HOW TO GIVE YOUR CUSTOMERS AN ACCURATE PRICE
When you have a potential roofing project come up, there are two main factors to consider in quoting the price: 1) Can you solve the customer’s problem at a price they can afford, and 2) Can the project be profitable for you? The problem with this is two-fold: 1) The best price for the customer is the lowest, and 2) The most profitable price for you is the highest. Obviously, you have to meet somewhere in the middle to make projects viable for you and the customer. The difficulty is that there are a million variables when estimating a roof coating restoration project. With these two (often conflicting) price factors in mind, How can you get close-to-reality estimates in a reasonable amount of time? The key is information.
What Does the Customer Need?
The very first step is to ask and determine what the customer actually needs. Often they know and can tell you, often they don’t. By asking what they want to get out of the roof, such as how long they want it to last, what type of warranty they need, etc., you can help them determine which roofing system they need. They may come to you looking for one system, but you can help them determine they may need something completely different. The key here is that you don’t quote a system just because you want to sell it. Or that you don’t quote something just because the customer requested it. You may be able to tell through conversations with the customer that something else might work better.
Get Basic Roof Info
The next thing you have to do before preparing an estimate is to get basic roof info. What is the substrate and square footage? Are there parapet walls? Protrusions? AC units? Grease vents? Different roof levels? Roof access? Getting all of this basic info is an obvious first step, but it’s often forgotten or skipped in part. If you leave out just one or two questions and miss out on crucial info, it could change your quote drastically. If you can’t visit the roof, you can take rough measurements and get an idea of the layout of the roof using several different online tools. We don’t endorse or provide any specific tools, but they are out there and can be a major benefit.
Walk the Roof or Get Photos
After you have the basic info, you want to see the roof for yourself. If you are close and can actually walk the roof, that is ideal. Nothing beats an in-person inspection. If that is impractical, then getting photos of the roof from the owner, an online maps service, or a past inspection is the next best thing. It’s really important to see the building in some function before you can put out an accurate number.
The first three steps are all gathering information and preparing for the estimation. Next, you need to do a few things while preparing the estimate.
Pull from Past Experience
If you’ve done similar roofs, pull out the paperwork, ask the crew who performed the work, or look at photos to refresh your memory. Pulling from that past experience is a great way to ensure that any issues that arise aren’t complete surprises. The ability to remember the challenges you faced, best practices or pitfalls you encountered, and special considerations you had to make, can help make your estimate much more accurate.
Expect the Unexpected
You should always build some leeway into your estimates. You might think the insulation is dry, but you might find a few thousand square feet that are wet and require tear-off. You might think the flashings are all in good condition until you realize that the ones you inspected happened to be better than the rest. Building in some tolerance to your estimate is a safe way to make sure your final actual price doesn’t increase, but could in fact decrease.
Talk to Your Material Supplier
If you can’t get photos or aren’t sure what your customer needs, or don’t have past experience, consult someone who might: Your material supplier. As a manufacturer of silicone, we want to be a resource to our customers. We want to help you determine the best way to approach a roof. If your supplier isn’t willing to help you out on your projects, it might be time to look for a new one. A good supplier who supports you can be invaluable for your business.
Conclusion
Preparing estimates is no easy task. Luckily, silicone roof coating restoration estimates tend to be far simpler than other systems, but they still have their intricacies. If you would like more info on how to prepare estimates for your customers, contact us today. Conversely, if you’re a building owner seeking an estimate, we can help pair you up with great contractors.
