Out of Town Contractor Admits to Stealing Insurance Money.
I was approached by a contractor at a supply store today and asked how we are handling our debris haul off. (He noticed my roofing uniform with company logos on my shirt and hat).
I replied, what do you mean? “Well, we’re from Kansas City, we came here to chase the hail storm from earlier this month but we don’t have any trailers to haul off the old shingles” he says.
Oh yea, are y ’all doing a lot of work, I ask? “Man, we are killing it!” he says. “How are you killing it? Were are getting your jobs from”, I ask. “We called and found a local temporary office in Coppell right after the hail storm and immediately hired a door knocker to drum up the leads.
Then we take over the homeowners insurance claim and subcontract the work out to local installers, like you” he says.
“Would you be interested in installing our roofs or at least maybe renting us your trailers?” he asks.
Being unable to contain myself any longer, I decided to let him in on who I was and what we do.
Wrong Person to Ask
My response:
So, let me make sure I’m understanding this correctly. You came in from Kansas with no crew and no trailer.
You are pretending to be, and advertising yourself as, a local contractor from the Coppell area.
You are stealing my customers from my own back yard by knocking on homeowners doors and fooling them into thinking that you are a local hands on contractor who needs to meet with their adjuster.
And are now attempting to hire the real local installer from this area to do the work for you…or rent my trailers to haul off your customers old shingles?!.
“Are you being honest with your customers sir”?
“Do you think that these homeowners would hire you, if they knew that you have no real crews of your own, or that you are asking to rent trailers from other companies?” Do you honestly believe that I would assist you in ripping of your customers”.
That’s all I could get out before he immedialty turned to walk away wishing he had stayed at home that day.
There were at least 50 people standing around us at that time that heard everything. Many of which were singing my praises for what I had done. Someone has to put a stop to this. Its happening to homeowners all over the DFW area every time there is a hail storm.
Stop Giving Away All of Your Insurance Money!
Wake up homeowners! Why are you giving away all your insurance money to middlemen? They are subcontracting the work out to others and keeping your leftover insurance money for themselves!. Save your insurance money and buy directly from a real local installer. Demand written estimates and do your research.