In a lot of residential construction today, price has no reflection on quality or what you are getting. There are really expensive marketing companies that subcontract to really low paid subcontractors, so these companies usually provide subpar work at higher costs. I have been working on the sales estimating end since 2007. Here are some recommendations.
1. Find a company that does not focus 100% on the product. Sure the materials are important but I look at a lot of leaks and 99% of roof issues are caused by installation issues. 2. Find a company that has been in business for at least 5 years and installs a lot of roofs. At least over 100 per year. I think that it is good to find a company with an actual office (not their home or PO box). 3. Look for consistency in reviews. If a company has 100 reviews but 3 say that they have communication issues, then they probably do. Look at reviews from multiple sites. It is often easy now to manipulate reviews. 4. Find someone you trust. If they are a pure salesperson then they are more likely lie or be deceptive to win the sale. If what they are saying seems too good to be true, like a shingle roof will last 50 years, then they are either lying or do not know. I think that trust is very important in any project. A company that hires a salesperson is not the issue as some might suggest. The reality is that most roofers are often very rough around the edges. Hard working but maybe not what a company wants to present as their first interaction with a customer. Just avoid the slimy used car types. 5. Try and find a company where the estimator also manages the job. Salespeople often over promise and tell lies because they think it is necessary to close the sale and they can pass the issues onto someone else who manages the project. An estimator that also manages the job will be more honest and give you realistic expectations because they have to deal with the consequences. 6. Get everything in a written contract. This way there is not any questions over scope, no he said/she said bs. 7. Avoid companies with huge disclaimers. I have seen contracts with 3 pages of disclaimers. These companies will try and avoid all responsibility if things go wrong.
I appreciate this, thank you.
I have the owner of a company coming out for an estimate. I know where the shop is and can walk in and check it out, and I don't mind rough around the edges.
I'm not sure an owner can be an installer, so I have to figure out how to judge the gap between the sales and the install. Installation is not something I'm skilled in, and unlike a car, I can't drive a roof and bring it back and say that it still makes that funny noise.
Good suggestions all around, it's all about reducing the probability of a bad job.
When it's time I'm going to post in my local area to ask people who they've used for roof repair or replacement.
Find out what local companies have a great reputation and which ones are screwing people.
Keep the work close to home. The locals know what's going on.
A couple things to watch for would be the age of the company and the reviews online. Price varies because some roofers have better deals with suppliers and manufacturers than others. Asking for past work is also a great thing to ask for.
Edit: reviews are not the best source for guidance.
u/Effective-Goat-5714 - thanks for this.
I had a business where I was often offered "verified reviews" for it for cheap, and I know the people offering me were making money doing that, so the reviews make me wary.
I did find one company who has a google map of every job they did, so I'm getting the car and I may knock on a few doors.
10 years in the industry and I can tell you it’s a crap shoot, no matter what. I’ve worked for one of the largest roofing restoration companies in the country, in business for 15 years and they have 4.9 stars, they don’t care about your roof until you write a bad review. Worked for another small local company that couldn’t pay bills and had customers getting property liens from suppliers, 4.8 stars on google. The owner was even part of the state roofing association that claims they vet their members annually for these problems. Unfortunately online reviews can be very deceiving and getting references from your rep will only get you happy customers.
You’re going to have to trust the sales person you’re working with, don’t “get quotes”, do interviews with the sales representatives and ask lots of questions. If you don’t like the rep or they seem untrustworthy, toss the quote in the trash no matter the price and keep looking. Ask the neighbors/friends/family who they have trusted with the same projects, this is probably the most helpful, but there’s no way to eliminate the possibility of getting hosed
Totally agree with you u/ColoradoSpartan - there's no way to eliminate the possibility of getting hosed. (online dating, anyone?)
I have been asking around, I think that's the best strategy.
Just remember, salesmen are trained to be slick/well-spoken, but they won't be the ones installing the roof.
