Avoiding Contractor Scams After a Colorado Flood

Updated November 1, 2026 · Pagosa Springs Water Damage Pros

After a big flood, help arrives fast, and so do people looking to take advantage. Most restoration and repair companies working in Archuleta County after the October 2026 San Juan River flooding are doing honest work. A few will not be. This guide covers the Colorado rules that protect you during a disaster, the red flags the Town of Pagosa Springs has listed, and a short checklist to run before you sign anything.

As of November 1, 2026, Archuleta County is part of a state disaster emergency that Gov. Polis declared on October 22 and amended on October 23 to cover 12 southern Colorado counties. That declaration matters for the price-gouging rules below.

Colorado's price-gouging law during a disaster (C.R.S. 6-1-730)

Colorado law treats charging a price "so excessive as to amount to price gouging" during a declared disaster period as an unfair and unconscionable act. In general terms:

• The disaster period runs from the declaration until 180 days after the final declaration expires, in the designated area.
• It covers building materials, repair or reconstruction services, and services used in emergency cleanup.
• The statute sets no fixed percentage. A seller can defend a higher price by showing its own costs went up.
• The Colorado Attorney General and district attorneys enforce it.

What this means for you: compare written estimates, ask a company to explain line items you do not understand, and keep copies. If a price looks wildly out of line, you can raise it with the Colorado Attorney General's office.

No one is "FEMA approved" (C.R.S. 6-1-105)

Colorado's Consumer Protection Act makes it deceptive to knowingly or recklessly misrepresent a business's sponsorship, approval, certification or affiliation. After a flood, watch for anyone who claims to be:

• "FEMA approved", "FEMA certified" or "working with FEMA"
• Sent by Archuleta County, the Town of Pagosa Springs or the health department
• Part of Crisis Cleanup or another volunteer group, while asking for payment

The Town's flood recovery page notes that FEMA does not charge fees, and local reporting has quoted relief organizations saying that neither they nor local governments endorse any contractor's work. Also keep in mind that, as of November 1, 2026, FEMA Individual Assistance has not been approved for the 2026 flooding. The October 31 federal request covers public assistance and hazard mitigation only. Anyone promising to get you a FEMA payment is promising something that does not exist yet.

To be clear about this site: Pagosa Springs Water Damage Pros is an independent quote service. It is not affiliated with FEMA, Archuleta County, the Town of Pagosa Springs or any government agency, or with any company of a similar name.

Red flags the Town has listed

What licenses to check in Colorado

Colorado's rules are not what many people expect:

Unincorporated Archuleta County has no business license, so outside Town limits the insurance certificate and written estimate carry more weight.

Written estimates and contracts

Ask for every estimate in writing before work starts. A useful estimate lists:

• The scope, room by room, including how high walls will be cut and what is being removed
• Equipment and expected drying days, with moisture readings logged
• Unit prices and quantities, so you can compare companies line by line
• Who pulls permits, including the Archuleta County Floodplain Development Permit if the property is in the floodplain
• The company's legal name, address, phone and insurance details

For roofing work, Colorado generally requires a written contract and gives you 72 hours to cancel after your insurer denies the claim, and a roofer generally cannot offer to pay or waive your deductible (C.R.S. 6-22). Read anything about an "assignment of benefits" carefully before you sign; it can hand control of your claim payments to the contractor.

Deposits and payments

• Keep any deposit modest and tied to materials or a clear first phase.
• Pay by check or card, not cash, and get a receipt each time.
• Tie later payments to finished, visible milestones.
• Do not sign a completion certificate until the work is done.
• Never sign over an insurance check you do not understand.

Free help comes first

Before paying anyone, check the free options. Crisis Cleanup volunteers can help with muck-out, debris and mold at 970-283-7325, through Nov 6, 2026 per the Town; check current status, and know that help is not guaranteed. Call 211 for shelter, food and financial help. Report damage through the County's Crisis Track portal; it is for damage and needs reporting, not an application for money. The Pagosa Springs flood 2026 recovery guide lists all of these with dates.

How this quote service fits in

Pagosa Springs Water Damage Pros is a free quote service, not a contractor. You describe the damage once and independent restoration companies reply with quotes. We do not check licenses for you, so please run the checklist above with any company before you sign. Many companies offer free estimates. Compare at least two, and use the water damage restoration cost guide to sanity-check what you see. When you are ready, request free quotes or read about flood cleanup and water extraction.

Frequently asked questions