Des Plaines flooded with contractors working on hail damage

More than a month after hail pounded Diane Meore's Des Plaines home during an early spring storm, she's still locked in a grueling process of home and car repairs.

The storm has also sparked a competitive market for contractors looking for work.

Meore, like many suburban residents hit by the April hailstorm, is in the midst of a drawn-out process of estimates, paperwork and insurance appraisals for damage to her car, roof, gutters and windows.

"It has been overwhelming," said Meore, 71, who lives on the south side of Des Plaines.

The April 5 hailstorm most severely hit portions of Des Plaines, Morton Grove, Bensenville and other nearby towns.

City Manager Jason Slowinski said about 200 permits have been issued in Des Plaines for roof repairs and another 65 for siding repairs as a result of the storm.

Along with permit requests, the city has received complaints from residents about pesky contractors, many from out of state.

Slowinski said the building department investigated the complaints to find about 40 companies from out of the area. As it involves storm damage, the main goal of the city is to make sure these contractors are licensed and insured, Slowinski said.

Area residents say contractors blanketed the area soliciting work after the storm.

"I had fliers from different contractors all over my front door," said George Urza of Des Plaines.

Meore says about 20 contractors approached her with fliers in her mailbox, tags on the door and late-night phone calls. One contractor even followed her car into her driveway to approach her about home repairs, she said.

What worries Meore and other residents about the out-of-town contractors, often called storm chasers, is that they may not be around to make follow-up repairs if the work is not done correctly.

Meore, who works as a secretary, said her daughter warned her about scam artists and storm chasers.

"I'm not playing silly games. I went to Avondale, a local roofing company I had used before," Meore said.

It's common for contractors with out-of-state license plates on their work vans to surface after a heavy storm, Des Plaines city officials say. "I think in a lot of communities, you'll have contractors flood the area after a storm," Slowinski said.

Reputable roofing and siding companies warn homeowners to beware of storm chasers.

"They're gone when the storm is gone and the work is done," said Jaye Schwartz, owner of Avondale Roofing in Northbrook.

Luke Dinkla, a sales manager at ABC Roofing & Siding in Aurora and Elk Grove Village, urges potential customers to use local contractors and to check with the Better Business Bureau before signing a contract.

It's competitive after a storm hits, he admits.

"It's kind of like a dogfight right now with all the contractors out there," Dinkla said.

As a way to get his company's name out there, he will often talk to a homeowner in need of repair and ask if he can put his company's sign in the front yard, even before a contract is signed.

This was the case with Urza, who owns a 60-year-old Des Plaines home. He explained that ABC Roofing conducted a free estimate, found roof damage and suggested that Urza contact his insurance company. While the process is taking place, ABC asked if they could place their sign in his front yard.

"Everyone is going for that same piece of pie," Dinkla said.

Susan Biller, a Morton Grove homeowner, was approached by many out-of-town contractors after her home was hit by the same storm. She said she is still receiving fliers from contractors who only list cell phone numbers as a way to contact them.

Biller, who is having her roof replaced and three cars repaired as a result of the hail damage, is warning her neighbors to use licensed contractors, preferably those who operate locally.

Both Biller and Meore called their insurance agents when they noticed the damage to their homes. Biller saw big dents on the air vents of her home and worried about the condition of her roof after three inches of hail piled up in her outdoor stairwell.

An adjuster came out to access the damage and found that repairs need to be made. Biller was told that her new roof would cost about $11,000. One of the three family cars that received damage has been repaired for a price tag of $4,500.

The women were told that their insurance rates would not go up as a result of the claims.

<p class="factboxheadblack">Protect yourself</p>

<p class="News">Here are some tips from one roofing company on how to determine if a contractor is a storm chaser: </p>

<p class="News">• They phone you or come to your home uninvited.</p>

<p class="News">• They drive an unmarked vehicle or have out-of-state plates.</p>

<p class="News">• They pressure you to sign papers today.</p>

<p class="News">• They ask for payment before project installation.</p>

<p class="News">• They insist that you need to make repairs immediately.</p>

<p class="News">• They say they'll contact your insurance company for you.</p>

<p class="News"><i>Source: Avondale Roofing</i></p>