Damage assessment is ongoing, after a violent storm dropped large hail on parts of North Texas Sunday evening. The storm smashed cars, and hail tore through rooftops. It presents an opportunity for contractors. But experts warn property owners to use caution when searching for one.
"Clearly, no one here expected this storm," said Andrea Morales of Allen. "It went on for thirty minutes and it was pretty crazy."
The storm punched holes in her roof. She is far from alone.
"I would say, just talking to people in this community, four out of five people need new roofs," she said.
The Allen-McKinney area was hit the hardest Sunday.
"This area here, it's some of the worst damage I've seen," said Blake Snow of First Out Roofing and Construction. The Corinth-based business is one of many now helping fix homes in Collin County. As with after any storm, there are good contractors -- and bad.
"Contractors prey on this," said Snow. "I've heard horror stories for years."
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Finding a reputable contractor takes a little work. References and reputation are a start. Online references can be helpful, said Snow. Being the start of storm season in North Texas, some suggest homeowners wait on repairs due to the possibility of more bad weather. But Snow disagrees.
"In this area, as bad as the hail was, you really don't have a choice," he said. "With this kind of damage, if you don't replace your roof soon, you're going to have leaks."
Morales said she had so many roofers stop by her home, she put up a bucket outside -- telling them to just leave their card. She, for one has already done her homework.
"There's a lot of people who do good work," she said. "But there's a lot who come in looking for a quick paycheck."
