Champion Roofing Services Inc

The roof replacement was satisfactory at first. Later it started leaking. The gutters were never done correctly. They failed to meet standard building code and overflowed in heavy rains causing roof leakage and foundation damage. The roof also leaked around a plumbing vent stack and an electrical weather mast resulting in ceiling damage inside the house. However, the big story is that CHAMPION ROOFING INC. DEMANDED PAYMENT FOR WORK THEY DID NOT DO. According to Champion Roofing Inc's own documents submitted to the insurance company, the roof and gutters replacement charge was ~$6,000. Yet Champion Roofing Inc. demanded $14,000 from me - the total amount my insurance company paid me for ALL of the storm damages beyond just the roof and gutters. I offered to pay Champion Roofing Inc. $1,000 more than their charge for the roof and gutters replacement. They refused and the whole thing ended up in court. Just to get it done and over, I agreed to settle for an amount somewhere in the middle. My experience with Champion Roofing Services Inc. says quite loudly PLEASE BEWARE! And don't sign anything they put in front of you without taking it to a lawyer first. Maybe your experience will be different, but I can honestly tell you they were dishonest with me. Champion Roofing, Inc. , based in Jacksonville FL, came to Knoxville along with many other "storm chaser" type companies immediately after the big hail storm that hit Knoxville TN in 2011.

