How to Spot a Storm Chaser After a Tulsa Hailstorm

Within a day or two of a big Tulsa hailstorm, the doorbell starts ringing. Some of the people knocking are local roofers checking on their neighbors. Others are storm chasers: crews that follow the weather from state to state, sign as many roofs as they can, and are gone before the first leak shows up. Here is how to tell them apart before you sign anything.

What a Storm Chaser Is

A storm chaser is a contractor with no lasting presence where they are working. They arrive after a storm, sell hard and fast, often hand the actual work to whatever crew is available, and move on to the next storm. The roof may look fine the day they leave. The problem comes later, when something fails and the phone number on the contract no longer works.

Seven Red Flags

1. They push you to sign today. A real roofer knows your roof will still be there next week. Pressure is a sales tactic, not a roofing schedule.
2. They offer to cover or waive your deductible. That isn't legal in Oklahoma, and it can put your claim at risk. A contractor willing to cut that corner will cut others.
3. They want a signature before they inspect. Be careful with any form that "just authorizes an inspection." Some of these commit you to using that company if your claim is approved. Read it before you sign it.
4. They can't show a local address. Out-of-state plates, a temporary office, or a phone number with a distant area code are all worth a second look.
5. They ask for a large payment up front. Especially in cash, or before any materials have been delivered.
6. They found damage you can't see and won't show you. A good inspector takes photos and walks you through them.
7. They tell you a claim is guaranteed. Only your insurance company decides what is covered. Nobody at your door can promise that.

How to Check a Roofer in About 15 Minutes

• Ask for their Oklahoma roofing registration number. Roofing contractors in Oklahoma register with the state's Construction Industries Board, and you can look a company up on the Board's website.
• Ask for proof of insurance. General liability and workers' compensation, sent to you directly by their insurance agent.
• Look them up on Google. You want a local business listing with reviews that go back years, not weeks.
• Ask for nearby references. Jobs they finished in your part of town more than a year ago.
• Get it in writing. A real estimate lists the scope, the materials, and the price. A number on the back of a business card is not an estimate.

If You Already Signed Something

Read exactly what you signed and look for a cancellation clause. Sales made at your front door generally come with a short window to cancel under federal consumer protection rules, and the seller is supposed to give you that notice in writing. If you have second thoughts, act quickly and cancel in writing. If you believe you were misled, the Oklahoma Attorney General's consumer protection unit takes those complaints.

Why Local Matters After the Storm

A roof is a long-term purchase. If a shingle lifts or flashing leaks two winters from now, you need someone who answers the phone and comes back. That is hard to get from a company that was only in town for the storm.

Lorett's is a Tulsa family business. We are here before the storm and after it, and when you call you talk to the people who own the company. If we inspect your roof and don't think the damage justifies a claim, we will tell you that.

What to Do Right After a Storm

1. Stay off the roof. Check for damage from the ground and from inside the attic.
2. Take photos of anything you can see, including hail on the ground next to something for scale.
3. If water is coming in, call your insurance company and cover what you can to prevent more damage.
4. Don't sign anything at the door. Take the card and check the company first.
5. Get a free inspection from a local roofing contractor you have checked out. If a claim makes sense, we can help you through the insurance claim from the first inspection to the final repair.