Avoid These Gutter Scams!

Rest assured in one certainty: reliable gutter companies in Pensacola, FL do not rely on scams! If anyone shows up on your doorstep and makes the following claims, politely decline and move on with your day. However, for the conscientious homeowner, these approaches can cause worry and be persuasive. Awareness will save the day. Here are five gutter scams to avoid:

• Imminent destruction: The first scam involves a variant of “if you don’t fix this today, something awful will occur tomorrow.” It’s a mere scare tactic to make you say “yes” with no opportunity to secure another estimate or think through the decision. There is a good chance your gutters are clogged and overflowing, but that does not necessarily mean ultimate demise. Ask them to show you the alleged damage. Even if their demonstration seems credible, go no further than the estimate and then seek out a second opinion.
• Full payment requests: A contractor may request a 20 to 30 percent payment upfront to buy materials, but beware of any who demand full payment upfront. There is a good chance they will take your money and disappear. If any contractor insists on this, ask why. There will likely not be a good reason, so move on.
• Last-minute changes: Once the scammer believes they’ve reeled you in, they may start listing off other changes. They may find additional “damage” or insist on more downspouts or new materials. In other words, they keep on going with the upsell and never stop. If any contractor starts the work and insists on these changes during the project, just say no. They are attempting to rope you into paying beyond your budget while they believe you are trapped. Fortunately, this is rarely the case, and you can get a second opinion if you doubt a contractor’s intentions.
• Low estimate: If it seems too good to be true, the odds are good that it is. Scammers catch your interest with a super-low, once-in-a-lifetime deal as a way to cut corners and increase the price later. You will suffer the effects of inferior quality materials, incomplete installation and, eventually, complete gutter failure. If you see a lower-than-expected price, ask for itemization. See how the contractor justifies it. They may have good deals with suppliers, which means lower overhead. But if you are not convinced that you will receive good work quality, move on.
• Unavailability: Scam artists are good at seeming like they have a million projects going on. They do this to add credibility (“All of these people hired me, and you should too!”). It’s easy to assume that a busy contractor is a successful contractor, but it’s a ruse in reality. You will more likely suffer missed deadlines, last-minute cost inflations and even jobs left unfinished.

If any of these gutter scams concerns you, research reliable gutter companies in Pensacola, FL and get an honest assessment and estimate. Gutter Master installs seamless gutters and offers gutter cleaning services. Call us today if you wish to learn what is really going on with your gutters.

Categorised in: Gutter Contractors

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