Roofing scams — seven red flags to spot before you pay

Roofing scams — seven red flags to spot before you pay

Written and edited by Robert McLoughlin, founder of AustralianRoofers.com.

Every year thousands of Australian homeowners pay a roofer who was never going to do the job properly — and most of the time, the scam gave itself away early. This episode lays out the seven red flags that separate a cowboy from a professional: the unannounced door knocker, the big cash deposit, the suspiciously cheap quote, the roofer you can't verify, the reviews that read like ads, the mid-job upsell once they're on the roof, and the deal with no paperwork. Spot these before you sign, and you'll dodge almost every roofing scam going.

In this episode

  • Door knockers offering a 'today only' price are the number one trap — good roofers are booked out, not driving around looking for damage
  • A cash deposit of fifty percent or more before a tile is lifted is a classic disappear-with-the-money setup
  • A quote thousands cheaper than the rest is cheap because it left something out — scaffolding, old-roof disposal or flashing you'll pay for later
  • Always look up their Australian Business Number and licence yourself; the ones who can't be verified are usually the ones with the worst stories
  • Ten five-star reviews posted the same week, with no photos, no history and generic praise, are almost always planted
  • Beware the mid-job upsell — finding 'much more damage' once the old roof is half off is a pressure tactic, not an accident
  • No written quote, no contract, no proof of insurance means nothing to fall back on when it goes wrong

Resources mentioned

Listen on every podcast app

Full show notes and transcript at https://www.australianroofers.com/podcast/how-to-spot-a-roofing-scam/.

The AustralianRoofers.com Podcast is produced by Australian Roofers — Australia's verified directory of roofers. More episodes at australianroofers.com/podcast. Written and edited by Robert McLoughlin, founder of AustralianRoofers.com.

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