When it comes to making the decision about which roof system to install and who to hire to install it, everyone has their own method.
Some people get 3 quotes and go with middle price assuming that this way they are not getting ripped off and they are not hiring someone who will cut corners.
Some people hire a roofer who they trust and allow him to decide the best system and then negotiate the price with him. This way at least they are dealing with someone they trust.
Some people go with the cheapest quote assuming they get the most for their money.
All of these methods have flaws, but the method I would like to talk about today is called the warranty method. According to this method the owner asks various roofing companies how long they warranty the roof for. Then he takes the price of the roof and divides it by the amount of time of the warranty.
He then assumes the roof with the cheapest annual cost is the best deal.
This is an example.
Roofer 1 = I charge $10,000 and offer a 10 year warranty ( $10,000/10 = $1,000 per year)
Roofer 2 = I charge $12,000 and offer a 10 year warranty ( $12,000/10 = $1,200 per year)
Roofer 3 = I charge $7,000 and offer a 5 year warranty ( $7,000/5 = $1,400 per year)
According to the warranty method the owner would decide that roofer 1 offers the best price because $1,000 a year is the cheaper than the other options.
This logic is flawed for may reasons.
1. A warranty is supposed to be a last resort, not a selling point. If roofer 1 needs to come back 5 times during the life of the roof to honor his warranty and roofer 2's roof never has an issue, it may be worth the extra $200 dollars yearly to avoid the headache and damage that the leaks will cause.
2. A warranty is only as valuable as the company that is backing it. In the roofing industry there are tons of shady, unscrupulous roofers offering crazy warranties that they never intend to honor. The roofers either constantly change pone numbers and company names, ignore your calls, or keep promising to show up but never do.
3. What is exactly does the warranty cover. some roofers offer lengthy warranties that practically exclude everything. this way when your roof leaks they are "not responsible"
There are many more reasons why basing your decision off a warranty is unwise. More important than what the roofer claims they cover is their refferalls, your past experiences with them, and whether you feel like you can trust them to do the right thing.
I have experience using roofers who are good people who have returned to a leaky roof and without a warranty admitted the leak was their fault and they fixed it for free.
Here at The Roofing Repair Team we have a history of honesty and customer satisfaction.
If you are purchasing a roof system with a warranty included I suggest you read my next post "Roofing Warranties Explained" to fully understand the different types of warranties and what each type covers.
Comments