Get All Details Up Front for Your Next Labor Contract

By Labor Central. 

If you manage a roofing crew, be sure to communicate and understand the full scope of the work your crew will perform. 

The roofing market is flourishing. Weather trends are becoming more unpredictable, and home purchases are in high demand. If a contractor reaches out to your crew, try to find out what you’ll be responsible for in as much detail as possible. Resist asking only about payment.  

Contractors are looking for the most information they can get when hiring a crew. Communication is key here. Not asking the right questions can lead to your contractor turning to someone else. Thus, described here is advice for maximizing trust between you and your contracting company. 

Here are responses I believe would help you make decisions with your contractor   

• How many squares?  

• How long do you expect to complete the job? 

• What's the material? 

• What's the pitch? - if residential. 

• How many penetrations, curbs or HVAC units etc.?  

• Do I need my own tools? 

• What insurance do I need? 

• What insurance does the contractor have? 

• Is there a contract we can sign to keep us on track? 

• How do we document or track job details or changes? 

Not to mention many more... 

We know roofing is hard.  

It is even harder to bid some roofs and try to provide that reasonable yet profitable bid to complete the work because price seems to drive everything. As we all are trying to succeed and get the work we need to sustain growth, a paycheck and the fee that promotes value and quality – not just bottom dollar – is essential. The race to the bottom price is a dangerous and slippery slope. There is no value in being the cheapest. Contractors or crews who don't understand the difference between value and price will likely not be in business next year!   

"You buy cheaply - you'll pay dearly."  

Ensuring you can provide a fair price depends on the information you get regarding the roof you are about to bid on. Learn how to bid with profit by day... not a percentage. (You can learn more at #IBroof Savage Estimating, a class taught by Jason Stanley, the CEO with 40+ years in the roofing industry as a roofer and a manufacturer.) 

Be professional. Be prepared. 

As many seasoned roofers like to think, "It's just numbers - I know what works by some formula I have used and it's fine!" 

By having the details, knowing the layers of complexity – and then a strong understanding of materials, labor, overhead and profit – you can provide a bid that you and the contractor agree upon for a successful project and future work. 

Provide bids in a document. Provide details in a document so that both parties can review as well as revise if the details don't match when you finally uncover the roof. 

We’ll dive into the details of how bids should be provided and break them down in our next article.  

Learn more about Labor Central in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directory or visit laborcentral.com. 

Original article source: Labor Central