This happened some time ago {1998} but it their deceptive practices are still affecting this family.
We bought a "Fixer Upper" that needed a new roof, siding, windows and doors. We were a contractors wet dream, because we were in a position to pay up for the repairs.
I thought I followed all the usual security steps, you know don't pay til the job is finished and inspected {by an alleged professional} ahem, and I had most of this work done while my husband was deployed, really all he did was cosign on the contract and assist in picking out the colors of shingles, window frames and siding.
Granted the new materials did improve the look of the home itself, and for all I know the work on the windows and siding is good. But the Roof, is another matter entirely.
When the job was almost completed the workers along with the project manager Troy became very insistent that I pay before the work was completed, which I refused to do.
After watching all the horror stories on television of people who paid upfront and then the contractor maybe shows up a year later to "kinda finish the job" I decided to play it safe. But they kept whining and coming around.
I lived out the country and was isolated for the most part. I did not even really know my neighbors yet, so they made me feel real uncomfortable, especially since I was the one signing off on these enormous checks for the jobs.
Well they said the roof was done and they wanted the "money now please" and I said hey, not so fast. I called an Amerispec agent to come an inspect the roof {huh, I thought I was being smart here} and he said that there was no flashing on the roof around the ventalation fans, etc.,
Well these people tried to convince me that flashing was not "in the contract, " and being a non-roofing expert, I called a couple of acquaintances to ask about that, and they said, "Who the hell ever heard of a roof without flashing, it would leak shortly thereafter, ruining your attic, insulation and walls and ceilings."
So I tell these guys, no flashing, no money. And they begrudgingly add the flashing on, and the Amerispec guy comes out and says that it passes inspection {or so I thought}.
Well I paid them, thinking that I had kept my butt covered, not knowing my dress was stuck in my proverbial panty hose the entire time.
Well the next summer, the roof starting doing strange things. It would kind of buckle in places. We had no idea what would cause this.
After all, we paid "professionals, " and then we paid another "professional" to inspect the work, we thought we were covered. {silly freaken us}
Well we had a big storm come through and we called our insurance agent to check for hail damage, because some rooves had been damaged in the area. He noticed the buckling too. So he goes into our attic and takes pictures to show us the error of our ways.
The "Professionals" at Pinnacle nailed the roof shingles directly to the furring, but not to the studs. Nice. The inside of the attic looks like a porcupine. And now that our insurance agent knows of our "defect" if anything should happen to the roof, chances are, it would not be covered.
Thanks loads, guys, real Patriotic of you, and sexist too.
I mean what is the point of hiring a professional and paying "professional" prices if I could have done as well all by myself with a nail gun and a blind fold.
After all the rip offs I have suffered since moving back here, I wonder if I have to be an expert in everything just to keep from being constantly screwed out of money I really don't have.
I would have moved away by now, but I am stuck in this house due to a series of unprofessional, and yet expensive rip offs, this being only one of many.
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