We all appreciate a good deal and some of us will go to the end of the earth trying to find that once in a lifetime purchase. Now it is a totally different topic wondering how much time spent is to much time and what your time is actually worth. However, when making any big purchase you need to steer far away from this instinctual behavior. It may be the easiest way to differentiate different quotes but trust me here it is not a good way to decide who you are going to use to complete the project. The best way to explain this is with a simple analogy. Most of us love a good meal and we will use surf and turf here since it is an American favorite. You cant make up where to have your birthday dinner party and are shopping around at several different restaurants to pick the best one. Low and behold you find a place where you can buy your favorite meal for only $6.99. What a deal! Would you feel comfortable having your family and friends dine at a place like this when everyone else was priced at $20+ per plate?

Use the same logic outlined above when purchasing a new roof or similar project. When buying a new house or used card we have all been conditioned to follow this train of thought, it is time to apply it to the construction industry as well. If an estimate comes in way lower then the rest it is usually for one of a several reasons. First, they may be using inferior materials or cutting corners wherever possible. If you plan on keeping your property for any length of time the short term savings may not be worth the long term potential for major issues. Something as common as a little roof leak can cause wood rotting, structural issues, and mold growth all of which can be huge expenses to fix. Secondly, you may be dealing with amateurs that either don’t have much experience bidding jobs or are so desperate for work they will do anything. In this instance you are likely to be used for a training ground so that these newbies can hone their craft and pray for a good outcome. That or they may need to use the money from your down payment to purchase materials for another project they are building. It is typically a bad sign when they ask for a large amount of money up front and wont tell you when they will be able to start the work. Lastly, it is a common trick of the trade to throw out a low ball estimate to win the job and then try to up charge once firmly into the demolition. Roofing contractors often figure it is a lot easier to negotiate for more money from the customers when their roof is laying in the front yard.

You want to make sure to focus on important aspects that often get overlooked. One of such things are company reviews. Do they have a good rating at the BBB? Are they listed on a site such as Angie’s List and do people have good things to say about them? Can they provide any personal references of local customers that are satisfied with the work completed? Some times it makes sense to pay a little bit more for work that you know is going to be done quickly and professionally. Make sure that the person you are going to hire is fully licensed and insured. Check the states website, such as this one for the state of Michigan, to make sure they do not have any outstanding violations. Most cities now require the contractor to provide all of this information before pulling a permit to protect the consumer so absolutely never agree to do this yourself for anyone. If they cant pull a permit themselves there is a reason for it and it isn’t good! Many contractors can no longer afford insurance as it is quite expensive and instead carry fake policies. Before signing a contract ask for a copy of their insurance policy and call the provider yourself to ensure it isn’t fraudulent. All it takes is one accident to occur on your property for you to lose everything to some low life that lied to you. It is not worth the risk and many people out there are just waiting to prey on unsuspecting victims in this manner.