Short answer: document the current state immediately, stop further payments, get written communication on record, protect the roof from weather, and get an independent assessment of what was actually completed before hiring anyone to finish it.
First, protect the building
If the roof is open or partially dried in, weather is the urgent problem. Emergency tarping or completing the dry-in protects the structure and does not complicate anything legally. Do that first.
Document everything today
- Photograph the entire roof in its current state, from the ground and from a ladder if safe
- Photograph materials delivered and materials remaining
- Gather the contract, the estimate, all texts and emails, and every payment record
- Write a dated timeline of what happened and when
This record is what everything else depends on.
Stop paying
Do not make further payments against promises to return. If you have paid for work not performed, that is a recovery question, and paying more rarely improves your position.
Put communication in writing
Phone calls leave no record. Send a written message stating the facts: what was contracted, what was completed, what was paid, and a specific deadline to resume or respond. Keep it factual rather than angry, because this may end up being read by someone else.
Watch for liens
If the contractor did not pay their supplier or subcontractors, a lien can be filed against your property even if you paid the contractor in full. Texas has specific procedures and deadlines here.
If you receive any notice regarding a lien, that is the point to get actual legal advice rather than general guidance from a roofing website.
If it is an insurance job
Call your carrier and tell them what happened. The claim does not disappear with the contractor. Depending on the structure of the claim and what has been paid out, there are usually paths forward, and your adjuster has seen this before.
Hiring someone to finish it
This is harder than starting fresh and any honest contractor will tell you so. The complications:
- Nobody can warranty work they did not do, so you may end up with split responsibility
- What is underneath has to be verified rather than assumed
- Partial installations sometimes have to be removed to do it correctly
Get an independent inspection of what was actually completed before agreeing to a finish price. That assessment is worth having regardless of who does the work.
How to avoid it next time
Verify a local address, a current certificate of insurance and permit history before signing. Avoid large upfront payments. Our local versus storm chaser comparison and contract guide cover the checks worth doing.
We assess abandoned jobs and will tell you honestly what is salvageable. Get in touch or call (210) 245-4125.
