How much is my roof going to cost and is it negotiable?
In today’s economy when you need a new roof the first question is how much is this going to cost me. Unfortunately there is no easy answer to that question because the prices can vary majorly from one contractor to the next. Below are the major categories that make up every roofing contractors proposal, some with room for negotiation and others non-negotiable.
Cost of Materials
In every bid that is submitted for your job the contractor will list the cost of materials to do your job. Some contractors choose to break this amount down and show their customer how much the materials are going to cost on the job and others simply submit a bid as a whole including materials. Many contractors will use the cost of materials to drive up the price of your job.
When comparing the bids that you received from contractors, compare the cost of materials for each. If there are major disparities in the amount of materials needed then one of the contractors is either padding their bid or can’t estimate the size of your roof correctly, either way it’s not someone you want on your job.
Most contractors realize some profit on the materials for your job, since they pay contractor prices and charge you retail. This is usually a very small part of their profit, but usually leaves some room for negotiation in the overall price of the job.
Cost of Labor
The cost of labor can change a roofing bid dramatically from contractor to contractor. Some contractors use day laborers at a very modest cost and are able to provide a significantly lower bid. While major roofing companies who have actual employees who they provide benefits to are unable to provide an equally low bid. However as the saying goes most of the time you get what you pay for.
As far as negotiation of labor cost goes, a contractor without the overhead cost of employees will have much more room to negotiate then a major company.
Profit
With either a major roofing company or with a contractor profit is the area with the most room for negotiation. Typically major roofing companies are making more profit per job then a small contractor, but are less willing to negotiate. Most contractors deal more in quality then in quantity, which can work to the advantage of the consumer.
Incidentals that may arise
It is very important as a consumer to understand that things happen. Re-roofing your home is like any other home improvement job, in that you never know what you’re going to encounter until the job is in progress. I’m not talking about the scrupleless contractor that stops in the middle of the job and demands more money. I’m referring to the incidentals that arise when your roof is removed only to find that ten of your rafters are rotten and need to be replaced. As a home or business owner you need to be prepared to possibly expend the extra money if something like this happens. Keep in mind that the cost of repair will be cheaper when the damaged area is exposed and easily accessible.
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Watch this video about roofing contractor
One of the biggest problems with room addition construction is the involvement of a cheap roofing contractor who’s going to create problems for the homeowner in the future. I’m not suggesting that all of your problems will stem from hiring a cheap roofing contractor, but it doesn’t make any sense to build a nice room addition and protect it with a inferior roof. This video doesn’t only apply to room additions, I’ve seen this problem in other building projects. The homeowner or property owner starts to run out of money and hire is the cheapest roofing contractor that they can find, simply because they just want to get the building done. Sometimes these roofing contractors use inferior products, inexperienced workers and do inferior work, only to find out in a few years later if not, the first rainstorm, that their roof needs to be fixed or replaced. Watch some more of our videos for great tips on room addition construction, home remodeling and home building. Please help to answer the question about roofing contractorI need advice on a program that will aid in generating bids for a roofing contractor.?
I'm looking to buy a program that will aid a roofing contractor to write up bids from a laptop while on the job site. Any thoughts?
About Author
R Knight -
About the Author:
3rd generation general contractor
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May 31st, 2010 | by roofing contractor |
By Windstar on May 31, 2010
How about a Roofing/Building Material wholesale company? Outside sales position? His experience would really be beneficial to his customers. Or a technical support or trainer for a roofing manufacturer try the Metal & Asphalt Shingle manufacturers, if he was in the business he hopefully should have some contacts to reach out to. My best advice would be to network within the industry, and to be patient. Something should come along; but not without his local "industry" knowing he is out there and looking for an opportunity.
By ttgl10 on May 31, 2010
In the world of remodeling, home improvement, or residential construction contracting; "great" and "cheap" do not usually go together.
A legitimate business needs to make a profit to stay in business. In order to stay in business over the long haul, the business must pay taxes, carry liability and worker's compensation insurance, and pay other normal operating expenses. This usually means that their prices are somewhat higher than the guy who works out of the back of his truck for cash.
Unfortunately, many homeowners make their buying decisions based on the cheapest price. They are often burned when an uninsured workman is hurt on their job and the only way to recover damages is to sue the homeowner. They are also frustrated when they can't find the contractor a year or two later for a warranty claim. In some cased, they are forced to pay for materials twice when a supplier files a lein against the homeowner's property because the "contractor" failed to pay for the material.
