Roofer Made My Leak WORSE - Now I Have Water Damage Inside (2025)

I am LIVID right now. Hired a roofer last week to fix a small leak over my garage. He came out, did some work, said it was fixed, and LEFT. Charged me $1,800.

Two days later we got rain. Not only is the original leak STILL THERE, but now I have water coming into my LIVING ROOM ceiling. The roofer damaged my house - he pulled up shingles and just threw a tarp over them but didn't secure it properly. Wind blew the tarp partially off and rain got under everything.

Now I have:

• Water stains spreading across my living room ceiling
• Wet insulation in the attic (I can see it dripping)
• The original garage leak is worse than before
• Drywall starting to bubble in one corner

I called him and he said "that's not my fault, that was the storm" and hung up on me. Won't return my texts. This is roofing contractor negligence plain and simple!

What are my options here? This is California if that matters. I can't afford to pay another contractor to fix his mess AND the new damage.

I'm sorry this happened to you. Unfortunately, this is a classic case of roofing contractor negligence. Let me explain your legal position:

Why the contractor is liable:

• A contractor has a duty to leave your property in a safe condition, especially mid-repair
• Improperly secured tarps during a known rainy season is negligent
• In California, contractors are held to the standard of care of a "reasonably prudent contractor"
• Leaving exposed roof areas without proper weatherproofing violates this standard

His "storm defense" won't hold up because:

• Rain in January in California is completely foreseeable
• A competent roofer would have secured weatherproofing properly
• He created the vulnerability by removing shingles without adequate protection

Your damages likely include:

• Cost to properly complete the original repair
• Cost to repair all new water damage (ceiling, insulation, drywall)
• Potential mold remediation if not addressed quickly
• Diminished home value if damage is extensive

First step: Check if he's actually licensed. Go to the CSLB website and look him up. If he's unlicensed, you have additional remedies and he cannot sue you for payment.

Insurance adjuster here (not giving professional advice, just sharing info). You have two potential insurance paths:

Option 1: Your homeowner's insurance

• File a claim for the water damage under your policy
• Your insurance will likely cover the interior damage (minus deductible)
• They may then "subrogate" against the contractor - meaning they'll go after him to recover what they paid you
• Pros: Faster payout, less hassle for you
• Cons: Uses your policy (could affect rates), you eat the deductible

Option 2: Contractor's liability insurance

• Licensed CA contractors are required to carry liability insurance
• You can file a claim directly against his policy
• Pros: Doesn't affect your insurance, potentially covers everything including his faulty work
• Cons: He may not actually have current coverage, claims process is slower

My suggestion: Do BOTH. File with your insurance for immediate help, and pursue the contractor's insurance too. Document everything obsessively - your insurance company will want that documentation for subrogation anyway.

Also: Get emergency mitigation done NOW. Water damage gets exponentially more expensive every day you wait. Most restoration companies will bill insurance directly.

I went through something similar 2 years ago. Roofer caused water damage, ghosted me. Here's how I actually got paid:

The contractor's bond saved me.

In California, all licensed contractors must carry a $25,000 surety bond (it was $15,000 before 2023). This is specifically designed to protect homeowners when contractors don't make things right.

Here's what I did:

1. Looked up contractor on CSLB - got his license number and bond company name
2. Got 3 written estimates for repairs from other licensed roofers
3. Took tons of photos and video of all damage
4. Sent demand letter to contractor via certified mail (gave him 10 days to respond)
5. When he didn't respond, I filed a claim with his bonding company
6. Bonding company investigated, sided with me, paid out $8,400

The bond claim process took about 6 weeks. Not instant, but I got my money without having to sue him in court.

Important: You need to prove he caused the damage and give him a chance to fix it first (the demand letter). The bonding company won't just take your word for it.

Check out the California roofing defect demand letter guide - it has templates specifically for this situation.

Jumping in to warn others reading this: watch out for roofing scam artists after storms.

I work in restoration and we see this constantly. After any significant weather event, unlicensed "roofers" flood neighborhoods offering cheap repairs. Some red flags:

• Door knockers: Legitimate roofers don't usually go door-to-door soliciting
• Cash only/no contract: Licensed contractors provide written contracts for jobs over $500
• Out-of-state plates: Storm chasers follow weather systems across states
• Pressure tactics: "I have materials left from a neighbor's job, discount if you sign today"
• No physical address: Just a phone number and PO box
• Asks you to pull permits: Contractors should pull their own permits

@FrustratedInFresno - Did this guy have a company truck with signage? Physical business address? Did you verify his license BEFORE hiring him?

Not blaming you - these scammers are convincing. But for others reading: ALWAYS verify the license on CSLB before paying anyone. Takes 30 seconds and can save you thousands.

Public adjuster here. Let me give you a checklist for documenting water damage properly. This will help whether you're filing with insurance, going after the contractor's bond, or taking him to small claims:

IMMEDIATE (within 24-48 hours):

1. Take photos and video of ALL visible damage - ceilings, walls, floors, attic
2. Use a moisture meter if you can rent/borrow one - document readings
3. Save any texts, emails, voicemails from the contractor
4. Screenshot his business listings, ads, website (in case he takes them down)
5. Get a copy of any contract or receipt he gave you
6. Write down exactly what he said and did while on your property

WITHIN FIRST WEEK:

1. Get 2-3 written estimates from licensed contractors for ALL repairs needed
2. Have a mold inspection done (around $300-500, worth it for documentation)
3. Send demand letter via certified mail with return receipt
4. File complaint with CSLB (this creates official record even if he's licensed)
5. Look up and save his bond and insurance info from CSLB records

KEEP ONGOING:

• Log of all contact attempts with dates/times
• Receipts for any emergency repairs or temporary fixes
• Receipts for hotel if you had to leave home
• Time missed from work to deal with this

The more documentation you have, the stronger your position - whether negotiating with his insurance, filing a bond claim, or going to court.

There's a good set of roofing contractor dispute letter templates that covers demand letters, CSLB complaints, and bond claims.

Update for anyone following this nightmare:

First - thank you all SO much. This thread gave me an actual game plan when I was completely overwhelmed.

Here's where things stand:

• Checked CSLB - he IS licensed (surprisingly) but has 2 prior complaints
• Filed my own CSLB complaint
• Sent demand letter via certified mail - got delivery confirmation
• Filed claim with my homeowner's insurance - adjuster coming tomorrow
• Got 3 estimates for repairs - ranging from $4,200 to $6,800
• Emergency restoration company came out and did water extraction and set up drying equipment

The restoration company said I caught it in time - no mold growth yet. That was my biggest fear.

The roofer has not responded to my demand letter. His 10 days are up Friday. After that I'm filing against his bond.

@StormChaserWarning - you asked good questions. Looking back, he did come from a referral (neighbor used him), but I didn't verify the license myself. Neighbor's job went fine. Just my luck I guess. Lesson learned the hard way.

Will update when I hear back on the bond claim. Hoping I don't have to go to small claims court but ready to if needed.