I’m in New Jersey as a roofing company. I faced this situation couple months ago on a slate roof project. The owner wants to know everything in detail was nightmare. We was working in the project when he start asking cost material if he will ask me that from the beginning, I will Let pass that customer.
This is the type of guy who will hire some fly by night roofer so that he can "save" money on material. He is looking for a roofer to tell him what they use and how much so that he can undercut them. Similar to what you said Dimitri it is like going out for dinner and bringing your own steak and trying to get a 5 star chef to grill it for you.
One thing I usually tell guys like this is that my supplier tracks product purchases per job for warranty, so if I'm just installing his provided material, I'm not obligated to assist him with warranty issues. Usually, that does the trick, and the customer lets me provide my material.
There's a non-zero chance that people that start like this might get an added annoyance fee by some contractors, because they will want to get paid to put up with this or don't care about getting his business and hope to price him out of using their service.
I have an hvac company. I will not install equipment purchased by customer. They get no name mini splits on eBay and if I install it and it doesn’t work guess what? I’m expected to resolve the problem. I won’t get into “I got another quote for x% less”. Ok then call that guy and have him do it. My price is my price and it’s based on overhead, we have all permits and we pay taxes (not a cash business ). We do good work for a fair price and our customers love us. No legit contractor will do business with this caller. He will get the low hanging fruit all because he thinks he is outsmarting everyone.
Sounds like this homeowner will be difficult to work with. Dimitry offered him to go to HD to check prices and he said NO! I don’t want to go to HD and changed the conversation.
Immediately a Red Flag customer. This is a classic customer who is trying to get the lowest possible price. Not a customer we want. This is a homeowner who will micromanage, be overly critical, and will look for a chance to find a problem. Dimitri did a somewhat okay job but did not get to the point and didn't call the customer out. I understand being diplomatic but he should have got right to the point and said if he's looking to buy materials and hire a subcontractor that the roofers that he recommends are generally not subcontractors and if he's trying to find a cheap contractor, the ones listed on his directory are likely not a good fit. Part of how they stay in business and the profit that they need to make on each job is by working with the pricing on the materials as well as the labor on each job and that's how they are able to provide a warranty, stay in business, be listed as a reputable contractor, have happy customers and take care of them in the future. This is a homeowner, who has clearly spent a lot of time looking for the cheapest price, (looking through a "slew" of contractors) and trying to nickel and dime a standard job by buying the materials and generaling his job. He's better off looking for a handyman or asking the local lumber yard if they know of a random crew with no online reputation or reviews that is willing to slap on a roof. I've had several customers in the past who have asked for a price just for the labor on their roof as they have materials already ordered and delivered. I told them not that we wouldn't do it but that it is something we basically never do. We don't have any control over the quality of the materials and where they came from and we are hesitant to consider the same warranty on our Roofing project. I also would tell them we would have to mark up the Labor higher than we would normally. The extra headache and coordination working with that customer and going outside our normal business model process, making less money for even more amount of coordination (Even though you would think since we didn't order the materials it would be less, it's not), and time, and headache on my part would mean I would have to mark up the labor more than normal to even make it make sense to consider. You can tell the homeowner was getting uncomfortable because he kept coughing and clearly knew he was trying to figure a way to just get the materials and hire the labor and that he's trying to micromanage each part of the job to get the cheapest roof possible. I think he realized that the people that are reputable , listed on the Directorii like us, and have good online reviews are not what he's looking for, so he switched his conversation to. What shingle would you recommend? I would have been the contractor who had one conversation with him on the phone and would never have followed up with him again. I would have given him the information he needed on the phone to go pick his business elsewhere.
I have had many similar customers, i like how you explained to him respectfully why its hard to share our material costs. He seems like he is stuck in this mindset and not really hearing you even though he says he understands. If i were giving him a bid i would do just as they did and provide a material list and tell him to go price it out him self at a local distributor. If he were buying the materials himself i would add a clause in my contract that if additional materials are not present on the job we will charge a trip charge to pick that up. Also the warranty may be effected because we did not purchase the materials and dont know for sure where they came from, they could have been factory rejects or who knows....
Another thing that you could have shared with him is that it could make him sound like a competitor trying to figure out the pricing for the company. Also we need the ability to have the matirals delivered at the exact time that we need them, other wise it would interupt the productivity of the crews. As contractors we all have back channels and relationships that speed things up and make us more efficient. It also allows me to register his warranty information when the job is done. What I would have done personally is put the order together for him and had him go or call in and pay it on my account and have the supplier notate that he paid it on our account.
I've dealt with this a couple of times a year and always reject customers for other reasons. Nightmare customers always start like this. Dmitry did a great job handling this problem customer.
Sounds like a homeowner I would fire. Everything needs to be his way. He thinks he knows what's going on, but he has no clue what he's talking about. There's a significant risk that he is going to mirco-manage the project into failure. If he buys materials, he'll likely refuse to order appropriate waste and get angry when the guys run out of materials. "What do you mean you need 4 more square!? My roof is 30 square and I ordered 30 square! You are terrible at install and are trying to scam me!"