In one word.... Nightmare! Short Version: My only pleasant conversation with Champion Roofing was when they agreed to go to the house. They didn't show up when they promised. I called multiple times, talking to a receptionist, not a machine, to find out why they didn't show, and no one would ever return my calls. After multiple calls, and still no response, I called them back one last time to tell them that they didn't show when they said, they wouldn't return my calls, and I would be using someone else. Champion apologized, and assured me I wouldn't be billed. A week later, thinking that I wouldn't have to deal with Champion again, they called me back. The owner of the Company (Chris Wiedenhoeft) told me that they went there, and replaced a single shingle tab. He would put a lien on my house if I didn't send him a check for $250 immediately. I had no written estimate, I expected to get a written estimate once I found out what else needed to be fixed besides the one shingle but it never got to that point. I didn't even have an invoice. Mr. Wiedenhoeft knew I lived out of state, and that I couldn't sell my house as long as he had his lien on it. He also knew the cost of fighting him in court over $250 would cost me far more just traveling to Knoxville to fight it. Longer Version: My initial conversation with Champion roofing (James) was very good. Understanding that I would not be able to see what they did in person, I asked my neighbor and realtor to check on the house to make sure that the work was actually done (assuming they would replace the missing shingle when they were there and that would be the easiest thing to see.) I waited for a call that first afternoon, didn't hear anything. Not concerned, because they indicated it might need to be the next morning. I talked to my neighbor the next morning, and he told me that the shingle was still missing. I waited for a call the next morning, still didn't hear from them. I eventually called them as it was after lunch, and by that point they should've been there. To Champion's credit, a person always answered the phone. However, the person told me I would need to talk to James. He was in, but not available, he would call me back right away. I waited for most of the afternoon.... no returned call. I called back again before they closed. Same receptionist, same response. James would return my call that day.... but he never returned my call. I spoke with my neighbor the next morning. No surprise, the shingle was still missing. It was apparent to me that the reason nobodyt was returning my call was because no one had been there. I called Champion first thing the next morning. Same deal.... James would return my call right away. My realtor was hosting a "home tour" for other realtors at my house that morning. When she was done, I asked her to go outside, while we were on the phone, and she told me that she saw that a shingle was missing. I said "Thank You" and immediately called Champion. No surprise, James was still there but not available.... This time I insisted on talking to someone else, and I was put on the phone with Ryan(?). I explained my plight with Ryan, who apologized for my problems. I told him that, my realtor was standing at the house as we speak, I never received any calls from a repairman, and the people I have looking at the house can also tell me that no one had been there. I was done wasting my time making calls that aren't being returned. I made it clear that I did not want them to rush over now, it was too late, and I was going to find someone else. Ryan understood and ASSURED me I wouldn't be billed. That should've been the end of it.... A week later, James called me back. James obviously got the message because he knew I had essentially fired them for not showing up and not returning my calls. James seemed most upset for not giving him enough time to call me back. James told me that they went to the house and replaced the shingle that was missing. James acknowledges that the repairman never called me as was agreed. James didn't say when it was done, but didn't challenge the fact that I knew it wasn't done when I called. Needless to say, I still had no information regarding the condition of the roof which was also part of why I wanted them to go there. James was agitated but he PROMISED me that I wouldn't be billed. OK, now that should have been the end of it... An hour or so later, Chris Wiedenhoeft, the owner of Champion Roofing, called me and told me that he wasn't happy, that we had an agreement, that they replaced the shingle, they had pictures, and that if I didn't agree to mail him a check for $250 immediatley, he was going to put a lien on my house. I refused to pay him, he was fired because they didn't show up when they promised. Going back after he was fired doesn't entitle him to anything. Mr. Wiedenhoeft insisted that our verbal agreement was all he needed and it would stand up in court. Mr. Wiedenhoeft ignored the fact that two of his employees already told me I wouldn't be billed. That evening, I spoke to my neighbor again, who confirmed that the shingle had been replaced, although he didn't know when. (He really wasn't looking after I told him the story and would find someone else the previous week.) So I agree with Mr. Wiedenhoeft, they replaced the one shingle I knew was missing, however I went through great lengths to have two different people checking, and confirming that as of Wednesday (the day after they promised) that nothing was done, and I was never called. It is clear to me that the shingle was replaced after I told them they were fired. As far as I'm concerned, Champion simply went to the house after I called to cancel, and wanted to get paid regardless. It is also clear to me that the reason they didn't call while they were there is that it would obviously prove that they were there after I cancelled. I called Mr. Wiedenhoeft the next day. Despite the fact that he was fired, I was still willing to give him something because I knew having his lien removed would cost me a lot more than $250. In reality, I don't think I owed him anything. He never showed up to do the inspection, or provide an estimate for any other repairs, I essentially fired them before before anything was done. Considering that I was being threatened, I told him I would give him $100 for the shingle provided he sends me an invoice that I was "paid in full". I'm sure Mr. Wiedenhoeft knew it would cost me a lot more than $250 to fight him in court over the matter. Mr. Wiedenhoeft replied that I should send him a check for whatever I feel is fair, and he will put a lien on my house for any unpaid balance. I asked what he would do if I sent $200, he replied he would put a lien on my house for $50. Mr. Wiedenhoeft denies going to the house after his company was fired. He stated that only a qualified roofer could have seen that the shingle was already replaced and that the statements from my neighbor and realtor were (in his view) obviously misleading me. He seems to forget the fact that I called his company in the first place because I saw (from the ground) that the shingle was missing. Champion Roofing never provided anything in writing aside from threats over the phone. He was threatening to put a lien on my house before he ever even sent an invoice! He claimed to have pictures, but he never sent them to me. Mr. Wiedenhoeft claims that he doesn't need a written estimate. That all he needed was a verbal agreement. Of course his version of this verbal agreement sharply contrasts mine. In the end, I called Champion the next day and requested that Champion send me an invoice so I could pay it. Once they processed my credit card, they would send me the receipt. To add insult, the invoice stated: "Replace one shingle tab per verbal agreement." This was obviously not the agreement, but to be honest, it didn't matter. It was extortion. If I didn't agree to the invoice, Mr. Wiedenhoeft was still going to put a lien on the house. So I paid it, I got the receipt, Mr. Wiedenhoeft agreed I was paid in full, and he won't prevent me from selling my house.

The service went well. They were very efficient and the work went by smoothly and promptly.