Today I would like to address one of the most common questions we get from customers: How long will this take?
This is a question that applies to several aspects of the roofing process: How long will it take a salesman to come out and give me an estimate? How long will it take to get me on the schedule? How long will it take the laborers to complete the work? How long will this delay add to that time? How long until I am finished with the hassle of this major change to my home?
Perhaps you have encountered this issue. Perhaps not. I would like to explain some of the common issues that exist when scheduling and completing a roofing project.
How long will it take a salesman to come out and give me an estimate?
While we strive to schedule our estimates as soon as possible, there is usually at least one day between when we receive the call and when someone is available to go out and inspect the home for an estimate. Often we end up scheduling estimates later in the week due to homeowner preference. This means that the day you call may already be booked up with customers who called earlier in the week. The short answer is, we don’t know until you are scheduled. However, we will strive to ensure your project estimate is delivered in a timely manner and that it is accurate.
How long will it take to get my project on the schedule?
This is completely dependent on the current projects scheduled and the current weather forecast. (See the next question for more detail on these points.) Most of the time a salesman cannot give you a start date at the time they deliver your estimate. This is because we want to give you a single date, rather than a range of days when it “might” happen. On repairs, we strive to narrow it down to the smallest window possible to ensure you don’t wait on us very long.
How long will it take the laborers to finish my project/How long will a weather delay affect my project?
This question is a little more complex, so I would like to break it out a little:
First
Understand that roofing is a weather-related project – it is unwise to attempt even a small repair when there is more than a 30% chance of rain. Even if it is sunny right now. It is our policy to halt any roofing work that will expose the decking or underlayment to additional water when the chance of rain is 30% or higher.
If the decking or underlayment is already exposed we often do a cost/benefit analysis of securing a temporary water barrier over the roof (tarping) versus completing the job (we hope) before any rain or moisture can penetrate the roof. We try to schedule jobs so that nothing falls on a day with rain in the forecast. This is all in an effort to protect your home from water damage.
It may seem counter-intuitive to know that a roofer will not fix your leak right before a big rain storm, but if they remove roof material to investigate the leak and find a larger issue, they may not be able to complete the repair before the storm hits – allowing an entire storm’s worth of water into your home! So, we like to go with a “better safe than sorry” policy when the water-tightness of your home is in our care. This protects you from water damage, while also eliminating a liability for our company.
Second
Even if there is no rain during the day or days your project is scheduled, if there was unexpected rain earlier in the week another job may have gotten pushed back. This may cause your project to become delayed. In this case, we do our best to notify you of the delay as soon as we are aware of the issue. Projects are rescheduled according to homeowners’ needs and wishes as much as possible. Again, we strive to complete your project in a timely manner!
Third
Sometimes events beyond our control can delay a project. If a supplier’s truck breaks down on the way to your project, or a laborer is injured on a project just before yours, a delay is likely and unavoidable. We do everything we can to ensure that your job will be on time and meet the highest standards. Whether it is an issue with supplies or labor, some things cannot be controlled. In these instances, we do our best to keep you informed of the situation and ensure that we move forward with your project as quickly as possible.
We know that you have entrusted us with a huge part of your home, and we want to make sure we provide the highest quality roof and service available. Because of this, we are able to provide one of the best warranties in the industry, while providing the peace of mind you need to move forward with your everyday life. We know that our work may disrupt your days for a short time, but you can rest assured that we do everything we do to ensure the safety and water-tightness of your home and give you peace of mind.
I hope that this blog post has provided you with helpful information regarding the scheduling and completion of roofing projects by roofing professionals. If you are in the Bryan, College Station, Dallas, Fort Worth, or Houston areas, please check out our other blogs for more information on roofing and related projects.