That and I probably get a better price with a certain distributor that a customer doesn't have the same access with. My roofing crew is also warrantying their work and needs good materials that we know work, not just whatever cheap stuff a customer can grab at the store. We may need to adjust the ventilation of the house and if the customer doesn't want to buy more box vents or something because "I've had the same number/kind on this house since the house was built and they work fine" like, I'm going to walk.
Education is what most people need. "I understand you want XYZ, if you knew your shingles would only last half the time would you be willing to spend 1000 more to prevent that? That's what adding ventilation will do for you. It is just like oil changes. You're saving money in the end by doing it properly"
That’s like going into Walmart asking how much they pay for a toaster even doesn’t matter did you spend 5 million dollars with that vendor to get that cost ??!!!!
I’m transparent with my pricing and am open to providing a labor-only estimate if requested. I have no issue explaining why it’s necessary to make a profit on both materials and labor-it’s part of running a sustainable business. While it’s harder to put a price on specific expertise, I’m confident I could quantify it if needed. What I don’t appreciate is when clients attempt a bait-and-switch after I’ve submitted a proposal. I understand the distrust some people have toward contractors, but ultimately, this approach often ends up costing the consumer more in the long run. I really liked the restaurant analogy-if you demand wholesale pricing on ingredients before dining, you’re going to end up hungry!
There are multiple reasons why a homeowner shouldn’t buy the material. 1. If they are missing materials, short on materials; it’s going to slow the job down, or the job won’t get done properly. Whose responsibility is it to get any materials that may be needed during the job. 2. If you take a part to a mechanic to install on your car, more than likely you won’t get a warranty on the parts. If it breaks you will be paying to have it replaced again. Same with roofing, if the contractor doesn’t supply the materials good luck getting a proper warranty. 3. If the contractor is certified by the manufacturer, they will most likely register the warranty and have a direct line to the manufacturer if there are any issues with the material. If a homeowner buys the material, good luck dealing with the manufacturer. I could go on, but trying to save a few bucks by supplying the material isn’t a smart move in my opinion. Contractors give a turn key price to replace your roof, and if they miss something in their estimate, more than likely they will be eating that cost unless it’s hidden damages or wood rot that was unforeseen. Smartest thing a customer can do is choose the best contractor for their project, that will be there to give them the service they deserve if there are issues down the road.
Here's how I would handle this call: "Okay sir, you want the best price on your materials? Okay. How many truckloads of underlayment, shingles, caulking, flashings, etc. can I put you down for?"
Amen! He won’t be happy. I bend over backwards and do far more than most companies for a fact. I’ve been on both sides. Point is there are still customers who act like you owe them something and they just don’t appreciate all you’ve done once it’s time for payment. I see them a mile away nowadays. This guy I see for 2,000 miles away. Stay away devil homeowner 😂
I can tell why he can't get anyone to take the job. Also he wants a shingle he doesn't have to replace in Florida where insurance demands roofs be replaced every 15 years
That's why my first question to anyone seeking to have their roof done is " What are you looking to get from your roof?" The answers vary, but it gives me an idea of what the customer is expecting. Then I can price accordingly.
These types of customers really have no respect and want something for nothing. Do it youself jerk. You run off good roofers and we dont want your business. That constant cough is him being too forward getting shut down and now being upset. Its your tell.
Let’s say homeowner buys materials, what if it ends up being short? Who’s going to pay for labor of the guys standing around while he goes and buys the last bundle of caps or nails etc. Personally I would work with this guy but I would be very cautious. I think if he bought his own materials he probably would pay more in the end.
To the caller: Call all 7 companies asking for the best shingle you can find and ask for quotes. Trying to change the way companies operate instead of accepting it and doing the best you can just makes it harder than it needs to be for yourself. Also, don't call someone for help and then don't take their advice
Ya know customers like this make running a business difficult. Every business owner will want to give you the best price they can, it's disrespectful to come on a show like this and basically call out companies by name that really haven't done anything wrong.
I immediately tell customers like this “If you can source the material what do you need me for? I’m a full service roofing company not a partial service roofing company” If you can provide the material you can find your own labor. These types of guys are so annoying and I refuse to work with them.
I never give a break down price for a roof or any job , these customers are not worth the time to deal with , they want the cheapest price and will be the biggest pain in the ass
My general contract says (better worded than this) “if you want to buy materials yourself and you buy the wrong thing or not enough you agree to a $150 rescheduling fee” I do more stuff than just roofing but yeah that’s how I deal with this.
I’m a homeowner and everything is so expensive that we have to try to find most reasonable estimates for roofing jobs. But even I was annoyed by this homeowner. Sheesh. He should simply do it himself if he thinks he can buy the material cheaper somewhere and find some day-laborer (usually lingering around HD) to install.
