Should I Hire a General Contractor to Perform a Roofing Job?
by Dymon Brady
As we have journeyed through a recession, many business tactics and standards have changed. Consumers are often interested in quantity over quality, choosing less expensive products in order to save money. Unfortunately, our desire to be efficient and economical can often backfire, as we end up spending more in the long run replacing our cheap products. This logic applies to roofing as well. Homeowners may opt for a contractor offering a lower bid, despite the knowledge that the company is not as experienced or qualified. They may end up spending much more in expensive repairs.An ongoing roofing dispute illustrates this concept first hand. A church in Illinois hired an inexperienced roofing contractor to add to the roof, allowing water to drain away from the door and stairs. The roofing company made the repairs necessary, charging more than they had initially bid. The building owner was very disappointed with the job itself. The roof does not have a proper drainage system, and allows water to fall from the roof in sheets, defeating the purpose of the original repair. Another company has estimated that there are about $10,400 of additional repairs needed after this project was completed.Recently, I was able to observe a similar experience. A man called and asked for a bid. We gave him a bid and talked to him extensively, throughout consecutive visits, about his options. He decided to go with a cheaper bid. We felt like he was possibly using our knowledge to get to the bottom of what he wanted and needed, then asked another, less experienced company to do the same thing we had specified for him.Because I'd never heard of this company before, I did some research and found out the background of this company that beat us out of a bid. The company has been around since 1985. But here's the catch. They aren't a roofing company. They are a General Contractor who ran out of home building opportunities, and as a result, has turned to roofing. This is a very common thing these days because the housing market is so dry still.The general contractors often win subcontracting bids like the one we submitted. This is because they have workers compensation rates based on general construction, not roofing. These rates are much, much lower than the rates that face roofing contractors. Their Liability insurance isn't geared toward roofing either, but is usually based on subcontractors having coverage for the project which lessens their rate significantly on this insurance as well. Their overhead is just cheaper, so they can present very competitive roofing prices. However, roofing is an art, and homes that may contain valleys or eves may be a challenge to one who has only a general base of roofing experience, and no knowledge of the specific details involved.The homeowner that hired this company started looking at the work as it was performed on their home and didn't feel it was up to industry standards. He called me and asked me to come inspect the roof after this company was done and before payment was made. This puts us in a difficult position because any critique we give as "the competition" could be construed as self-serving.After looking at photos and realizing that there were, in fact, some issues, I suggested that he talk with a roofing consultant. There were a lot of details done wrong on this roof and it would have been a huge expense for this homeowner in years to come. The consultant detailed some repairs to be done to the roof which included removing over half of the shingles installed and replacing them after correcting ice shield underlayment issues. Also involved in the repairs are new flashings on side walls. There were many more items discussed.Our original bid was about $3000 less than the cost to perform the repairs as outlined by the roof consultant. This is unfortunate for the homeowner, as well as the previous contractor who still has not gotten paid for the project, and likely will not see any payment from this project.There are a couple of things we can do to avoid situations like the one this man found himself in. First of all, keep in mind that anyone can write up a contract and detail what needs to be done on a reroof. But the roof will only be as good as the employees who install it, and the materials that are used. The other thing is, when asking how long someone has been in business, make sure you ask how long they've been installing roofs full time. Be careful because they can say they've been installing roofs for 20 years, but this might mean they installed a roof system 20 years ago, and have just dabbled here and there a little before trying to get into it full time within the last year. Make sure they have full coverage on liability insurance and the appropriate policy on workers comp to save you from legal battles in the future.Brady Roofing is among the most competitive roofing companies that meets all of these standards. We strive to provide, honest, high quality work for you and your home. To receive a free estimate, contact us today at 801-487-5151.Read through some of our past articles to find the best contractor for you:Roofing Horror Story #257How to Understand Your Roofing Contract: What to Look ForBe Safe When Choosing a Roofing Contractor