BBB warns of roofing scams

Or make sure none develop in the first place.

Shady roofing contractors know that, too.

"Every year, whenever we have the monsoon weather, we have scam artists who come into Arizona from all corners of the U.S.," said Brian Livingston, the assistant director of the Arizona Registrar of Contractors.

The unethical roofers often go door-to-door in a neighborhood, saying they have leftover materials or have finished a project early, which means they can give you a good deal on fixing up your roof, Livingston said.

They'll ask for a down payment of 25 percent — or sometimes the total cost of the project — before starting the work.

When they've got the cash they do shoddy work, and sometimes nothing at all, Livingston said.

Scammers keep track of the weather to seek their victims, said Kim States, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona. So far, the bureau hasn't become aware of any significant roofing scams, but it could happen if wind and rain hit hard, she said.

The BBB frequently gets inquiries about roofing contractors. In May and June, roofing contractors had the second-highest number of inquiries, behind only air conditioning contractors. The inquiries generally increase into the summer months. That could be because homeowners are getting ready for the rainy season, States said.

During January, the BBB received 526 inquiries and no complaints about roofing contractors. In June, the number of inquiries increased to 963. The bureau received three complaints, with two that remained unsettled.

But the BBB can't track a complaint if it can't locate a company, States said. And many roofing scammers don't run legitimate businesses tracked by the BBB, she said.

By the numbers

SOURCE: Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona

5,299

Inquiries about roofers to the local Better Business Bureau, year to date

10

Complaints against roofers received by the BBB, year to date

20%

Percentage of complaints settled