Excellent video, and it is very helpful. I'm curious how the result worked out. So much of this business is based on trust. How you do anything is how you do everything. There may be further difficulties throughout the project with the discovery of rot or the need for a change order. Not doing a project with a client that I'm not supposed to do a project with it, which is just the same win for me as getting doing a project with a client that i'm supposed work with. Sometimes, you can win these clients over, and there can be a lot of trust and reciprocity built in that process, and I think that's the real goal
Using consumer reports as a credible source is silly. What I learned is that they are all similar with small variations except the ones that are polymer-modified asphalt (rubberized). Those don't shed granules as much and are more flexible so they don't crack as easily especially in the cold. Malarkey makes them. All the other typical assault shingles by quality brands are similar with slight differences. The polymer shingles are a better material. If you are going to pay to install a roof, don't skimp on the shingles when the labor is the larger cost.
I’d fire this customer as well. Control freak . I’m a Directorii contractor as well. I love Directorii but of the 3 or 4 leads I’ve been given 2 of them were this way . One wanted to choose some weird underpayment and buy it himself . Then wanted to video us signing g the contract with a price reduction if I didn’t get it done in the next 3 weeks. I told him we weren’t I good fit . I think Dimitri attracted these types of homeowner because they’ve been screwed and really try and do their research . People like this don’t respect the trades as real business they think of us as servants . Please send him a complementary throat lozenge
"I don't trust these guys (making a blanket statement) as far as I can throw them" is a great way to start a relationship with a contractor. Trust goes both ways. What a putz. Guess he better get on TH-cam and figure out how to shingle his own roof. 1. Buy your own materials and shingle your own roof. 2. Hire a contractor to do both. Those are his only 2 options. These are the types of people that are forced to go with a craigslist contractor because no legit roofing contractor would work with him so he hires the cheap guy, his roof leaks the first rain storm and the craigslist guy won't answer his phone and then all of a sudden "all contractors are bad". No dude, your attitude, your distrust, and your greed scared all the legit contracctors away and forced you to scrape the bottom of the barrel and you got what you paid for.
I live in the same area as the caller and understand his concerns about being taken advantage of. There are indeed many shady roofing companies around here, and it's important to be cautious when selecting a contractor.
@@BrianJackson-f2l Great question-I see where this is going, haha. I'm a home inspector in this area with a background in roofing, so I'm up on roofs daily and often inspect attics after new roof installations. What I typically notice are quality control issues like rotting wood around protrusions and valleys that aren’t replaced because it’s more convenient for the installation crew to leave it, as well as damaged or scuffed shingles from foot traffic during installation and even exposed nails or nail pops. Unfortunately, our local municipalities don't require their inspectors to walk roofs; they typically accept affidavits, which means these issues often go unnoticed until the homeowner faces problems later. Don’t get me wrong-there are some excellent roofing companies here, but I always encourage clients to ask questions and gather as much information as possible before hiring any contractor.
Stay far away from this homeowner! He can buy the product and you can pay the labor to the crew, make zero profit and he still won’t trust you and act like you still owe him. Screw this guy.
Atlas is really good shingle, some clients want to know everything good job at handling the situation men amazing way to explain it. I’ll give him a break down I’m in Orlando haha ❤
You don’t ask Mcdonals for how much the bun, burger, onions, pickles, condiments, etc. cost or what their labor cost is per burger. They provide a full service of material and labor, and then they charge a set price. You pay the price everytime without question. Roofing is NO DIFFERENT. Homeowners have to understand that roofers do all of this now plus helping supplement or handling the insurance process for them. All of that comes at a cost. If they don’t like that, they can get their own material, source a labor crew, handle the entirety of the insurance process, and still not get a warranty because them or their cheap labor crews probably aren’t certified installers, plus pulling the permit and license they would need, if that sounds like a hassle, well then that’s why you use a Roofing Contractor that will manage that process for you. It’s really simple it’s ONLY one or the other.
Unfortunately, this guy got into a bad cycle. His distrust for roofers bleeds through in his conversations, which causes a distrust for HIM by all reputable contractors. I know I wouldn’t work for him. He will likely find a crappy contractor to do labor only. They will not get along. He will assume he was right the whole time.
I'm sorry, but it's just so annoying that he calls asking for help and then his demanding like he's gonna text you the link and then you want it in an email… Like seriously just say thanks for the text and then email it to yourself. Can't expect everyone to do Work for you especially for free.
Perfect example of why I do not lay out my material list in an estimate. He insults the very roofing companies Dmitry had offer as referrals when he said he didn't "trust those guys as far as he could throw them" and then continues to take up your time trying to find someone he can get to do his job at as close to cost as possible. He thinks he is smarter than the contractors therefore should not pay market value.
