I occasionally get questioned about the cost of a job; mostly for jobs that don’t take very long. I thought I would write this article to give prospective clients an idea of what goes into an estimate. Keep in mind that an estimate is just that and it is not possible to see hidden problems when estimating a re-roof job.
That being said, because our estimates are very detailed and plain languaged. If we estimate a specific amount to replace your fascia boards for example, that is the amount you will see on your bill. Be aware of the additional cost if you add items to our estimate after the fact. For example, If you decide to add skylight replacement to your project that was not included in an estimate, there will be an extra charge for that job.
Beware of any ‘roof estimators’ who do not climb onto your roof. I will flat out tell you no one can estimate a job without climbing onto your roof.
THE OBVIOUS
Most people immediately think about the labour and material part of an estimate because they are the obvious ones. Others give it a little more thought and come up with fuel costs, dump fees, delivery fees and expendable tools. Few people give thought to the wages for planning, paperwork and overseeing the job.
THE LESS OBVIOUS
I am sure all of you are aware, estimates are free, as evidenced by the number of business with the words “free estimates” emboldened in large print across their signage. While estimates are free, companies do incur costs for these estimates and it is likely a lot more than most of you imagine. An estimator must be paid, and he/she is paid from the time the vehicle leaves until it returns. It is not uncommon for an estimate to take over two hours for a round trip for a single family residence, despite being relatively close to the business. A large multi-family unit with a complex structure may take several days to accurately estimate.
OVERHEAD
Like all business roofing companies have overhead, and besides recouping the cost of “free estimates” overhead is likely a great deal more than most homeowners appreciate. Overhead would include things such as liability insurance, WorkSafe BC costs, fuel costs, vehicle depreciation, vehicle insurance, vehicle maintenance, admin staff and supplies. It also includes advertising and utilities, business licenses, wages and payroll taxes. The vast majority of these costs can be reasonably and accurately spread over the business fiscal year, with a portion of the overhead included in every estimate.
THINGS TO REMEMBER
I hope this gives you some insight in the types of things that go into an estimate, and I will highlight some of the more important things for you to keep in mind. First an estimate is just that, not all damage can be seen in an inspection. No one should estimate your roof job from the ground. Read your estimate carefully to ensure it reflects what you want done. Be aware that items you add after an estimate is completed will add cost. Lastly, we at Kanga Roofing strive to make our estimates as transparent as possible. We will discuss any additional work costs with customers before we begin; if anything isn’t clear please ask.
Contact Kanga Roofing today for your quick, comprehensive free estimate.
Image courtesy of pointnshoot via Flickr – Creative Commons License