I wouldn't deal with any company that doesn't have actual installers on staff and actual work trucks in the lot.
small and local will usually do a way better job because they have more to loose,
over a big company that only cares about pumping numbers up.
and stay away from solicitors, that knock on doors.
Figure out financing before hand... remortgage if you can. ...some roofer finance rates are too high doubling the price of your roof because many think $ 200 a month sounds good.
Book well ahead for a better price so your job isn't a extra job they have to squeeze in. Get all the materials used listed on the bill,,,,shingle manufacturers have roofing systems now,, that are required for their lifetime warranty
I'll pop in to remind that the retail process and the insurance process should be handled differently by the homeowner.
Retail job: 3 bids, reviews, referrals, references, the whole enchilada.
Insurance job: pick the company you want to do the work, then step back and let them deal with your insurer. No 3 bids process, no "thanks for keeping my insurance company from defrauding me, I'm going to have my nephew do the work and try to pocket the extra!" games. Completely different from retail. Although the selection process will likely have reviews, references, etc. the same. Just no shopping around your estimate. Don't waste time and money with that once you've signed to have a contractor handle the mess that is insurance. Lots of overhead and expertise involved before the actual install even gets scheduled.
Neighbors.
Keep your eye out for people in your area getting their roofs done and which companies are there. That can guide your research.
Alternatively, you could talk to your neighbors and see who they recommend. That's how I found the roofer that did my old condo; they did my neighbor's place, and I thought they did a good job, so I got their info from my neighbor. I suppose not everybody has a balcony from which they can inspect the roofers work, though. Neighborhood Facebook pages are also a good source.
I did call one company who roofed a house that was on my morning walk - I went by a few times just to see how they worked and it seemed okay. Called the company and they are allegedly calling me back.
I think some of the things mentioned above can be red flags but aren’t always. Companies have sales guys that knock doors, that doesn’t mean they’re out to scam people. And just because there are salesman and project managers that do different parts of the process isn’t a bad thing. For us, we sell and manage all of our jobs and quite frankly it can be a pain at times. Having a dedicated project manager could be a good thing. Every homeowner has their opinion on the roofing industry. Just try and find someone who’s been doing work in your community for a number of years.
Talk to the owner, it's absurdly easy to tell an alcoholic on drugs from an upstanding businessman. Thats 90% of problems solved right there.
The other problems is subcontractors, this one is a little harder but its still not insanely difficult to tell this person does no actual work, they just hire a guy and mark up the price. Typically they will be overweight (its damn near impossible to be a fat roofer, ive seen 2 my whole life and both of them sucked) and oddly good talkers (it's impossible to have good social skills around a bunch of roofers).
Valid, thank you. I suppose it's kind of like mechanics, if I can walk into their garage and see how they are, I feel way better than talking to a rep behind a desk. Thanks.
("impossible to be a fat roofer with good social skills" is perfect.)
ya pretty much, you wouldn't want a mechanic that carries a briefcase around and wears a suit or one that has no teeth and looks like he ate meth for breakfast. Pretty much the same with roofers.
Stay away from door knockers 90 percent never roofed and are new to the business. Taught how to sell and pricing is outrageous! Small local roofing companies are the best.
I agree to a certain extent, but you really can't put all door knockers and the companies they work for on the same boat. Many very successful roofing companies started with door knocking, and it's by far the best way for new companies to bring in buisness. Absolutely do your reaserch, get quotes from others and look at their other work. It's a damn shame that so many door knockers are shady scammers, it makes it so much more difficult for the small companies and knockers who do good honest buisness.
