I recently had a roof replaced on my property in Florida for $9700. The job was done poorly and the roofer didn't fix the issues that they said were supposed to be fixed. I hired a 3rd party inspector for $175 who took pictures and made a nice report showing the damage. Inspector also said I got ripped off even if the roof was done correctly and that I paid $3700 more than I should have, even if the roof was done correctly.
After getting the inspection report from the inspector I hired, I contacted the roofer and emailed him the inspection report and also made demands concerning the roof. This is what I wrote him:
Here's the report as we spoke about. I would like the following items
resolved and met.
1. All items in the inspection report fixed, professionally.
2. A reinspection is done, with photos by the inspectors I hired, paid
for by your company, ($175) proving items were resolved. This
inspection will be the same type as I am attaching to this email.
3. A reimbursement of money that would make the price I paid
comparable to professional roofers in the area. The inspector said I
should have paid no more than $6000 for the work done on my house,
even if it was completed correctly. The materials were very cheap and
are of the lowest qualitity possible in a certified roofing job
according the inspector.
I would be willing to meet you half way and instead of 9700, I would
only ask for $2000 back, totaling $7700.
Failure to meet all of the above will result in official letters being
sent to a multitude of consumer reporting agencies and state agencies
responsible for Roofing licensing in the state of Florida.
Additionally, I will post warnings on multiple websites serving the
TampaBay area stating the experience I had with to
help and warn those looking for roofing work avoid getting in the
situation I did.
If you meet all 3 of the above I will not report the issues to the
BBB, state agencies and will hold off posting warnings to consumer
websites used by potential roofing customers looking for a roofer in
the Tampa area.
The work was so bad the buyers of the house are disgusted and will
result in me not getting the money I was hoping to get for the house.
This has caused me a great financial loss on top of the high $9700 I
spent for the roof. Even when your roofers went back to fix the issues
reported by the Hillsborough inspector, they failed to fix the major
issues sited by the inspector. This does not reflect well on your
company, regardless of the high reputation you claim. The pictures
speak for themselves and there is no room for argument.
I ask that you do what any professional company would do when a
customer's work is not done properly and meet all 3 items above."
He responded:
"As far as a refund, that’s not going to happen and to be quite frank with you the way you’re threatening this company is bordering on blackmail."
Is that blackmail? Am I doing anything illegal by the way I wrote the email above? How should I handle the roof issue?
I also got an email from the roofer offering to commit tax fraud when I was asking for the receipt for the roof. (I can claim the roof costs on my taxes as its a rental property I own) Here's the roofer's email. "Since your needing this for your taxes would you like for me to make it for more than the original $9700 to give you a bit more of a write off?" Of course I said no.
Was the fact that he offered this illegal? Can he get in trouble for simply offering to participate in a tax fraud? Can I use this against him and if I do (with a warning first to meet my demands) would that be blackmail? What should I do to ensure I don't do anything illegal while at the same time get him for what he did?
Thanks for any advice you can give!
After getting the inspection report from the inspector I hired, I contacted the roofer and emailed him the inspection report and also made demands concerning the roof. This is what I wrote him:
Here's the report as we spoke about. I would like the following items
resolved and met.
1. All items in the inspection report fixed, professionally.
2. A reinspection is done, with photos by the inspectors I hired, paid
for by your company, ($175) proving items were resolved. This
inspection will be the same type as I am attaching to this email.
3. A reimbursement of money that would make the price I paid
comparable to professional roofers in the area. The inspector said I
should have paid no more than $6000 for the work done on my house,
even if it was completed correctly. The materials were very cheap and
are of the lowest qualitity possible in a certified roofing job
according the inspector.
I would be willing to meet you half way and instead of 9700, I would
only ask for $2000 back, totaling $7700.
Failure to meet all of the above will result in official letters being
sent to a multitude of consumer reporting agencies and state agencies
responsible for Roofing licensing in the state of Florida.
Additionally, I will post warnings on multiple websites serving the
TampaBay area stating the experience I had with to
help and warn those looking for roofing work avoid getting in the
situation I did.
If you meet all 3 of the above I will not report the issues to the
BBB, state agencies and will hold off posting warnings to consumer
websites used by potential roofing customers looking for a roofer in
the Tampa area.
The work was so bad the buyers of the house are disgusted and will
result in me not getting the money I was hoping to get for the house.
This has caused me a great financial loss on top of the high $9700 I
spent for the roof. Even when your roofers went back to fix the issues
reported by the Hillsborough inspector, they failed to fix the major
issues sited by the inspector. This does not reflect well on your
company, regardless of the high reputation you claim. The pictures
speak for themselves and there is no room for argument.
I ask that you do what any professional company would do when a
customer's work is not done properly and meet all 3 items above."
He responded:
"As far as a refund, that’s not going to happen and to be quite frank with you the way you’re threatening this company is bordering on blackmail."
Is that blackmail? Am I doing anything illegal by the way I wrote the email above? How should I handle the roof issue?
I also got an email from the roofer offering to commit tax fraud when I was asking for the receipt for the roof. (I can claim the roof costs on my taxes as its a rental property I own) Here's the roofer's email. "Since your needing this for your taxes would you like for me to make it for more than the original $9700 to give you a bit more of a write off?" Of course I said no.
Was the fact that he offered this illegal? Can he get in trouble for simply offering to participate in a tax fraud? Can I use this against him and if I do (with a warning first to meet my demands) would that be blackmail? What should I do to ensure I don't do anything illegal while at the same time get him for what he did?
Thanks for any advice you can give!
Last edited: