“I’m Looking For The Cheapest Price!”
December 19th 2019
By: Justin Trigalet
“That sounds expensive…I’m going to call around to find the cheapest price!”
Every business no matter if they sell products or services will hear it.
And I’m not going to lie to you, I say it (or think it) all the time. It’s human nature. No one enjoys the feeling of finding out they overpaid.
To help prevent that in the service industry, it’s often recommended to get estimates from 3 different companies.
As the owner and estimator at Roofing & Beyond, I often encourage potential clients to do exactly that. I also mention that we aren’t the cheapest in town, but at the same time we won’t try to rip you off or make you pay for a month’s worth of TV commercials either.
“PRICE IS WHAT YOU PAY, VALUE IS WHAT YOU GET.”
~Warren Buffet
A roof replacement, for example, might be the single most expensive project you’ll ever have done to your home.
Over the course of my 20 years in the industry, I’ve heard some terrifying horror stories from homeowners about their experiences dealing with tradesman. So I really don’t blame anyone for being skeptical of contractors, regardless of their reputation.
Whenever I receive a call about a roof leak and hear that they just recently had the roof done by a friend or family member, I can’t help but to feel sorry for them.
Now I do realize that it’s not ALWAYS the “I’m going with the cheapest price” crowd who end up experiencing problems, but I’m a firm believer in that old saying ‘you get what you pay for’.
Say for example, you hire your cousin’s friend who is a ‘jack of all trades’ and the roof begins to leak soon after the work has been completed.
›Will he come back to fix it?
›Will he even answer the phone?
›What about 5 to 10 years down the road?
A new roof should not only look good, but also come with a strong workmanship warranty from a company that stands behind it. There’s no legal recourse for hiring a “friend of a friend” and sadly, homeowners can be left with a bigger (and more expensive) problem on their hands…
Legitimate contractors (who plan on staying in business) cannot compete with the ‘cheapest’ price. For one, we have expenses that are REQUIRED to operate a roofing company in Michigan (aka ‘overhead’). The most important qualifications would be:
›Residential Builders License – A residential builders license is required for roofing contractors in Michigan.
›Workers Compensation and General Liability Insurance – Amounts of coverage may vary, but $1M should be the minimum for liability protection.
›Factory Training – All roofing manufacturers require specific installation methods in order for the roof’s warranty to be valid.
For piece of mind, all potential clients are given a physical copy of our License and Insurance during the initial consultation with Roofing and Beyond.
A close second behind being properly qualified, would have to be a company’s reputation.
Thanks to Google, and several other online directories, it’s easier than ever to find and read customer reviews and testimonials.
Instead of having to rely on word of mouth referrals, just type in ‘Roofing Contractor Near Me’ and you’ll find all sorts of useful information about local companies – including reviews.
No matter the industry or location, there’s always a few companies who stand out from the crowd and it’s usually because the business owner and its’ employees want the same thing as most customers do…A great experience for everyone involved!
