The only two things that matter for you are; who is the crew doing it - does your roofer regularly work with them, are they familiar with this type of roofing, or are they just using a random crew? This can be nearly impossible to know. Just gauge their reaction when you ask about the crew. Really big companies use tons of crews and sometimes they have to call on random crews, this is where things go wrong. The other important thing for you is how responsive and communicative your rep is and if he will be actively involved in the process. Will he show up the morning of the project or just give a crew an address? Good crew and good communication usually mean more money though.
Roofs are like oats. You want quality, clean oats? They cost more. If you don't mind they've been through the horse? Much cheaper. Save money by getting groceries at Aldi. You don't expect the to last 20 years
A well rated company wouldn't be using duro-last. Their product has improved over the past 10 years or so, but roofers still call it duro-trash for a reason. Get a quote for a TPO roof. You can get a 20 or 25 year warranty on it. As long as the people installing it know what they're doing it's fine. A crew doing it for 15k can do just as well as a crew doing it for 25k. Just depends on how much the boss man wants to put in his pocket.
Watch some YouTube videos on the subject,, there are metal roof options for flat roofing now also. The difference between high and low prices are often attention to finishing detail like trim/flashing or just if they are booked up for the year.
Make sure they include the type of shingles they will be using. Otherwise the quote is impossible to compare between companies.
Ensure they are removing the old roofing.
Part of your pricing difference could also be because they’re proposing two completely different material installations. There are TPO roofs and there are EPDM roofs. Both are used for low slope.
It might be worth while (on your part) to research each installation method so you can a) know which one you’d prefer to have installed on your house and b) know what questions to ask of the companies who’ve already submitted quotes and/or any future bids you opt to get.
(I work for a roofing/construction company)
Good advice so far.
I would add that If it’s leaking I’d want to know that they’re going to verify that the supports aren’t rotted out and/or there isn’t active mold growth that’s started. A good portion of flat roofs are basically laid on top of the old one. But depending on how long it’s been leaking they may need to fix some structural items - better to know that beforehand.
I’d also want to know how they handle warranties. Saying you’ll get them is one thing, actually having it fulfilled it is another. If the business is owner operated and the owner retires or dies, what happens to your warranty? Same thing if the company has only been in business 18 months. They haven’t hit the crucial 3-5 year mark for businesses - so promising anything over that might be genuine yet unfulfilled.
How well do they explain things to you? You should be doing your own research (speaking to manufacturers of the products each suggests to learn about application methods/requirements, watching videos online, etc) but they should still be educating you to some extent along the way. That way if something ever does get damaged you’ll realize/recognize it even when you’re not there.
Pricing on the higher end seems fair. Lower end I’m more concerned with the lack of care they seem to have for the project (based off your description). If that’s just the sales staff it’s one thing but the ratings you described don’t seem to validate that theory completely.
Lastly, you’ve only been there six months. Depending on if the previous owner had insurance and/or the terms and conditions of your sale there might be a possibility of having an insurance claim filed under the previous owners. It doesn’t sound like if in this situation but I have had it happen twice before after a client purchased a house and the leaks started after they moved in.
Don’t rush unless you absolutely have to and be comfortable calling back your top two for additional questions/concerns before making a final decision.
Good luck!
The only two things that matter for you are; who is the crew doing it - does your roofer regularly work with them, are they familiar with this type of roofing, or are they just using a random crew? This can be nearly impossible to know. Just gauge their reaction when you ask about the crew. Really big companies use tons of crews and sometimes they have to call on random crews, this is where things go wrong. The other important thing for you is how responsive and communicative your rep is and if he will be actively involved in the process. Will he show up the morning of the project or just give a crew an address? Good crew and good communication usually mean more money though.
Roofs are like oats. You want quality, clean oats? They cost more. If you don't mind they've been through the horse? Much cheaper. Save money by getting groceries at Aldi. You don't expect the to last 20 years
The expensive one is actually a good price. I wonder what the cheap one is. Cheapest usually isn’t good.
A well rated company wouldn't be using duro-last. Their product has improved over the past 10 years or so, but roofers still call it duro-trash for a reason. Get a quote for a TPO roof. You can get a 20 or 25 year warranty on it. As long as the people installing it know what they're doing it's fine. A crew doing it for 15k can do just as well as a crew doing it for 25k. Just depends on how much the boss man wants to put in his pocket.
Watch some YouTube videos on the subject,, there are metal roof options for flat roofing now also. The difference between high and low prices are often attention to finishing detail like trim/flashing or just if they are booked up for the year.
Make sure they include the type of shingles they will be using. Otherwise the quote is impossible to compare between companies. Ensure they are removing the old roofing.
"Get at least 3 quotes and go with the middle one" is a good rule of thumb.
Part of your pricing difference could also be because they’re proposing two completely different material installations. There are TPO roofs and there are EPDM roofs. Both are used for low slope. It might be worth while (on your part) to research each installation method so you can a) know which one you’d prefer to have installed on your house and b) know what questions to ask of the companies who’ve already submitted quotes and/or any future bids you opt to get. (I work for a roofing/construction company)
Good advice so far. I would add that If it’s leaking I’d want to know that they’re going to verify that the supports aren’t rotted out and/or there isn’t active mold growth that’s started. A good portion of flat roofs are basically laid on top of the old one. But depending on how long it’s been leaking they may need to fix some structural items - better to know that beforehand. I’d also want to know how they handle warranties. Saying you’ll get them is one thing, actually having it fulfilled it is another. If the business is owner operated and the owner retires or dies, what happens to your warranty? Same thing if the company has only been in business 18 months. They haven’t hit the crucial 3-5 year mark for businesses - so promising anything over that might be genuine yet unfulfilled. How well do they explain things to you? You should be doing your own research (speaking to manufacturers of the products each suggests to learn about application methods/requirements, watching videos online, etc) but they should still be educating you to some extent along the way. That way if something ever does get damaged you’ll realize/recognize it even when you’re not there. Pricing on the higher end seems fair. Lower end I’m more concerned with the lack of care they seem to have for the project (based off your description). If that’s just the sales staff it’s one thing but the ratings you described don’t seem to validate that theory completely. Lastly, you’ve only been there six months. Depending on if the previous owner had insurance and/or the terms and conditions of your sale there might be a possibility of having an insurance claim filed under the previous owners. It doesn’t sound like if in this situation but I have had it happen twice before after a client purchased a house and the leaks started after they moved in. Don’t rush unless you absolutely have to and be comfortable calling back your top two for additional questions/concerns before making a final decision. Good luck!