Home Owners: Text Dmitry your question: 612-558-4881 Roofers and Contractors I recommend: directorii.com Connect with Dmitry: dmitrylipinskiy.com/ Dmitry's Coaching marketing program for contractors: www.mymarketingfitness.com/
get a new roof or don't. im not sharing materials costs because its irrelevant. I charge a price to do the roof. take it or leave it, I don't care and im not jumping through hoops for one job. materials cost is none of your business. find a roofer who will let you buy the materials... good luck
Amazing how many roofers won t give material costs because they don t want homeowner to know their gross profit on the job. Why be embarrassed and hide facts unless your profits are exorbitant.
I wouldn’t work with a customer that can’t trust me . Reputation is everything you have to find a contractor you trust . And go with it . Seems this customer is asking for too much
Residential is the worst. I’d rather deliver pizzas than deal with people like that. Worst clients are middle class. A wealthy person asks when the job is done so they can pay. Middle class families have to live on strict budgets so they can do the Disney trip, afford the golf outings, car payments, new IPhone and macchiato from Starbucks a few times per week. Guess who is getting chiseled? Any contractor that works on their house.
Owens premium...and roofer did great job...didnt want money till complete job was done,and i was satisfied. Rip off and new roof and 8 velux sky lights one day...about 7 guys showes up on time,and material was delivered 2 days before work was started. Yes he had to special order the top end owens,and they are super thick..and the material nailing strip.
@BrianJackson-f2l nope,I understand materials,contractors,quotes,and final job performance. Build me a house but I want to supply the nails and concrete,because I know better. The guy is a buffoon...he shoukd live in a tent,less to be so consumed in such a weird phobic manner
30% is low. It should be closer to 40-50%. Gross profit. But then you have to subtract overhead plus salesperson's time and pay commission not to mention any additional costs such as permits, dumpsters and measurement reports that he is not considering.
With questions like that, he is either going to end up doing himself, or nickel and dime an uninsured and unlicensed contractor. From my experience just pass him by and move on to the next customer. But this is coming from a roofer who keeps it small, I run one maybe 2 crews and keep my finger on the pulse of everything. Maybe I don’t make millions per year, but I do very well for myself. And I can rely basically on a referral customer base where everyone calling me is a ( friend, relative or anyone who knows someone who has had a roof done by me in my 30 yrs in business) bigger isn’t always better.
This guy might find a cheaper roofer, maybe a sub crew, but he will pay more in material because he wants pay for it himself. Customers like this usually are the same ones that get mad at you for finishing in a day.
Another way you could've addressed this is tell him Contractors provide materials for multiple reasons, like having proper quantity on site time of install, correctness of all parts of the roofing system and warranty purposes.
If Iko dynasty is different in the states then Canada,maybe , dynasty in Canada I don’t like when they first came out , used them once and didn’t have a good experience
This is a pain in the ass customer and he has no right to the price of materials. Nor does he have a right to know the supplier of said materials. We get bulk buying discounts that he is not privilaged to. I would double his estimate in hopes he never calls back.
Working with this guy would be a nightmare 😆 I would not call him back either.
I’m in New Jersey as a roofing company. I faced this situation couple months ago on a slate roof project. The owner wants to know everything in detail was nightmare. We was working in the project when he start asking cost material if he will ask me that from the beginning, I will Let pass that customer.
100% I worked with someone like this. It ended up working out, but he wasted so much of my time with millions of detailed questions.
This kind of people will hold payment because he found 1 nail between the bushes.
This is the type of guy who will hire some fly by night roofer so that he can "save" money on material. He is looking for a roofer to tell him what they use and how much so that he can undercut them. Similar to what you said Dimitri it is like going out for dinner and bringing your own steak and trying to get a 5 star chef to grill it for you.
these clowns lose every time
One thing I usually tell guys like this is that my supplier tracks product purchases per job for warranty, so if I'm just installing his provided material, I'm not obligated to assist him with warranty issues. Usually, that does the trick, and the customer lets me provide my material.
I do the same , your 100 percent correct
There's a non-zero chance that people that start like this might get an added annoyance fee by some contractors, because they will want to get paid to put up with this or don't care about getting his business and hope to price him out of using their service.
I have an hvac company. I will not install equipment purchased by customer. They get no name mini splits on eBay and if I install it and it doesn’t work guess what? I’m expected to resolve the problem.
I won’t get into “I got another quote for x% less”. Ok then call that guy and have him do it. My price is my price and it’s based on overhead, we have all permits and we pay taxes (not a cash business ). We do good work for a fair price and our customers love us. No legit contractor will do business with this caller. He will get the low hanging fruit all because he thinks he is outsmarting everyone.
What a pain in the ass customer
Sounds like he has throat cancer, I hope not.
Sounds like customer needs to do his own roof to get it exactly how he wants it.
Brave roofer working for this guy
Sounds like this homeowner will be difficult to work with. Dimitry offered him to go to HD to check prices and he said NO! I don’t want to go to HD and changed the conversation.
Immediately a Red Flag customer.
