Catching 'Storm Chasers': How Roofing Oversight Rules are Reshaping the Industry
Colorado, Texas, Missouri, and other Midwest and Southern states are known for their heavy storms, bringing wind, tornadoes and hail. Increasingly, they're also becoming known for fraudulent roofing contractors, a phenomenon in which companies prey on homeowners following major storm events and take off with their insurance money. In Missouri, "it's changed the landscape entirely," said Jason Shupp, president of St. Louis-based Ferguson Roofing and past president of the Roofing and Siding Contractors Alliance (RSCA), a regional association serving Missouri and parts of Illinois. "How any contractor goes to market has changed quite a bit." Fraudulent storm chasers also generate a sense of urgency among homeowners that isn't always necessary. "They have a sense that they have to move really quickly, which isn't always the case," Shupp said. That's because this kind of "storm chase" knows they must close the deal quickly befo...