Following hailstorm one business says watch out for solicitors and scams

PRIOR LAKE, Minn. (FOX 9) - Hail hit the south metro Monday evening, and left many people with a lot to clean up and repair.

Following the storm, solicitors will often come door-to-door offering their services, but what should people know before agreeing to any work?

Several homeowners throughout Prior Lake and Lakeville have reported as many as 40 to 50 solicitations for roof work throughout the week to follow.

"The day after July 4th, one of my customers said he had 14 different companies at his house, so obviously he wasn’t in a real good mood about it," Ian Goriesky, an estimator with Walker Roofing, told FOX 9.

Goriesky says he is well aware of the tactics of less reputable roofing companies.

"A lot of the companies will try to pressure you to sign some sort of a contract to look at your roof, and when you read the fine print, it’s not always in your best interest," Goriesky said.

Goriesky told FOX 9 that a homeowner does not need to sign anything just to have a contractor look at their roof and create an estimate.

"They’re trying to lock you into the contract without you looking into their background, checking references," Goriesky said.

He recommends watching a contractor on their roof because they hear stories of bad contractors creating damage too.

Another red flag is contractors may offer to pay a deductible or offer cash back when the job is finished – a tactic that is illegal in Minnesota. 

"I would be real nervous if someone’s offering me that – if they’re willing to scam my insurance company, are they going to scam me too?," Goriesky said.