This is a classic customer who is trying to get the lowest possible price. Not a customer we want. This is a homeowner who will micromanage, be overly critical, and will look for a chance to find a problem.
Dimitri did a somewhat okay job but did not get to the point and didn't call the customer out. I understand being diplomatic but he should have got right to the point and said if he's looking to buy materials and hire a subcontractor that the roofers that he recommends are generally not subcontractors and if he's trying to find a cheap contractor, the ones listed on his directory are likely not a good fit. Part of how they stay in business and the profit that they need to make on each job is by working with the pricing on the materials as well as the labor on each job and that's how they are able to provide a warranty, stay in business, be listed as a reputable contractor, have happy customers and take care of them in the future.
This is a homeowner, who has clearly spent a lot of time looking for the cheapest price, (looking through a "slew" of contractors) and trying to nickel and dime a standard job by buying the materials and generaling his job. He's better off looking for a handyman or asking the local lumber yard if they know of a random crew with no online reputation or reviews that is willing to slap on a roof.
I've had several customers in the past who have asked for a price just for the labor on their roof as they have materials already ordered and delivered. I told them not that we wouldn't do it but that it is something we basically never do. We don't have any control over the quality of the materials and where they came from and we are hesitant to consider the same warranty on our Roofing project. I also would tell them we would have to mark up the Labor higher than we would normally. The extra headache and coordination working with that customer and going outside our normal business model process, making less money for even more amount of coordination (Even though you would think since we didn't order the materials it would be less, it's not), and time, and headache on my part would mean I would have to mark up the labor more than normal to even make it make sense to consider.
You can tell the homeowner was getting uncomfortable because he kept coughing and clearly knew he was trying to figure a way to just get the materials and hire the labor and that he's trying to micromanage each part of the job to get the cheapest roof possible. I think he realized that the people that are reputable , listed on the Directorii like us, and have good online reviews are not what he's looking for, so he switched his conversation to. What shingle would you recommend?
I would have been the contractor who had one conversation with him on the phone and would never have followed up with him again. I would have given him the information he needed on the phone to go pick his business elsewhere.
Just walk away…
You had to write a Novella just to legitimize what your thoughts were that you wrote in the last paragraph?
Thumbs up Dimitri. Thumbs down for the caller
I have had many similar customers, i like how you explained to him respectfully why its hard to share our material costs. He seems like he is stuck in this mindset and not really hearing you even though he says he understands. If i were giving him a bid i would do just as they did and provide a material list and tell him to go price it out him self at a local distributor. If he were buying the materials himself i would add a clause in my contract that if additional materials are not present on the job we will charge a trip charge to pick that up. Also the warranty may be effected because we did not purchase the materials and dont know for sure where they came from, they could have been factory rejects or who knows....
Another thing that you could have shared with him is that it could make him sound like a competitor trying to figure out the pricing for the company. Also we need the ability to have the matirals delivered at the exact time that we need them, other wise it would interupt the productivity of the crews. As contractors we all have back channels and relationships that speed things up and make us more efficient. It also allows me to register his warranty information when the job is done. What I would have done personally is put the order together for him and had him go or call in and pay it on my account and have the supplier notate that he paid it on our account.
No way I would do that roof.
I've dealt with this a couple of times a year and always reject customers for other reasons. Nightmare customers always start like this. Dmitry did a great job handling this problem customer.
Holy moly. Just let this guy put his own roof on.
I mean buddy do you go to WalMart and demand to know how much they are buying gloves for?
Sounds like a homeowner I would fire. Everything needs to be his way. He thinks he knows what's going on, but he has no clue what he's talking about. There's a significant risk that he is going to mirco-manage the project into failure. If he buys materials, he'll likely refuse to order appropriate waste and get angry when the guys run out of materials. "What do you mean you need 4 more square!? My roof is 30 square and I ordered 30 square! You are terrible at install and are trying to scam me!"
That and I probably get a better price with a certain distributor that a customer doesn't have the same access with. My roofing crew is also warrantying their work and needs good materials that we know work, not just whatever cheap stuff a customer can grab at the store. We may need to adjust the ventilation of the house and if the customer doesn't want to buy more box vents or something because "I've had the same number/kind on this house since the house was built and they work fine" like, I'm going to walk.
Education is what most people need.
"I understand you want XYZ, if you knew your shingles would only last half the time would you be willing to spend 1000 more to prevent that? That's what adding ventilation will do for you. It is just like oil changes. You're saving money in the end by doing it properly"
Amen
6:24 DIMITRY FACIAL EXPRESSIONS HAAHAH. When he demands a price, but doesn't want to put in work to get it himself. Yup. Great video!
That’s like going into Walmart asking how much they pay for a toaster even doesn’t matter did you spend 5 million dollars with that vendor to get that cost ??!!!!
This sounds like a guy that use to dealing with Handymen and Professionals.
