Storm victims warned about storm chasers

[Joshua Nall]

I've also heard the phrase "storm chaser" on the local radio station used in reference to out of town roofers. I didn't consider them scammers, but the main problem with them is they do the work and they are gone, so there is no one to call if in a week you spring a leak.
Now the question is who are the real storm chasers?

There are Gypsies here, a camp of them I guess you could say. I figured there was in most larger towns in the South. Some aren't nomadic any longer and have built houses. I would be a Gypsy if I could cause Gypsies do not have to pay taxes ... they are a "people with no land". Although most pavers around here are Gypsies and I'm assuming many of them still travel. Not all traveling pavers are Gypsies... surely.

 

[Jordan Hartley]

Disaster restoration term for "stormers" or "storm chasers". Basically roofers/contractors will travel from storm to storm, grab as much business as possible within a 45-90 day time period, get the work done and move onto the next storm. Guys are pulling in 10k-500k$$$ within these short time periods. There is a right and a wrong way to do it and its the ones who do it wrong that bring the bad PR. I actually have begun my pursuit of this trade and plan on making it a career. Its actually a hell of job if you people oriented. Basically these "storm chasers" go door to door or hire out people to do so and sign people on contracts. Its whether the person is legit or not that makes it ok. What ive learned so far is that you find wealthy neighborhoods that have damage, blitz the neighborhood for a couple of weeks and get the roof done as fast a possible. Based on my experience you dont have to be local to get business you just have to get the work done fast and done right. Things wont always go as planned but if you stick close to the way its suppose to be done you can sign up 3-5 people a day after a storm. Do that for 4 weeks and at a bare minimum of $500 in commissions a contract its not hard to make $20k-50k in a matter of a couple of months. The keys is dealing with a solid company thats licensed and cash solvent meaning they dont require money down before the work is completed. Most everyone uses Mexicans because the labor is cheap enough for the quality of work that is done. Not being racist but find me a crew of white guys that arent drug addicts or alcoholics and Ill put em to work. On the flip side its soooo easy to take advantage of people and their insurance companies. When I first started this I got my shot from a company that is one of those "worst case" companies that would lie and do anything for a contract just to run up the bid based on false information and they would get the money$$$. Then turn right around hire out some cheap *** roofing crew off of craigslist have them do the roof, get paid and run as fast as they can cause the work sucked. Didnt last long there as it didnt feel right. Now im with a company that does things right and ive found some success. This year will be my first year as a "storm chaser". Im one that looks to put a dent in the bad PR by doing it right and help people at the same time make a living doing it.

 

[Chris Vagasky]

We obviously need a new name for ourselves that doesn't have a negative connotation - I suggest 'Pirates of the Plains'.

I am all in favor of this.

 

[cedwards]

I first heard the term after Hurricane Ivan in Florida. Apparently It has been around for some time before that.

 

[Stephen Levine]

Jimmy Morrison of the Doors coined a great term for us: "Riders on the Storm"..
Perhaps that sounds better than "storm chasers"?
It's a great song on top of that.

 

[Brandon Copic]

thanks to the combined effort of us real "Storm Chasers" the editor changed the title.... http://weareaustin.com/component/zoo/?view=item&item_id=119056

"#11 We apologize — KEYETV 2011-02-14 10:56
Web manager Sousa Williams here. We wrote this story from a news release from City of Burnet. It used the phrase "storm chasers." But we should have realized the most common definition of "storm chaser" and written it differently. I have changed the story. Thank you for your feedback."

 

[Dan Robinson]

Sounds like the true source of this term is from the industry itself, and news articles are unwittingly passing along the info. Here is an example:

http://bewarestormchasers.com/

 

[Todd Renshaw]

I'm happy weareaustin.com changed the article, but I think some of the comments on their site were a bit harsh. With one or two definitely over the line and counterproductive. We're not going to convince others of our good intentions by calling them names. (Not sure that anyone here posted those. I'm just giving my 2 cents.)

As for bewarestormchasers.com, perhaps they could be convinced to clarify the two types of storm chasers on their homepage. That would be enough for me. It looks like it was created by Hollingsworth Home Impovement Inc. (Email is [email protected].) I'll send them a request. Perhaps others could do the same. (Be constructive.)

 

[Todd Renshaw]

Here's what I sent them. (Since I'm a noob, if anyone thinks I've misstated our case, or you think my suggestion didn't go far enough, let Hollingsworth know how you feel.)


Hello,

I wasn't sure where to send this request about the website bewarestormchasers.com. (I believe it was created and paid for by Hollingsworth, right?) Could you forward this to the appropriate person?

Are you aware that the term "storm chaser" has two meanings? Although I realize your website is using the term to mean home repair con artists, "storm chaser" can also mean one who goes out to monitor severe weather for beneficial purposes such as research, early warning through the National Weather Service, public education on severe weather as well as various commercial enterprises like acquiring video footage. (But having nothing to do with home repair.)

If the negative "storm chaser" concept overwhelms the positive one, I worry that the public and law enforcement will jump to conclusions when they hear the term. Ideally, I'd love for your website to have a short explanation on the home page at the top that clarifies the difference. Could you change the "What is a storm chaser" paragraph so that it mentions the "good" meaning before going into the "con artist" meaning? Even a single introductory sentence would be helpful. Something like:

The term "storm chaser" can mean one that seeks out severe weather in order to better understand storms and warn the public of impending damage, but the term can also be used to describe the home repair con artists that follow in the wake of that damage. Etc., etc.

Thank you for your time. Please let me know if you have any questions or if I can help in any way.

Todd Renshaw

 

[Donovan Gruner]

Here in Chicago, we are prone to hailstorms, and storm chasers generally quickly follow any such event.

I lived outside of Chicago nearly my entire life, and I'm pretty sure Chicago isn't particularly "prone" to hailstorms. Just sayin'.


EDIT: From the site linked above.

 

[Sean Mullen]

I thought this sounded familiar....

http://www.stormtrack.org/forum/archive/index.php/t-15724.html

Sean

 

[Brandon Copic]

I tend to get tired of it when people use the term "storm chaser" as a person trying to con you....its just purely annoying...

 

[Donovan Gruner]

This reminds me of "skinheads". Most know skinheads as a bunch of racist morons, which there are some that are. However, most don't realize that the original skinheads weren't racist at all. They began as a group of "rude boys" who were a group of English guys who were into the old Jamaican rocksteady reggae and the British modernist movement in the 60's.

From Wikipedia:

A skinhead is a member of a subculture that originated among working class youths in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, and then spread to other parts of the world. Named for their close-cropped or shaven heads, the first skinheads were greatly influenced by West Indian (specifically Jamaican) rude boys and British mods, in terms of fashion, music and lifestyle. Originally, the skinhead subculture was primarily based on those elements, not politics or race.

This is a prime example of how the media can distort people's views to alienate a group of people based on the actions of a small number of people that use the same title for themselves. I've actually had people think I was that kind of storm chaser, and ask me about the construction I do. I think more people than we actually realize associate the term "storm chaser" with these con-artists than we might think.

 

[Steven Howell]

yeah I saw that a while back. I live in Austin, and apparently after hail storms, we have had some pretty bad ones the last few years, these unscrupulous folks really stick it to people needing hail damage repairs for roofing. It was also an advertisement for a reputable roofing company around here.

 

[bill mudd]

We should talk about this more, the name we have bestowed on ourselves. Somehow the word stormchasers has never felt quite right. I stopped using that in reference to my self, as Im sure others have too here.
I now use just photographer instead. Raises slightly less questions and eyebrows,slightly.