Ah, the joys of homeownership. You think you're just fixing a little leak, and next thing you know,…read moreyou're starring in your own personal horror story--except instead of ghosts, it's a scammy contractor, a roof full of holes, and a rapidly draining bank account.
Let me take you back to December 2024. After some heavy rains, we noticed a leak in our living room. Enter Will of Biohazmat (license #957784), who came in like a savior in a time of disaster. We were in a bit of a time crunch, planning to leave for a three-week holiday trip, and let's be real--it does rain in SF in December. Will assured us he'd take care of everything. Roof? Fixed. Ceiling? Restored. Peace of mind? Oh, how naive I was.
Red Flag #1: The Mysterious Bathroom Leak
One of the first things Will did was open up the ceiling--toward the upstairs bathroom. Now, I had explained, multiple times, that the leak happened after rain. Yes, there had been a small issue last winter, but it was clearly a rain-related problem. Still, Will was on a fishing expedition, hoping to uncover a more "profitable" issue. He eventually convinced me the entire roof needed replacing. I wasn't entirely sure, but hey, the roof was old. Maybe it was time? Spoiler: It was not time. It was a terrible decision.
Red Flag #2: The Roofer Who Hates His Job
The very next day, a roofer showed up to apply a temporary patch. He was barely inside when he launched into a rant about how Will had been delaying his payments for weeks and how he was planning to quit and work on his own. Now, a contractor's own workers bad-mouthing him before work even starts? That's a neon sign flashing "run" in bright red letters. But between holiday prep and wishful thinking, I convinced myself it would be fine.
It was not fine.
Red Flag #3: The Disappearing Act
We left for the holidays. Will started work in January. I had set up cameras to monitor progress. It was a different roofer - I guess the first one has already quit. Three days before we returned, Will declared the job was done and demanded full payment. I got a few blurry, low-resolution pictures (classic), but on my cameras, I could still see workers moving around.
Assuming they were just wrapping up (bad assumption), I wired the money. Terrible. Idea.
The Disaster Unfolds
Upon returning, I did what any responsible homeowner would do--I climbed up to inspect the work.
Oh. My. God.
Where do I even begin? Even without being a roofing expert, I could tell this was a train wreck. There were literal holes in my brand-new roof. You know, the thing meant to keep water out. I had a contractor neighbor take a look. Then, I brought in a few proper roofers. They all independently painted the same picture: total incompetence.
Some highlights from my roof's tragic new look: The roofing material wasn't properly heat-sealed, meaning large sections could be peeled off by hand. Other parts were over-torched, melting the material and making it brittle. The seals around pipes? Instead of using proper metal flashings and sealants (as is standard), they smeared on some mystery black goo. Around chimneys and walls, instead of applying material properly, they just stuck it on without capping--essentially creating pockets for water collection. Drainage system? Not sealed at all. As if they just assumed water would avoid those spots out of respect.
At this point, my frustration had reached Olympic levels.
Red Flag #4: Will's "Fix" Was Even Worse
I confronted Will, who eventually agreed to send someone to "fix" things. Enter Victor Hernandez, a supposed "partner" of Will's. I asked if he was licensed. Will assured me he was.
Victor assured me he was.
Fast forward through some back and forth, Victor himself admitted the roof was beyond repair (shocker). So, naturally, Will's solution was... to have Victor re-roof it. Because clearly, the guy whose company just butchered my roof was the right person for a do-over.
When I asked what system they'd be using, it was total confusion. They claimed they'd heat-glue the roof but showed me materials meant for cold application. These guys didn't even understand the product they were using. So I asked for Victor's credentials. Nothing. No response.
So I did my own digging. Guess what? Victor's license (#1071828) was suspended. He had no roofing license. His general contractor license was revoked due to a lawsuit.
I confronted Will. After some discussion, he agreed to pay me back and part ways.
Guess what? That didn't happen either as of now.
And Then It Got Even Worse...
It's been four weeks since that agreement. I'm still owed $9000. No payments. And just when I thought it couldn't get worse--it got worse.
Before I had the chance to redo the roof, one of the drainages (the ones they didn't bother to seal) leaked and flooded my baby's room.
So let's recap: Replaced a roof that probably didn't need replacing. Got scammed out of $9000. Ended up with more damage than when I started. Flooded my kid's room.