With the holiday season now upon us, money has a way of disappearing quicker than any other time of the year. We at Professional Roofers know that the cost of hiring a roofing contractor in Toronto can be daunting for any homeowner, particularly at this time of year, which is why we decided the next blog in our series on “choosing the right roofing contractor” would be about the importance of receiving several quotes or bids for the work you need completed. However, when you receive a roofing quote, it is not simply as cut and dry as opting for the cheapest contractor out there. A bid that is initially the cheapest might actually end up costing you the most in the long run if you don’t know what you are looking for. There are a lot of factors you need to consider in order to accurately and appropriately compare bids, and we’ve created this blog to help you sift through your options and hopefully allow you to make an informed decision on the company you inevitably choose to hire.
First and foremost, you need to determine what work you need done. If your shingled roof needs repairs, but you are unsure of what needs to be performed, please feel free to give us at Professional Roofers a call and we can provide you with a free consultation on your roof and the work we estimate needs to be completed. However, if you already know what you need or want for your roof, such as a shingle replacement or the addition of a vent, and you simply want to gather several quotes quickly and efficiently, then you should create a set of clear and detailed plans to provide roofing contractors with. This way, any bids you receive should be relatively comparable with one another.
Your plans could include: photos of the affected area, drawings or diagrams, measurements, a description of the work you need completed, construction details, and information about the materials or products you want used. The more specific you are, the more comparable your bids will be. If, for instance, you need your roof to be re-shingled and you already know exactly which brand of shingles you want to use right down to the product number and colour, then you will be able to judge your contractors on a more equal basis. If you are open to a variety of products, then bids may differ based on the quality of material used. For instance, we only use high quality materials at Professional Roofers. For the quality of product we provide, our prices are much more affordable than some of our competitors; however, when pinned against a shoddy roofing material that has a much shorter lifespan, our products might seem expensive.
In addition to materials and work, when looking at bids you should also look into quality of work provided for the price: read reviews online; look into a company’s BBB record; check their references; what warranties they offer; what limitations their bid may come with; and factor in any additional services they may provide free of charge. We at Professional Roofers offer 24/7 emergency services so that we are always there for you when you most need it. Are the other companies as accessible?
Once you have gathered as many bids as you deem appropriate, carefully review them ensuring they adhere to your specified needs. Compare costs, payment terms, work schedules, interview responses, customer references, and any other information you have gathered until you feel as though you know which roofer will provide you with the best value, not necessarily the lowest cost.