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Don't get scammed

May 2, 2024 at 5:00 a.m.

By DaVinci Roofscapes.

See how one roofing company provided a beautiful and durable solution to this couple's building nightmare.

You may have heard of contractors arriving in a neighborhood after a major storm. They knock on doors promising to fix your roof, take your money and then they’re gone. A scam.

But there are other kinds of scams. And sadly, Alan and Paige Sanders fell victim to one. This time the builder is the bad guy… and the roofer is the hero.

Here’s their story.

Alan and Paige decided to have a home built in Auburn, Alabama. The Auburn University fans were excited. They did everything right. First they found a builder and checked out his references and past project. Then they started design work with an architect. Since they lived almost two hours away, they supervised the project long distance.

Things headed south about six months after construction began. The builder said the high end superior shingles they requested wouldn’t be available for nine months. So, they checked in with a friend of theirs in Auburn. Surprise. The friend told them the product was readily available.

The couple hopped in the car and headed to Auburn. When they got there, they found their house already had a roof on it — a very low end asphalt shingle roof!

“The wrong underlayment was used and it wasn’t even installed to code in some areas,” says Paige Sanders. “That roof situation was the tip of the iceberg of problems with that builder.”

Builder skips town

Headaches mounted for Alan and Paige. Months of troubles ensued. The builder used cheaper materials than what their building contract called for. He pocketed the difference in price. He didn’t pay subcontractors for their work. He owed so many people money that he eventually went into hiding. Then he’d show up in another state scamming more families out of their money!

As you can imagine, the Sanders have filed suit against the builder personally, as well as his business. They’ve also filed a claim with the Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board, which is the state’s governing body over contractors. Other clients are also suing the same builder for similar problems. (See helpful tips at the bottom of this article.)

However, that’s not where this story ends. Because the roof was such a problem, it’s only the beginning.

Province™ Slate recommended by roofer

The Sanders moved into the home in Auburn. They discovered that the roof leaked badly and needed constant attention. They were putting even more money into a bad situation. That’s when they decided to start from scratch.

Paige loved the look of traditional slate. However, she knew the cost of extra framing to carry the weight of the slate, along with the cost of materials and labor, were out of their budget. So she decided to look at composite slate materials.

“I called and got samples of different shingles,” says Sanders. “Hands down, without a question, DaVinci is the best product we saw on the market. Their tiles look real and I like how they’re made.”

The Customer Service team at DaVinci put Paige in touch with their regional representative, Mike Franck. Once he heard the story of the roof, he contacted Will Boyd with Renewal Roofing. Mike asked Will to travel from Atlanta to Alabama to meet with the Sanders.

“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing on this roof,” says Boyd, owner of Renewal Roofing, LLC a DaVinci Masterpiece Contractor. “The roof was only two years old but it was a complete mess. There was no choice other than to remove it and start again. I knew right away that the DaVinci Province Slate could transform this house and make a beautiful home exterior look even better.”

Finding the right roofer

Still suffering from the original builder, the Sanders had to get four roofing inspections and estimates. After they did that, they chose Renewal Roofing, even though the company was higher than the other DaVinci bid by $18,000.

“Meeting Will was like meeting a family member for the first time,” says Paige. “Alan and I instantly liked him. Then, spending time with him while making the decision to replace the roof, we really trusted him. He was professional, friendly and sincere. His expertise was worth the peace of mind of knowing our roof would finally not leak!”

New roof, new chapter

The faith placed in the Renewal Roofing team was worth it for the Sanders. To create a beautiful contrast with their white home, Will convinced them to choose the Slate Black roofing color. And, once the roofer-recommended Province Slate tiles started going up, both Paige and Alan loved the look.

“Will is a great communicator,” says Sanders. “He let us know a timeline, did what he said he would, and then some. He protected our landscaping and even made sure our three dogs had outdoor access. The crew was professional and courteous. They worked through extremely hot temperatures and got the job done. The composite slate roof looks simply terrific and it’s bone dry inside our house!”

While they may have started out with the worst roof in the neighborhood, the Sanders definitely ended up with a positive experience with both their DaVinci composite slate roof and their roofer! Everyone from the dumpster guy to neighbors now admire and complement the homeowners on their DaVinci roof.

“The Sanders are some of my favorite clients in all my 20 years experience,” says Boyd. “Helping them was way more like helping family. They had a really rotten builder experience. Coming in and getting their home dry, with a reliable roof overhead, is truly rewarding.”