‘Taken for a ride’: Ontario woman regrets paying nearly $50,000 for rushed roofing job

An Ontario woman speaks out after paying nearly $50,000 for roofing renovation.

Another Ontario resident says they have fallen victim to a door-to-door roofing repair sale.

Colleen McMichael, of Etobicoke, Ont., told CTV News Toronto that someone knocked on her door in late January.

“Two gentlemen came to my door, and they said they were in the neighbourhood taking ice and snow out of eavestroughs and that it would be $50 cash,” said McMichael.

She said she agreed to pay for their service and have her eavestrough cleared out, and the alleged roofers went on top of her home to take a look.

They were up there for less than ten minutes, McMichael said, and then came down and told her the roof was in horrible condition and needed to be dealt with right away.

“They said the roof was in really bad repair and there was a hole in the roof and even an animal in the roof,” she told CTV News.

She said she was also told there was mould, rotting wood, and that a rush job would be required to keep her safe.

“They were really pushing me and trying to frighten me that something devastating would happen to the roof and my house if I didn’t take care of it,” McMichael said.

• PREVIOUS COVERAGE: ‘I was really upset’: Ontario senior warns of roofing scam that almost cost her $34,000

The same day the men knocked on her door, McMichael said she also received bad news about her mother’s health, her own health, and her dog Minnie had recently died.

She felt she was vulnerable and not thinking straight when the two men told her to pay $47,460 in advance for the roofing job, which she did.

She said they also tried to convince her to pay thousands more to replace her eavestroughs.

“He said, ‘Look, Colleen, rats are getting in your roof. You’re going to have to get the eavestroughs done,’ and I said, ‘No, I haven’t got the money,’” McMichael explained.

McMichael told CTV News she signed a contract with Skycrest Roofing Experts.

When CTV News called the company on McMichael’s behalf, they said there was a bad connection and hung up.

“Hello, sorry, I can’t hear you. I think it’s bad connection,” the individual on the other side of the line said.

Other calls made and emails sent by CTV News to Skycrest Roofing were not returned.

• Ontario man spends $40,000 in unnecessary roofing repairs after ‘free inspection’ scam

The company did complete work on the roof, but another roofer hired by McMichael told her corners were cut, nails and insulation were missing, and some shingles were cracked and broken and that much of the work would have to be done again.

McMichael said she regrets handing over $47,460.

“I don’t have that kind of money, and I’ve been taken for a ride and it’s really impacted me,” she said.