I’m transparent with my pricing and am open to providing a labor-only estimate if requested. I have no issue explaining why it’s necessary to make a profit on both materials and labor-it’s part of running a sustainable business. While it’s harder to put a price on specific expertise, I’m confident I could quantify it if needed. What I don’t appreciate is when clients attempt a bait-and-switch after I’ve submitted a proposal. I understand the distrust some people have toward contractors, but ultimately, this approach often ends up costing the consumer more in the long run. I really liked the restaurant analogy-if you demand wholesale pricing on ingredients before dining, you’re going to end up hungry!
I would never take a customer like this !!! Worst of the worst type of customers.
Even my sales guys don’t know the material cost. It’s an installed price. You’re buying the service and experience.
This guy is the exact one we about. Totally looks down and wants it done for free
There are multiple reasons why a homeowner shouldn’t buy the material.
1. If they are missing materials, short on materials; it’s going to slow the job down, or the job won’t get done properly. Whose responsibility is it to get any materials that may be needed during the job.
2. If you take a part to a mechanic to install on your car, more than likely you won’t get a warranty on the parts. If it breaks you will be paying to have it replaced again. Same with roofing, if the contractor doesn’t supply the materials good luck getting a proper warranty.
3. If the contractor is certified by the manufacturer, they will most likely register the warranty and have a direct line to the manufacturer if there are any issues with the material. If a homeowner buys the material, good luck dealing with the manufacturer.
I could go on, but trying to save a few bucks by supplying the material isn’t a smart move in my opinion. Contractors give a turn key price to replace your roof, and if they miss something in their estimate, more than likely they will be eating that cost unless it’s hidden damages or wood rot that was unforeseen. Smartest thing a customer can do is choose the best contractor for their project, that will be there to give them the service they deserve if there are issues down the road.
Here's how I would handle this call:
"Okay sir, you want the best price on your materials? Okay. How many truckloads of underlayment, shingles, caulking, flashings, etc. can I put you down for?"
My costs are as follows.
15000.00 to replace the roof
And
Zero to not do it.
Work so hard you can pick your customers. Not the other way around.
He would not get a call back for sure . Nightmare to get that final payment because he found 1 nail in some bushes 🤣
Amen! He won’t be happy. I bend over backwards and do far more than most companies for a fact. I’ve been on both sides. Point is there are still customers who act like you owe them something and they just don’t appreciate all you’ve done once it’s time for payment.
I see them a mile away nowadays. This guy I see for 2,000 miles away. Stay away devil homeowner 😂
I can tell why he can't get anyone to take the job. Also he wants a shingle he doesn't have to replace in Florida where insurance demands roofs be replaced every 15 years
And the roofer said i must add ventilation than you have,so the roof will be vented properly...it keeps warranty plain and simple...
That's why my first question to anyone seeking to have their roof done is " What are you looking to get from your roof?" The answers vary, but it gives me an idea of what the customer is expecting. Then I can price accordingly.
These types of customers really have no respect and want something for nothing. Do it youself jerk. You run off good roofers and we dont want your business.
That constant cough is him being too forward getting shut down and now being upset. Its your tell.
Let’s say homeowner buys materials, what if it ends up being short?
Who’s going to pay for labor of the guys standing around while he goes and buys the last bundle of caps or nails etc.
Personally I would work with this guy but I would be very cautious.
I think if he bought his own materials he probably would pay more in the end.
Homeowner drink some lemon water
He can pay walk-in price
To the caller:
Call all 7 companies asking for the best shingle you can find and ask for quotes.
Trying to change the way companies operate instead of accepting it and doing the best you can just makes it harder than it needs to be for yourself.
Also, don't call someone for help and then don't take their advice
Ya know customers like this make running a business difficult. Every business owner will want to give you the best price they can, it's disrespectful to come on a show like this and basically call out companies by name that really haven't done anything wrong.
I immediately tell customers like this “If you can source the material what do you need me for? I’m a full service roofing company not a partial service roofing company”
If you can provide the material you can find your own labor. These types of guys are so annoying and I refuse to work with them.
Well said
I never give a break down price for a roof or any job , these customers are not worth the time to deal with , they want the cheapest price and will be the biggest pain in the ass
I can correlate a similar situation with a customer. Very similar one like this guy. But I am in plumbing service business in eastern Pennsylvania
My general contract says (better worded than this) “if you want to buy materials yourself and you buy the wrong thing or not enough you agree to a $150 rescheduling fee”
I do more stuff than just roofing but yeah that’s how I deal with this.
This guy coughing has some anxiety disorder like ocd trying to make the perfect decision
I’m a homeowner and everything is so expensive that we have to try to find most reasonable estimates for roofing jobs. But even I was annoyed by this homeowner. Sheesh. He should simply do it himself if he thinks he can buy the material cheaper somewhere and find some day-laborer (usually lingering around HD) to install.
Nope. On to the next!
