Although DIY is a growing trend, there are some home improvement tasks that require the work of professional. This includes roof repairs and replacement projects. When it comes to hiring roofing contractors in Houston however, some residents have been fooled into hiring unlicensed roofers in favor of a good bargain. This has led to residents having to deal with such problems as poor workmanship, unfinished projects and even losing thousands of dollars for projects that never even got started.

In order to avoid hiring unlicensed roofing contractors in Houston it is important to watch out for the signs that you may be dealing with a potential scammer. Here are some of the things that you should look out for.

1. Unlicensed roofing contractors in Houston are rarely able to give out any solid references. However, they may go door-to-door while claiming that they had recently finished a job “just down the street”. If this happens, ask them for the name of the person that they recently worked for, as well as any other people that you can call or ask about their workmanship. A licensed roofing contractor will not hesitate to name any references.

2. Unlicensed roofers won’t hesitate to rush you into a decision with their “special price”. Although unlicensed roofing contractors in Houston will claim that they can save you a lot of money, many of them fail to mention what their bargains entail. They may have trouble drawing up a contract or a project proposal, while some, despite claiming that their work will be affordable, will charge you on the spot for a roof assessment.

3. You know that you’re hiring unlicensed roofing contractors in Houston if they are unaware of any building or environmental restrictions in the area or any permits that you may need. The same thing goes if they ask you to get the building permits for them. If you are the one to get building permits for your contractors, it means that you are the one assuming liability for the project. That includes any of the contractors’ mistakes.

4. If the roofers that you are hiring provide you only with a P.O. Box as an address, or a cellphone or pager number to contact them, there is a chance that they are unlicensed roof contractors in Houston. The lack of an actual physical address or a landline can mean that they have no real plans of sticking around if people start complaining about their work.

5. Unlicensed roofing contractors in Houston may ask for a large sum of money upfront. This can be for a number of reasons, a sick child, another client that isn’t paying on time, in order to get the bulk of the materials needed, etc. If your roofers don’t offer a fixed payment schedule or don’t add it in their contract, you may want to rethink hiring them.

6. Unlicensed roofing contractors in Houston will have problems providing you with details on an insurance plan, whether it is for you or for their workers. This is something that you really have to be mindful of. In hiring an unlicensed contractor, they can and will not hesitate to sue you if they get into an accident while on the job. If, however, you get into an accident, they will not be able to pay for the expense.

Even though they sound like they’re saving you a lot of money, hiring unlicensed roofing contractors in Houston should never be an option. Whatever extra cost that comes with hiring professional, licensed roofing contractors in Houston goes to three important factors: quality, reassurance and safety.