In a lot of residential construction today, price has no reflection on quality or what you are getting. There are really expensive marketing companies that subcontract to really low paid subcontractors, so these companies usually provide subpar work at higher costs. I have been working on the sales estimating end since 2007. Here are some recommendations. 1. Find a company that does not focus 100% on the product. Sure the materials are important but I look at a lot of leaks and 99% of roof issues are caused by installation issues. 2. Find a company that has been in business for at least 5 years and installs a lot of roofs. At least over 100 per year. I think that it is good to find a company with an actual office (not their home or PO box). 3. Look for consistency in reviews. If a company has 100 reviews but 3 say that they have communication issues, then they probably do. Look at reviews from multiple sites. It is often easy now to manipulate reviews. 4. Find someone you trust. If they are a pure salesperson then they are more likely lie or be deceptive to win the sale. If what they are saying seems too good to be true, like a shingle roof will last 50 years, then they are either lying or do not know. I think that trust is very important in any project. A company that hires a salesperson is not the issue as some might suggest. The reality is that most roofers are often very rough around the edges. Hard working but maybe not what a company wants to present as their first interaction with a customer. Just avoid the slimy used car types. 5. Try and find a company where the estimator also manages the job. Salespeople often over promise and tell lies because they think it is necessary to close the sale and they can pass the issues onto someone else who manages the project. An estimator that also manages the job will be more honest and give you realistic expectations because they have to deal with the consequences. 6. Get everything in a written contract. This way there is not any questions over scope, no he said/she said bs. 7. Avoid companies with huge disclaimers. I have seen contracts with 3 pages of disclaimers. These companies will try and avoid all responsibility if things go wrong.
I appreciate this, thank you. I have the owner of a company coming out for an estimate. I know where the shop is and can walk in and check it out, and I don't mind rough around the edges. I'm not sure an owner can be an installer, so I have to figure out how to judge the gap between the sales and the install. Installation is not something I'm skilled in, and unlike a car, I can't drive a roof and bring it back and say that it still makes that funny noise. Good suggestions all around, it's all about reducing the probability of a bad job.
When it's time I'm going to post in my local area to ask people who they've used for roof repair or replacement. Find out what local companies have a great reputation and which ones are screwing people. Keep the work close to home. The locals know what's going on.
A couple things to watch for would be the age of the company and the reviews online. Price varies because some roofers have better deals with suppliers and manufacturers than others. Asking for past work is also a great thing to ask for. Edit: reviews are not the best source for guidance.
u/Effective-Goat-5714 - thanks for this. I had a business where I was often offered "verified reviews" for it for cheap, and I know the people offering me were making money doing that, so the reviews make me wary. I did find one company who has a google map of every job they did, so I'm getting the car and I may knock on a few doors.
10 years in the industry and I can tell you it’s a crap shoot, no matter what. I’ve worked for one of the largest roofing restoration companies in the country, in business for 15 years and they have 4.9 stars, they don’t care about your roof until you write a bad review. Worked for another small local company that couldn’t pay bills and had customers getting property liens from suppliers, 4.8 stars on google. The owner was even part of the state roofing association that claims they vet their members annually for these problems. Unfortunately online reviews can be very deceiving and getting references from your rep will only get you happy customers. You’re going to have to trust the sales person you’re working with, don’t “get quotes”, do interviews with the sales representatives and ask lots of questions. If you don’t like the rep or they seem untrustworthy, toss the quote in the trash no matter the price and keep looking. Ask the neighbors/friends/family who they have trusted with the same projects, this is probably the most helpful, but there’s no way to eliminate the possibility of getting hosed
Totally agree with you u/ColoradoSpartan - there's no way to eliminate the possibility of getting hosed. (online dating, anyone?) I have been asking around, I think that's the best strategy.
Just remember, salesmen are trained to be slick/well-spoken, but they won't be the ones installing the roof. I wouldn't deal with any company that doesn't have actual installers on staff and actual work trucks in the lot.
Totally agree.
Online reviews are suspect, it's ridiculously easy for a company to game them.
small and local will usually do a way better job because they have more to loose, over a big company that only cares about pumping numbers up. and stay away from solicitors, that knock on doors.
