It’s the season of peace on earth, goodwill toward men. But, if you have damage to your home after last night’s strong wind storm, be careful about home repair scam artists who may show up at your door offering to make repairs. There are always a few people out there looking to rip off unwitting victims, regardless of the season. They particularly look to take advantage of the elderly and poor, those people with the most to lose because they have the least, and are often the most trusting.
So, even at this time when you want to believe the best of others, be careful. If you need repairs to your home due to storm damage, contact your insurance company, then call a reputable firm to get a reliable estimate for the work. Never do business with someone who just shows up at your door unless you can confirm their reputation. Check with the Better Business Bureau for reports, good or bad, on a company, and make sure you are actually dealing with the company they claim to be. Unfortunately, we have found that scammers are more than willing to use the good name of another company to get in the door, so, do your homework.
Previously, I also suggested that you check with online sources such as Angie’s List. These days, I’m not so positive about what they have to say, as apparently some people are willing to pay good money to make false complaints against companies, and Angie’s List doesn’t do a lot of follow up to assure that these claims are accurate before they post them. We have had people post negative reviews of our company even though they have never even done business with us, and attempts to correct these false claims have gone nowhere. So, we personally recommend checking with the Better Business Bureau, as they at least follow up with companies if they receive complaints, and then publish the results of their research.
My whole point here is to make sure you know a company before you do business with them. Check the facts, including calling the company to confirm that the person really works for them, or ask for company identification. Our staff all wears company issued photo ID tags for your security and ours, and we recommend that other companies follow a similar plan.
Get a good estimate, and work with a reputable company, and your storm damage will be resolved to your satisfaction in a professional manner, instead of putting a cloud of disappointment over your holidays.
Wishing you happy holidays and a joyous new year from all of us at Evergreen Door & Window!
Rae the Renovator