Excellent video, and it is very helpful. I'm curious how the result worked out. So much of this business is based on trust. How you do anything is how you do everything. There may be further difficulties throughout the project with the discovery of rot or the need for a change order. Not doing a project with a client that I'm not supposed to do a project with it, which is just the same win for me as getting doing a project with a client that i'm supposed work with. Sometimes, you can win these clients over, and there can be a lot of trust and reciprocity built in that process, and I think that's the real goal
Handled it great Dimitri, that man would be a pain in the arse to deal with
Using consumer reports as a credible source is silly. What I learned is that they are all similar with small variations except the ones that are polymer-modified asphalt (rubberized). Those don't shed granules as much and are more flexible so they don't crack as easily especially in the cold. Malarkey makes them. All the other typical assault shingles by quality brands are similar with slight differences. The polymer shingles are a better material. If you are going to pay to install a roof, don't skimp on the shingles when the labor is the larger cost.
I’d fire this customer as well. Control freak . I’m a Directorii contractor as well. I love Directorii but of the 3 or 4 leads I’ve been given 2 of them were this way . One wanted to choose some weird underpayment and buy it himself . Then wanted to video us signing g the contract with a price reduction if I didn’t get it done in the next 3 weeks. I told him we weren’t I good fit . I think Dimitri attracted these types of homeowner because they’ve been screwed and really try and do their research . People like this don’t respect the trades as real business they think of us as servants . Please send him a complementary throat lozenge
"I don't trust these guys (making a blanket statement) as far as I can throw them" is a great way to start a relationship with a contractor. Trust goes both ways. What a putz. Guess he better get on TH-cam and figure out how to shingle his own roof. 1. Buy your own materials and shingle your own roof. 2. Hire a contractor to do both. Those are his only 2 options. These are the types of people that are forced to go with a craigslist contractor because no legit roofing contractor would work with him so he hires the cheap guy, his roof leaks the first rain storm and the craigslist guy won't answer his phone and then all of a sudden "all contractors are bad". No dude, your attitude, your distrust, and your greed scared all the legit contracctors away and forced you to scrape the bottom of the barrel and you got what you paid for.
patients little roofers patients we’re all just here to help sometimes we can’t help but as long as we tried
I live in the same area as the caller and understand his concerns about being taken advantage of. There are indeed many shady roofing companies around here, and it's important to be cautious when selecting a contractor.
Are you a contractor speaking this or just a homeowner? What’s your source for your assessment?
@@BrianJackson-f2l Great question-I see where this is going, haha. I'm a home inspector in this area with a background in roofing, so I'm up on roofs daily and often inspect attics after new roof installations. What I typically notice are quality control issues like rotting wood around protrusions and valleys that aren’t replaced because it’s more convenient for the installation crew to leave it, as well as damaged or scuffed shingles from foot traffic during installation and even exposed nails or nail pops. Unfortunately, our local municipalities don't require their inspectors to walk roofs; they typically accept affidavits, which means these issues often go unnoticed until the homeowner faces problems later. Don’t get me wrong-there are some excellent roofing companies here, but I always encourage clients to ask questions and gather as much information as possible before hiring any contractor.
@@7mary4
Right on! Good reply!
10:45 the throat clearing is a tale tale sign that he’s trying to keep some insurance money to himself. Nightmare customer already
Stay far away from this homeowner! He can buy the product and you can pay the labor to the crew, make zero profit and he still won’t trust you and act like you still owe him. Screw this guy.
Raise your hand if you're willing to do the install for this homeowner. Not me!
Atlas is really good shingle, some clients want to know everything good job at handling the situation men amazing way to explain it. I’ll give him a break down I’m in Orlando haha ❤
You don’t ask Mcdonals for how much the bun, burger, onions, pickles, condiments, etc. cost or what their labor cost is per burger. They provide a full service of material and labor, and then they charge a set price. You pay the price everytime without question. Roofing is NO DIFFERENT. Homeowners have to understand that roofers do all of this now plus helping supplement or handling the insurance process for them. All of that comes at a cost. If they don’t like that, they can get their own material, source a labor crew, handle the entirety of the insurance process, and still not get a warranty because them or their cheap labor crews probably aren’t certified installers, plus pulling the permit and license they would need, if that sounds like a hassle, well then that’s why you use a Roofing Contractor that will manage that process for you. It’s really simple it’s ONLY one or the other.
Unfortunately, this guy got into a bad cycle. His distrust for roofers bleeds through in his conversations, which causes a distrust for HIM by all reputable contractors. I know I wouldn’t work for him. He will likely find a crappy contractor to do labor only. They will not get along. He will assume he was right the whole time.
Ask Hall’s how much they source the cough drops??? You might need some sir!!
I'm sorry, but it's just so annoying that he calls asking for help and then his demanding like he's gonna text you the link and then you want it in an email… Like seriously just say thanks for the text and then email it to yourself. Can't expect everyone to do Work for you especially for free.
If a customer starts off on a bad note, the customer will end it on a bad note. Run from guys like this.
