered by insurance. Be sure you understand how your insurance company will reimburse repair costs.
- Second, no matter who you hire to do the work, ask for a timeline. Find out when the repair will start and how long it’s expected to take.
- Third, get everything in writing. Be sure all the work is explained in the contract and that it includes any verbal agreements that are made.
Before agreeing to have any work done, make sure that you are dealing with a legitimate and reputable company, one that is licensed to do the work in the state of Texas.
The bottom line here is to make sure the work is done, that it is done right, and that you don’t end up just losing your money.
For the latest updates on coronavirus in the Coastal Bend, click here.
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