Are you hiring a roof replacement contractor or company? Follow these tips to get a good deal.
Spending several thousands of dollars on home repair is never easy. This is particularly true when you are hiring someone for roof replacement. This particular job is something that you can only enjoy on a passive level. After all,
you are not going to stare lovingly at your new granite countertops or wiggle your toes in your new carpeting after this job is done. One way to help yourself take satisfaction in the job is to make sure you are getting a good deal and good service. To do that, consider these tips.
Get Plenty of Quotes
The more quotes you get from various roofers, the better able you will be to choose the right one. The labor costs on this job can be quite varied. One company may charge $5,000 less than the other company, and that is a significant chunk of change. To avoid being burned by a company that charges inflated labor costs, get plenty of quotes.
How many is plenty? After all, getting quotes is time consuming and a bit of a hassle, particularly if you are trying to work while getting them. A good rule of thumb is to get no less than three quotes. This will give you a good ability to judge what is a fair quote. That said, make sure you are comparing apples with apples. Get quotes for the same service using the same basic materials and shingle types. If someone is charging more but planning to do more to your home, you cannot really compare the two quotes.
Learn to Negotiate
Once you have found a roofer you think you would like to work with, make sure you negotiate. This is an area, especially when you are not working with a big corporation, where there is some wiggle room in pricing. If there is another competitor that offered a slightly lower quote, tell the one you have chosen about this. Often, they will drop their quote in order to get your business, particularly if it is only a few hundred dollars of a difference. Of course, you may not have this negotiating power if you choose the lowest bid you receive.
Price is not the only negotiation you can make. Sometimes, you can negotiate extra services or upgraded materials on your roof replacement, while keeping the price the same. Do not be afraid to
"walk away" if you are not happy with the negotiated contract. You can always change your mind and come back if you do, but this is a powerful negotiating tool. If they think they might lose your business, many contractors are going to be willing to compromise.
Remember, when it comes to roof replacement, you are going to spend a lot of your money. It is always best to make sure you have chosen the most reliable, yet most affordable company. If not, you will be wasting money that could have been spent another way.