Perfect example of why I do not lay out my material list in an estimate. He insults the very roofing companies Dmitry had offer as referrals when he said he didn't "trust those guys as far as he could throw them" and then continues to take up your time trying to find someone he can get to do his job at as close to cost as possible. He thinks he is smarter than the contractors therefore should not pay market value.
Home Owners: Text Dmitry your question: 612-558-4881
Roofers and Contractors I recommend: directorii.com
Connect with Dmitry: dmitrylipinskiy.com/
Dmitry's Coaching marketing program for contractors: www.mymarketingfitness.com/
Have you heard of batterbee roofing ?
Yes
@ thoughts?
I want to start a roofing company, just so I can give this guy the quote he’s looking for, and then not call him back or respond.
get a new roof or don't. im not sharing materials costs because its irrelevant. I charge a price to do the roof. take it or leave it, I don't care and im not jumping through hoops for one job. materials cost is none of your business. find a roofer who will let you buy the materials... good luck
Amazing how many roofers won t give material costs because they don t want homeowner to know their gross profit on the job. Why be embarrassed and hide facts unless your profits are exorbitant.
This is a nightmare customer
I wouldn’t work with a customer that can’t trust me . Reputation is everything you have to find a contractor you trust . And go with it . Seems this customer is asking for too much
They dont need to tell you the material costs
Residential is the worst. I’d rather deliver pizzas than deal with people like that. Worst clients are middle class. A wealthy person asks when the job is done so they can pay. Middle class families have to live on strict budgets so they can do the Disney trip, afford the golf outings, car payments, new IPhone and macchiato from Starbucks a few times per week. Guess who is getting chiseled? Any contractor that works on their house.
I include material prices on all quotes. Why get offended? Any idiot can look up the price of materials anyway. (Except this homeowner, i guess.)
He wants an experience and knowledgeable roofer to do that for him for free 😅
Screw this guy.
Simple. Get another roofer. Solved.
Why's he coughing so much??!
Fla air...not healthy
Owens premium...and roofer did great job...didnt want money till complete job was done,and i was satisfied. Rip off and new roof and 8 velux sky lights one day...about 7 guys showes up on time,and material was delivered 2 days before work was started. Yes he had to special order the top end owens,and they are super thick..and the material nailing strip.
Are you the caller?
@BrianJackson-f2l nope,I understand materials,contractors,quotes,and final job performance. Build me a house but I want to supply the nails and concrete,because I know better. The guy is a buffoon...he shoukd live in a tent,less to be so consumed in such a weird phobic manner
Now he will tell his roofer that he knows hes making 30% profit and that sounds like a lot of money 😅😅
30% is low. It should be closer to 40-50%. Gross profit. But then you have to subtract overhead plus salesperson's time and pay commission not to mention any additional costs such as permits, dumpsters and measurement reports that he is not considering.
Homeowner should just buy the materials and do it himself. He can save 60-% of the cost of hiring a contractor.
Caller is annoying...he thinks he can buy like contractors bulk. Clueless tool
With questions like that, he is either going to end up doing himself, or nickel and dime an uninsured and unlicensed contractor. From my experience just pass him by and move on to the next customer. But this is coming from a roofer who keeps it small, I run one maybe 2 crews and keep my finger on the pulse of everything. Maybe I don’t make millions per year, but I do very well for myself. And I can rely basically on a referral customer base where everyone calling me is a ( friend, relative or anyone who knows someone who has had a roof done by me in my 30 yrs in business) bigger isn’t always better.
Yea , this dude is the worst kind of client …. Don’t need the business that bad to deal with him …. No sir
He thinks he’s so smart when he’s just being a pain in the ass.
Haha, no one wants to call this guy back.
This guy wants know how much roofer make money and of the day
This guy might find a cheaper roofer, maybe a sub crew, but he will pay more in material because he wants pay for it himself. Customers like this usually are the same ones that get mad at you for finishing in a day.
OMG! That guy! Dimitri repeated several times what his top shingles would be and the guy is still asking! He should try LISTENING 🤨
This guy should go ask gmc what is cost to make the truck 😂😂 run away from this guy
This guy clearing his throat a hundred times is infuriating
I would stay far away from a customer like this as a roofer. He screams shady
Hard pass.
“Hey plumber, what pipes do I need, I’ll go get them ?? “
Obviously the consensus is that this guy would be a nightmare customer 😂
Another way you could've addressed this is tell him Contractors provide materials for multiple reasons, like having proper quantity on site time of install, correctness of all parts of the roofing system and warranty purposes.
Lol
lol what a joke
Nightmare customer- I’d pass.
If Iko dynasty is different in the states then Canada,maybe , dynasty in Canada I don’t like when they first came out , used them once and didn’t have a good experience
This is a pain in the ass customer and he has no right to the price of materials. Nor does he have a right to know the supplier of said materials. We get bulk buying discounts that he is not privilaged to. I would double his estimate in hopes he never calls back.
This guy wants know how much roofer make money and of the day