As a roofing contractor, you’ll often be asked a variety of questions by your customers pertaining to what roof is right for them. You’ll want to guide them in the right direction of what roofing system is best for them, while also letting them know of the estimated costs and projected completion time. In order to best guide homeowners toward the best choice, you’ll want to go over a checklist of what aspects are most important to them.
Follow along for the best tips on how to provide service like no other roofing company and guide your customers towards the perfect roof for their property.
Evaluate the house structure.
When you arrive at your customer’s home, you’ll want to begin with a thorough evaluation. Take into account the age of the home, roofing materials, damaged areas, and the general state of the roof. Depending on the current state of damage or age of the roof, see if the homeowner would be interested in a full replacement. After your evaluation of the roof, you’ll be able to analyze if you and your crew possess the essential shingle roofing tools to take care of this residential job. Discuss with the homeowner everything you’ve found throughout your evaluation and ask what they’re hoping to spend, if they plan on keeping their current shingle style, or if they’re interested in a different roofing system. Once you know how much muscle will be needed for the job and have spoken with your customer, begin to develop various types of roofing shingles to propose to the homeowner that will fit their needs, wants, and budget.
Throughout your evaluation, take into account the exterior of the home. Luckily, you can use equipment such as the Equipter RB4000 to avoid ruining your customer’s landscaping and sidewalks or making a mess of the lawn. Customers will be impressed to hear you have the right equipment that will ensure property protection while decreasing the mess that comes with repairing or replacing their roofs.
Review roofing options.
After an effective evaluation of the current roof, it’s time to present the list you came up with for the next selection of different roofing types. This can range from solar roofing tiles to metal roofing to asphalt shingles or even green roof solutions. Compare the benefits of the different styles of roofing with the homeowner that fit best with their environmental climate, preferences, and budget. Also, discuss how your options address their concerns or the faults in their current roofing system. Your customer might be interested in metal roofing if they live in a hotter climate, as the metal roof reflects solar heat, keeping their home cooler in hotter climates. There are several types of metal roofing–steel, tin, stone-coated steel, and copper roofing. Once the customer is ready for their next roof replacement, metal roofing is much easier to recycle.
In a mid-latitude climate, the homeowner may want the most popular and cost-efficient type of shingle, which is usually asphalt. Many asphalt shingles have the ability to last up to 30 years when in a medium climate, so this type of roofing system may be the best fit if the homeowner is looking for longevity in their next roof. If your customer is interested in eco-friendly options, there are plenty to choose from nowadays, ranging from metal roofs to solar roofs to green roofs. Once the homeowner has chosen the type of roof they feel is best, go over some possible roof style and design options that are specialized to that specific type of roof. Share your knowledge, insight, and expertise with the client to help continue building credibility and provide guidance on what’s best for their budget and their home’s energy usage.
Create and present a roofing proposal.
If you’re working with a new homeowner who is unfamiliar with the upkeep and maintenance of their roof, it’s helpful to break down the costs they’ll face throughout the roof replacement process. In order to best accommodate your customer, be as accurate as possible with the estimate. After they choose their preferred roofing material, it’s critical to discuss the durability of the tile, pricing, and potential return on investment. Review your price of labor, any material costs (including material delivery fees), and the projected timeline for the roof replacement with the homeowner. Share with them which equipment you’ll be using so they know what to expect, especially equipment that leaves minimal imprints on their yard compared to damage commonly caused by heavy equipment like stationary dumpsters and dump trucks. For example, the Equipter RB2000 is an even lighter-weight option than the RB4000 and is the perfect portable dumpster that can fit in narrow alleyways and chain link fence gates. Once the homeowner is aware of the projected prices between different options, they'll be better prepared to choose the right roof for their home.
Giving your customer some financial advice regarding the proposed cost is a great way to make your roofing company stand out amongst others and provide top-tier customer service. One way to build trust and get the most out of your relationship with a potential customer is to offer reliable financing options for their new roof.
Discuss financing options.
If they haven’t been able to budget ahead of time or if the roof replacement is more of an emergency project, discuss what other financial options are available. A home equity loan (HEL) is great for a roof replacement project, as it allows a customer to leverage their home’s equity and receive a lump sum of cash all at once. Their HEL is tax deductible when used on a home improvement project, so it may be beneficial to go this route. In comparison, credit cards or personal loans are other reliable options for homeowners as they try and navigate residential construction projects. Although these options may have higher interest rates, there are other positive attributes for each.
Give the homeowner a few options that other customers have found successful and encourage them to speak with a financial advisor if they’re unsure what the right move is for them.
Helping a homeowner find the right roof for them is a crucial part of providing the best customer service possible. Make sure your team is prepared to create relationships with customers that will lead to the success of future projects. Be prepared when taking on more projects after the positive reviews come in.
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