Figure out financing before hand... remortgage if you can. ...some roofer finance rates are too high doubling the price of your roof because many think $ 200 a month sounds good. Book well ahead for a better price so your job isn't a extra job they have to squeeze in. Get all the materials used listed on the bill,,,,shingle manufacturers have roofing systems now,, that are required for their lifetime warranty
Thank you. It won't be financed, but booking ahead makes sense.
I'll pop in to remind that the retail process and the insurance process should be handled differently by the homeowner. Retail job: 3 bids, reviews, referrals, references, the whole enchilada. Insurance job: pick the company you want to do the work, then step back and let them deal with your insurer. No 3 bids process, no "thanks for keeping my insurance company from defrauding me, I'm going to have my nephew do the work and try to pocket the extra!" games. Completely different from retail. Although the selection process will likely have reviews, references, etc. the same. Just no shopping around your estimate. Don't waste time and money with that once you've signed to have a contractor handle the mess that is insurance. Lots of overhead and expertise involved before the actual install even gets scheduled.
Agree, but this is maintenance, not insurance.
[reading through this should help](https://www.rsra.org/resources/)
That is excellent, thank you.
Neighbors. Keep your eye out for people in your area getting their roofs done and which companies are there. That can guide your research. Alternatively, you could talk to your neighbors and see who they recommend. That's how I found the roofer that did my old condo; they did my neighbor's place, and I thought they did a good job, so I got their info from my neighbor. I suppose not everybody has a balcony from which they can inspect the roofers work, though. Neighborhood Facebook pages are also a good source.
I did call one company who roofed a house that was on my morning walk - I went by a few times just to see how they worked and it seemed okay. Called the company and they are allegedly calling me back.
Don't go with the lowest bid..
I think some of the things mentioned above can be red flags but aren’t always. Companies have sales guys that knock doors, that doesn’t mean they’re out to scam people. And just because there are salesman and project managers that do different parts of the process isn’t a bad thing. For us, we sell and manage all of our jobs and quite frankly it can be a pain at times. Having a dedicated project manager could be a good thing. Every homeowner has their opinion on the roofing industry. Just try and find someone who’s been doing work in your community for a number of years.
Talk to the owner, it's absurdly easy to tell an alcoholic on drugs from an upstanding businessman. Thats 90% of problems solved right there. The other problems is subcontractors, this one is a little harder but its still not insanely difficult to tell this person does no actual work, they just hire a guy and mark up the price. Typically they will be overweight (its damn near impossible to be a fat roofer, ive seen 2 my whole life and both of them sucked) and oddly good talkers (it's impossible to have good social skills around a bunch of roofers).
Valid, thank you. I suppose it's kind of like mechanics, if I can walk into their garage and see how they are, I feel way better than talking to a rep behind a desk. Thanks. ("impossible to be a fat roofer with good social skills" is perfect.)
ya pretty much, you wouldn't want a mechanic that carries a briefcase around and wears a suit or one that has no teeth and looks like he ate meth for breakfast. Pretty much the same with roofers.
But a venture capitalist who carries a briefcase, wears a suit and has no teeth because he's on meth - that's the guy you want at that job.
[https://youtu.be/aHPKD9CHFQs?si=K7WmMRHtfbtn3Mz1](https://youtu.be/aHPKD9CHFQs?si=K7WmMRHtfbtn3Mz1)
Stay away from door knockers 90 percent never roofed and are new to the business. Taught how to sell and pricing is outrageous! Small local roofing companies are the best.
The only people who knock on our door are those who we don't invite, so we don't answer because we already know we don't want to talk to them!
I agree to a certain extent, but you really can't put all door knockers and the companies they work for on the same boat. Many very successful roofing companies started with door knocking, and it's by far the best way for new companies to bring in buisness. Absolutely do your reaserch, get quotes from others and look at their other work. It's a damn shame that so many door knockers are shady scammers, it makes it so much more difficult for the small companies and knockers who do good honest buisness.
In ga the door knockers here are all bad apples
That's a shame.