Recent severe weather has brought the issue of fly-by-night roofing companies to the forefront of the Texas Legislature. To combat scammers that prey on homeowners after hail storms and high winds, Texas State Rep. Giovanni Capriglione (R-Keller) introduced HB 2101, also known as the Reroofing Contractor Registration Act.
In order to comply with the proposed law, all roofers wishing to do business in Texas would have to register with the state.
“This is a great bill that will help protect vulnerable consumers,” said Dallas Builders Association executive officer Phil Crone. “Wind and hail events, which are common this time of year, unfortunately also cause fly-by-night contractors to crawl out of the woodwork. When your roof is leaking and you want nothing more than to get your life back in order, you are ideal prey for these vultures.”
The bill’s latest iteration mandates that all roofers provide the name of their business, contact information, and physical address. Consumers would be able to search the registry to find roofers they want to hire.
“I’ve tried licensing, and the reality is that’s tough to be able to get done,” Capriglione told KRLD. “There’s a lot of folks in the Legislature who don’t think you should have to have a license to put a roof on.”
Besides the obvious issues of bilking consumers and insurance companies, Capriglione believes this is a public safety issue, too. Another purpose of the registry would be to prevent substandard contractors from accessing the market.
“Rep. Capriglione should be commended for his continued efforts to get this bill passed and the registry established,” Crone added. “I hope he succeeds.”
