The Hunterdon Scoop / Hire

Is that contractor a storm chaser?

After every big storm, crews sweep through the county selling roofs, driveways, and tree work door to door. Some are fine. The ones that aren't all use the same playbook, and it takes six questions to spot it.

The playbook test 6 questions
Did they show up uninvited (knocked, flagged you down, left a note after a storm)?
Is the deal only good today or this week?
Do they want cash, or more than a third of the price up front?
Is there no local address you can find (just a cell number, out-of-state plates, unmarked truck)?
Did they say they have "leftover materials" from a job nearby?
When you ask for their NJ registration number, do they change the subject?

Whatever the score: never sign same-day, never pay cash, and run their number through the license checker first. The roofers we'd call are checked and dated.