Comparing Estimates Between Companies

When starting on a large undertaking for your home or commercial property, such as having a new roof installed, it’s a good idea to shop around. Contact several companies in your area to gather their quotes for your project. Once you have a few quotes on hand, it’s time to tackle the difficult part—comparing them.

Unless you’re in the home improvement business, you probably haven’t had to go through this painstaking process too often. For many property owners, locating the right company for the job is stressful, since they worry about making the wrong choice. There are some things to keep in mind as you start this process.

5 Things to Compare

When looking through project proposals for your roof, there are just 5 things you need to really consider. Now that’s not too bad, right? Before you start, though, it’s important to know just what it is you’re looking for. Take the time to make a checklist of everything you need, and compare your estimates based on that list.

The 5 Points of Comparison:

  • Warranty: Avoid any contractor that doesn’t offer a warranty in writing. Ask yourself, how long has this company been in business. You want to make sure they have been around long enough to provide you the peace of mind that they will continue to be around to back up your warranty. Does the contractor have certifications with the materials manufacturer? Many times those certifications often translate to enhanced warranties not available through other contractors.
  • Materials: Make sure what you are buying is apples to apples and that materials to be used are noted in writing. It is easy to put on a pretty roof- but the materials that do the heavy lifting is not immediately visible to the naked eye. Know what they are proposing to use for the waterproofing component(s) of your roof.
  • Labor: Assure that your contractor used screened employees and not day laborers. The end results of your roofing installation are only as good as the team working on your project. A roofing crew is like a well-oiled machine. Do you really want a laborer’s learning curve to compromise your end results?
  • Financing: If you’re planning to finance your roofing project, pay close attention to the details. Look for conditions or exclusions that may apply, and calculate the total interest costs over the repayment term to determine which roofing contractor offers the best terms for your needs. Be sure to find out if the contractor is passing the financing costs to you. Look for that cash versus credit price. It’s in the fine print.
  • Incidentals: Check to see if incidentals, such as clean up and waste disposal are included. These costs can add up quickly if you have to handle it on your own, so it can be to your benefit if the roofers will remove old materials and dispose of them

Other Things to Consider

Of course, those 5 considerations should be the only thing you take into account when choosing a roofing contractor. Referrals from past customers, licensing, and insurance are all things that you should ask after and follow up on. You may also choose to check out online reviews to see if they have happy customers and are reported to be reliable and honest.

Start with Our Phoenix Roofers

Don’t wait to get in touch with our team at Lyons Roofing. We have more than 20 years of experience, and each of our fully insured Phoenix roofing contractors is skilled, attentive, and ready to help you with your roofing needs. Discover our services and find out what we can do for you and your home or commercial property.

Contact our team to request an estimate today!

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