Storm surge triggers crackdown on unregistered roofing contractors

Some states are cracking down on storm chasers — and Kansas is one of them. 

What’s happening: Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach is warning both residential and commercial roofing contractors about flooding his state with unregistered crews. If you want to chase roofing jobs across state lines, you must fully comply with the laws — including the Kansas Roofing Registration Act (KRRA) — or face repercussions.

• Kansas is one of many states cracking down after dealing with an uptick of unregistered roofing contractors flooding storm-prone areas. 
• Officials in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin have issued similar warnings to consumers to watch out for storm chasers who pop in, collect revenue, and move out after the weather pipeline subsides. 

State of play: Many states require roofing contractors to register with their Attorney General’s office before soliciting or performing work. 

• Yes, but: Officials say too many registered contractors are still failing to meet basic requirements. 

What they’re saying: “All contractors providing roofing services in the state of Kansas, whether they are from Kansas or out of state, are required to register with the Attorney General’s office,” Gabriel Fonticoba, an investigator with the Kansas Attorney General’s office, told Homepros. 

• “Once registered, contractors need to abide by the act to ensure that they remain in compliance,” he said. 
• In addition to state requirements, roofers must also be aware of any city, county, or other local requirements that need to be followed when they choose to work across state lines. 

Between the lines: The warnings aren’t solely about registration but also about visibility and traceability to protect consumers, Oklahoma Senator Bill Coleman noted.

• “One thing that we have had difficulty with lately is ensuring that roofing contractors properly list their registration certificate number as required,” Fonticoba said. 
• “The KRRA requires that this number be listed on every business sign, card, correspondence, and contract used to solicit and conduct roofing services in this state,” he continued, adding that Kansas has seen a large number of signs that failed to display a roofing contractor’s registration number properly. 

Why it matters: Failure to do so makes it difficult for consumers to distinguish legitimate operators from bad actors. 

• For roofing operators, especially storm chasers, compliance is increasingly under scrutiny. 
• Kansas is part of a larger trend. States are tightening contractor oversight, as storm-driven demand spikes and out-of-state crews move in.