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Roofing, Greensburg,Pa: Roofing Contractor, Roof Estimates – Home – Remodeling

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Roofing Contractor, Signature Construction,Westmoreland County County, Pa (814)539-4617

Question: We have requested a number of proposals for our roof replacement project and have received a wide range of prices. Most companies appear to be using the same materials and quoting the same scope of work. Why is there so much variation in the price?

There are quite a few reasons why a homeowner will see price variations in the estimates they receive. As noted, most companies will bid the more popular brands of shingles in our market, most are removing the old shingles and hauling away the debris. All but the most price-driven companies are replacing typical roof flashings and installing proper underlayments to code. If the quality of a roof replacement was based on material selection alone, then selecting the lowest price bidder would be an easy choice for the homeowner.

With many commodity products such as automobiles, televisions, stereos and computer equipment, one simply determines the brand and model that suits their need and price-compares local stores and perhaps the Internet. The quality of the product is built-in at the factory and the local distributor has no impact on the reliability of that item.

With roof replacements however, quality of workmanship and service is the primary variable between companies and prices will vary most based on how a company approaches their business.

Most roofing contractors, in general, pay the same basic price for materials, landfill and other typical business needs. Where costs can vary are in the companys overhead structure, insurance coverage, company employees vs. sub-contract labor, company-owned vehicles vs. worker-provided vehicles and of course, the cost of labor to install a new roof.

First and foremost you should determine if the company operates as an established business with the required local business licenses, state contractors license, Workmans Compensation insurance and General Liability insurance coverage. Most reputable companies will provide copies of their licenses and insurance coverage in their proposal package.

A companys price may also be affected by how a company is structured. Large companies may have distinct divisions such as a roofing division, siding and/or window divisions. With that may come many levels of support personnel such as sales, production and accounting departments and a management structure to coordinate these facets of the company. Smaller companies are often owner-managed and in many cases, the owner has a direct relationship with the homeowner on each project. It is up to the homeowner to determine which structure provides the value-added service they desire for their roof replacement project.

Next, you should determine if the company operates as a full-service roof installation company or as sales-service organization. Full-service companies operate in a more traditional company structure and you will generally deal with company employees throughout the roofing process. Other companies may operate more as a sales organization, using a commissioned sales force for the proposal process and then sub-contracting the roof work to installation companies once the job is sold. Neither model is necessary right or wrong but as a homeowner you should know the difference when selecting a contractor and also verify your interests are protected should the work be sub-contracted.

Companies may sub-contract work to skilled trades where they do not have a large enough volume of business to warrant staffing in-house employees. For roofing contractors, this may be add-on services such as window replacements, siding replacement or gutter replacement. If properly managed by the company, this service provides the homeowner one-stop-shopping, a reliable single point of contact and may ensure an experienced craftsman is providing the service.

Where the homeowner must be aware is when a company chooses to sub-contract work in an effort to beat the system. In this situation, the homeowners interests may not be fully protected.

By IRS definition, a sub-contractor must be a legal business entity, with the same requirements of local business license, state contractors license and their own Workmans Compensation insurance and General Liability insurance coverage as the primary contractor. To ensure your interests are fully protected, ask if any of the work is to be sub-contracted and if so, you might request to see the license and insurance coverage documentation of the sub-contractor before work begins.

Please note: The primary contractors Workmans Compensation and General Liability policies will not cover injury to a non-employee or sub-contract worker. If an injury occurs to a worker on your property, who is not properly insured, you and your homeowners insurance policy may be accountable and liable.

Companies often choose to classify their employees improperly as sub-contractors in an effort to save money. By calling an employee a sub-contractor they may seek to avoid the expensive cost of carrying required insurances on the worker, to avoid incurring payroll-related expenses such as Federal and State Unemployment taxes, to avoid matching Social Security contributions and, in some cases, to keep undocumented workers off company records.

Employees may wish to be improperly classified as sub-contractors to avoid having Federal and State Income taxes withheld from their check, to avoid the employee-share contribution to the Social Security Program or they simply may not have the proper documentation for legal employment as required by the INS.

Again, a legitimate and documented sub-contract work force is a perfectly acceptable way of conducting business and should not be cause of concern to a homeowner, providing this relationship is understood by the homeowner.

There are a few questions you as a homeowner may ask to help determine if a company uses employees or a sub-contract work force. First is to simply ask if all workers on your property are employees of company. You may ask if these employees are paid by a paycheck documented by an IRS W2 form or as sub-contract labor documented by an IRS 1099 form. Also ask if the vehicles to be used on your project are company-owned or provide by the worker. Please note if the vehicle is provided by the worker, and the vehicle enters your property, you should have insurance documentation on that vehicle as well. Personal vehicles may be an indication of sub-contracted work. And, ask your sales representative if they know the names of the workers on each crew.

Labor cost is another area that has an impact on the proposal price. The roofing industry, in general, pays crews based on what is called a per-square labor rate. The more roofing squares a crew can replace in a day, the more money that crew will earn. As in every business, there is always the balance of paying a crew a high enough per-square rate to encourage quality work and yet control the costs to allow the company to remain competitive. Smart companies know that paying good wages to maintain dependable crews offsets the cost of returning to a roof for warranty concerns.

As in any business, the more skilled, educated and tenured employees earn higher wages. Established, reputable companies often have personnel that have worked with the company for many years. These companies often pay higher rates to their employees to reward them for the service they provide. These crews have proven their worth to the company by having a history of providing quality, leak-free roofs throughout the years.

Many shingle manufacturers are now offering company-led educational programs in roof application. These courses provide a broad overview of roof safety, workmanship, roof systems, roof deck requirements, flashings, ventilation and more specific coverage on the proper method of installing roofing products by that manufacturer. Many programs, such as the CertainTeed SELECT Shingle Roofer accreditation allow roofing contractors with properly credentialed roofing crews to offer extended and more inclusive warranties to their homeowners.

It is certainly prudent of the homeowner to ask which crew will be assigned to their project, how long that crew has worked with the company and if that crew has earned and maintained program credentials such as the CertainTeed Master Shingle Applicator and Quality Master qualifications.Signature Construction is the areas only Certainteed Master Shingle Roofing Contractor.

Established roofing companies may also offer vacation, holiday and health insurance benefits which will contribute to higher labor costs, but also promote loyalty and reduce turnover for the company. Those employed by roofing companies value the same traits in their employer as the homeowner does in their employer.

Companies that bid on low-price alone are often marginal companies that operate on the fringe of legitimacy and thus find themselves at odds with retaining stable, qualified crews. To offer low-price bidding and still earn a profit, these companies often offer labor rates that require crews to work fast, producing more squares per day but at the same time encourages crews to cut corners to save time. Low paid crews simply cannot afford to invest the time it takes to install a roof correctly and still earn a living wage. Unfortunately, many of the crews that accept work from low-price companies are either inexperienced crews new to the roofing industry or crews that were not able to consistently produce the level of quality required by more reputable companies.

Signature Construction, Cambria,Somerset and Westmoreland County’s premier roofing contractor, is fully insured, liability insurance, Pa state workers compensation insurance, state registered, and the only local company that is certified as a Master Shingle Crew Roofing Contractor. Visit http://www.signatureconstructionpro.com for more details.

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