Now that I’ve spent the last three months diving into the world of contractors, roofers and otherwise, I’ve realized the old saying is painfully true: “Fast, Cheap, Good- pick two.”
Cheap can be fast, but isn’t good. This is because you have to cut corners somewhere. The dangerous thing is if you cut out what is required by code. For instance, Brian recently saw an investor purchase a long-abandoned house on his street get the roof replaced. They didn’t use ice and water barrier, which means future leaks will happen at the next big storm event. The other side of cheap is after the roof is built. If there is a problem, they will not be around to rectify the situation. Cheap labor usually isn’t competent, but it definitely isn’t long-lasting if you’re trying to build a business that matters to the community.
Fast can be good, but it usually isn’t cheap. If I’m a roofer that moves fast, that means I have a lot of people working the job. Sometimes, like in The Woodlands, there are beautifully complicated roofs that require two or three full work crews to get it done quickly. Cheap contractors usually work slowly because they don’t price their work high enough to afford more teams of skilled workers. If fast work is cheap, it is usually because they are skipping steps to get it done. Not laying out tarps or Catch-All nets means nails will be in your yard, waiting for your pet’s paws or kid’s foot. Using the wrong nails or nail heads can mean little leaks into your attic from day one.
Good can be fast, but it ain’t cheap. Good work requires skilled workers. Rare is the handyman who can scale a roof for the first time and know that, when working in valleys, you need to dog-ear the shingles along the angled edge so water can flow smoothly off the roof. Rare is the salesperson who knows what to look for in an attic under the roof on his or her first day. Cheap usually means “unskilled” or “new”. Good work usually means experienced workers. They cost more because they have earned it through demonstrated workmanship.
Everyone thinks they can find that one contractor who will be good, cheap, and fast. Maybe these unicorns exist, but such wishful thinking will only get you taken advantage of by unscrupulous folks. They overpromise and underdeliver because they know every homeowner is looking for that unicorn. But you’re the one stuck with cheap work, cheap materials, cut corners, and no follow-up.
There is a Texas-based roofing company whose ads on Facebook I see almost every day declaring that roofing companies are ripping people off with high prices, and they are good people because they charge around half the norm. My guess is this company will not be around in 5 years. So what’s the worth of a 5-year warranty from a company that fails in 2 years?
Nothing.
Our prices are based on materials, labor (including liability and worker’s comp. insurance), sales, and overhead. We pay our people right and on time. We pay for trucks, gas, Catch-All netting systems for your house, plants, pets, and swimming pool, etc. And we run lean as an organization. Our office furniture was brought from our homes. There are no cushy luxuries bought with company cash.
This is because we want to build something worth lasting.