The Dangers of a Cheap Roof Restoration

Let’s face it, we all like a bargain, right? Yet at the same time, we’ve all heard the saying “you get what you pay for”. Or how about “if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys”? There are some people out there offering cheap roof restorations who actually do a half-decent job. But not many. Roof restoration is an industry like any other – you get what you pay for. Whilst you certainly don’t want to pay too much, and you don’t need to pay outrageous prices to get a good job, going with a “cheapo” is also fraught with danger. Here’s why…

You see, there are three aspects to what makes up a good (and bad) roof restoration :

1. Workmanship – The difference between an experienced tradesperson who takes pride in their work and pays good attention to detail, and a tradesperson who doesn’t, is enormous in terms of the quality of the finished job. Many companies employ cheap labour to keep their costs down but is that what you really want? The best tradespeople charge top rates for one reason…they can.

2. Materials – The main materials used in a roof restoration are the coatings (paint). The difference between good quality materials and cheap ones is staggering. I’ve seen some roof coatings fade and break down within just a couple of years. While other materials…the highest quality ones…hold their colour and not fully break down for as long as twenty years! Wouldn’t you rather pay a little extra and have your roof hold it’s colour for years and years?

This is probably the biggest area where people who choose a cheap company regret it (when their roof fades and/or breaks down and the old colour starts showing through!).

3. Service – The majority of the cheap guys are either “one man bands” or small operations. There’s nothing wrong with that, except for when you have a problem. If it’s a “one man band” where the owner does everything he or she is too busy to go back and service old clients. You see, when you’re working all day on the roof, then going and doing quotes, then going home to do paperwork, when do you have time to go back and service roofs that you’ve already done (and been paid for!)? You will have a lot of trouble getting small companies back down the track. And please don’t think that if they do it right they will never have any warranty claims. Anyone who says they never have a warranty claim is lying.

Now, it’s impossible to shine in all of the above three areas if your prices are too low. There’s simply not enough profit in the job to use the best tradespeople (they want to be paid top rates!), the best materials (good roof coatings are also the most expensive), and to offer good after-sale service.

So again, don’t pay too much but at the same time don’t be seduced by a cheap price. You’ll only regret it in the long run.

For top quality roof restorations get in touch, and to find out more visit our roof restorations page.