Response from Sherriff-Goslin Co
The homeowner contacted us while we were installing new insulation/decking/shingles on the Temple B’Nai Israel Church, which is close enough to his house that you could hear the air compressor running in the distance. We had done a few jobs for his neighbors, and he saw our guys working on the roof. He wanted to know what it would cost for a “professional roofer” to replace the shingles on his house. The homeowner worked with Pat, one of our most experienced guys with over 20 years with Sherriff-Goslin. The job was fairly easy; one story, walkable roof with one layer of shingles that we recommended removing. The homeowner didn’t ask a whole lot of questions, and said he “don’t care” what kind of shingles we put on. “Don’t care?” Exqueeze me? Well we DO care. We care more about your roofing shingles than you care about your cat…and you people LOVE cats. The internet was built on a foundation of hilarious cat photos. But I digress… Pat finally asked the homeowner what it was he was REALLY looking for, and he said “the best price.” Pat asked him to clarify. The “best” price, or the “lowest” price? Because there’s a huge difference. The lowest price is what it is – it’s going to include cheap shingles, a lack of proper safety protocol, and shoddy workmanship. The best price? Well, that’s relative. “Relative to what?” I hear you asking from behind your keyboard. Excellent question, smarty pants! The price is relative to what you’re looking for in hiring the right roofing contractor. Experience? Check. Quality material? Check. Non-subcontracted labor? Workmanship guarantee? Licensed? Insured? Check, check, check, check. In this particular case, the homeowner also got a price from a friend of his who “does roofing on the side.” For all you gearheads, it’s like having your neighbor rebuild your car’s engine. He can probably wing it (I'll just Google it!), buuuuuut…..maybe the professionals ought to take this one. Don’t get us wrong; we can appreciate the DIY homeowner, but there are several things you don’t get when you have Cousin Eddie roof your home, namely a workmanship guarantee, a legitimate warranty from the manufacturer, and peace of mind that the job was done the right way the first time. Plus, we’ve found that Cousin Eddie is very hard to get ahold of when it’s raining. For all your quality roofing needs, please contact us at sherriff-goslin.com!