Roof repair and replacement is costly business and as a homeowner it is your job to make sure the work done to your home meets the standards of your insurance company. Many people assume that once they hand over the check to the roofer, their job is done. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case.
What happens if the roofer skips out on the bill of materials used for the job?
One would think the roof contractor should be held responsible in this situation, but many people have learned the hard way just how serious a job being a homeowner can be.
The Bill Collector
One homeowner in Bennett, Iowa learned a hard lesson when he paid a local contractor to redo the roof on his home earlier this year. Jeremy Miller paid $7,300 for the work to be completed, only to later be contacted by the roofing material supplier attempting to collect on the bill. The material supplier said the roofing company never paid them and now Miller is trying to resolve a lien placed on his home by the supplier, who states he is responsible for the unpaid bill.
Miller now faces two choices: (1) come up with the money or (2) wait to see if the contractor pays the bill and put his house at risk of further action under the lien. Not only does Miller feel duped by the roof contractor, but he feels bullied by the roof material supplier who is pushing to get the money they were never paid by the contractor. As the homeowner, Miller already paid the contractor and doesn’t feel he should be responsible for the roofer skipping out on the bill, but what other choice does he have.
Drawing The Line
This lesson was hard learned for Jeremy Miller and people in his situation, but there are a few ways to protect yourself from experiencing a similar tragedy:
- Get a bill of sale or receipt from the roofer showing the materials were paid for before work begins
- Pay your roofer at the end of the job or only enough to cover the costs of the materials upfront