Contractor complaints like these will be among the top three types of complaints received by your state's Attorney General's Office (usually the division of Consumer Affairs). The only way you can assure that these problems do not befall you is to deal with reputable contractors.
My advice is to decide what brand and color shingles you want on your house before you contact roffing contractors for a price. This ensures that each is bidding based on the same criteria. At a minimum, I recommend screening contractors using the following criteria:
1) Make sure the contractor has been in business for at least ten years. This demonstrates in a very real way that the contractor is on the up and up.
2) Ask for, and check out references in your area. Previous customers will usually be very glad to tell you their experience with a contractor.
3) Insist that a contractor furnishes you with a Certificate of Insurance proving that they are covered by general liability and Worker's Compensation Insurance. The Certificate must be mailed to you by the contractor's insurance carrier because it is just too easy for a clever contractor to phoney up a copy.
4) Make sure that any warranty on workmanship is in writing. They will usually provide a separate manufacturer's warranty on materials.
5) Make sure that all of the details of the job are spelled out in writing in the contract.
6) Do not give a contractor more than a 10% downpayment when you sign the contract. Contractors who ask for more money "so they can buy materials" should send up an alarm that you shouldn't ignore. You can bet that a contractor who demands a large downpayment has no working capital and will soon be out of business. Do not pay the contractor the balance owed until the entire job is done to your satisfaction. Once they are paid in full, you lose all leverage in getting them back to finish up the job.
Keep in mind that this is a highly competitive business and a contractor who charges very high prices will not be in business very long. The prices from legitimate contractors will usually be very close if they are all bidding on exactly the same work.
I hope this information helps you make your decision.
Good luck with your roofing project.
By adam0149 on May 31, 2010
Yes. Go to http://www.cslb.ca.gov/
By cbmtrx on May 31, 2010
i would not hire this contractor, could end up costing you more money in the long run
By Edita S. on May 31, 2010
Is this a trick question?
Or is it that you are just really bad at math?
By Independent_guy on Jun 1, 2010
I would say it seems high, but then I think everything is high and do it myself. In Ontario, a properly aligned roof would get a lot more sun on the south side and probably a lot more wind and cold on the north side and so it might be reasonable to only replace half. I am assuming that by half you mean one side from the peak down, not the lower half or upper half all the way around. Get some other bids and see. I would expect that half a roof would cost somewhat more than half the cost of the whole roof – no matter how much you take down and put up, you still have to bring trucks and equipment out and get set up and haul away.
By Chugga on Jun 1, 2010
By PrachiDesai36 on Jun 2, 2010
I found that asking my neighbors and friends who had roofing done to be the most reliable way!
Make sure they are insured. Small, one or two man companies often have the lowest prices but also are risky. Some of those might be excellent, but many don't know what they're doing because they do lots of things not just roofing, and they don't have as much equipment.
My next door neighbor liked his company, but he recommended not paying the entire amount up front. You can often get a deal by doing so, but he said you don't know for sure what you're getting until you've had a good rain. Even good companies occassionally need to fix their work. There was one spot they needed to fix and because he paid everything up front, the company was not in a hurry to come and fix that part.
I have also found that i can get great advice on which people to use for anything – roofing, plumbing, electrical, etc. – that the people at my local hardware store know who's really good and who isn't because they hear it all from their customers. But then, i'm in a small town and it's an independent hardware store. The people at the church also knew who was good and who wasn't because they had four buildings and had used lots of local contractors until they found ones that were great and they'd go back to them again and again, so you might try asking your church secretary for a recommendation, too.
By LGC Roofing on Sep 2, 2010
“Great”, “Cheap”, “Fast” – you can only get two. Negotiating will also only get you so far.
Best bet is to get a clear idea of what you want prior to requesting estimates (from few reputable area roofers). This way they will be easier to compare later. Then request estimates that will contain the following:
* Building material costs (roofing material, fasteners, flashing)
* Labor costs, broken down by man hours or listed as a project bid
* Additional expenses, such as sheathing repairs, tear-out of old shingles, etc.
Your roofing estimate should discuss
workmanship guarantees, material guarantees and cleanup expectations.
Additionally, reputable roofing companies should supply general liability insurance while on the job, and should provide all employees and site managers with worker’s compensation coverage.
By DAVID on Jan 19, 2011
please help me with some contact contractor who can sellto me the rofing matterials and to fit them.