Grumpy

Yeah Will I have some questions. See my post above, but for your convenience I will copy and paste below...


Ok how many layers are there, can the eye in the sky tell me? How many pipes, white sizes? What condition is the decking? drip edge or not? What if something changed since the satellite photos were taken. Those images are often several years old.

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-Grumpy
Chicago Gutters Chicago Roofing

Grumpy

I thought of a few more. How wide is the overhang? How were the gutters fastened. What about if they planted some bushes trees or shrubs that hinder my access to the property since the photo was taken?

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-Grumpy
Chicago Gutters Chicago Roofing

user182

You would still have to do an onsite evaluation to gather all the information that you need to make professional recommendations.

I don’t see how this service can help you unless the value of time that you save by having the measurements provided for you out weighs the cost.

Ed the Roofer

I do like the concept and feel it will be the way that all of the younger contractors wind up estimating, but it is ONLY A TOOL.

The thing I like most about it, is the professional nearly CAD-Like drawn measurements.

The prices are getting resonable, so accept it when you can afford to use one of the vendors.

How would you like to be able to canvass a neighborhood and already have the homes diagram and measurements available if they were only 1-2 dollars per report?

Would you use them then?

Ed

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http://www.rightwayroofingcompany.com/ www.rightwayroofingcompany.com
Roof Estimates, Roof Repairs, Roofers, Roof Leak Help, Elgin, Carpentersville, East Dundee, West Dundee, Sleepy Hollow, Algonquin, South Elgin, Huntley, Lake In The Hills, Illinois

Grumpy

So what's the point to this then if I still have to to an onsite evaluation? I mean it only takes what 15 minutes to measure, and another 10 to figure the math?

See my point?

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-Grumpy
Chicago Gutters Chicago Roofing

Grumpy

Ed if it were 1-2 dollars per report, I would buy whole neighborhoods and send out a mass mailing campaign. The original estimate would but just that, an estimate only, and subject to field verification. Now yer talkin'!

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-Grumpy
Chicago Gutters Chicago Roofing

Ed the Roofer

The Five Dollar reports will soon be available, but in large quantities and with you doing the measurements.

I saw different people who have outsourced the technology from India, that had systems like the well known one, reverse engineered for their own needs.

Two of the companies that I know of right now, are in litigation against some of the competitors listed, due to patent and trademark infringement issues.

We should hire an outsource for our own companies and only use it for ourselves.

Then, we could pre-measure entire neighborhoods, especially, the neighbors of a current job.

Ed

__________________
Just Wait A Minute, I Will Be Right Back With A Link For That.
http://www.rightwayroofingcompany.com/ www.rightwayroofingcompany.com
Roof Estimates, Roof Repairs, Roofers, Roof Leak Help, Elgin, Carpentersville, East Dundee, West Dundee, Sleepy Hollow, Algonquin, South Elgin, Huntley, Lake In The Hills, Illinois

user182

If you valued your time at $2 per minute you would break even if the report was $50.

I guess I would have to experiment to see what difference it would make to have the measurements before hand.

I could use the measurements to start a rough estimate prior to doing the onsite evaluation. Maybe I could ask the prospect if they have a budget for the project to see if it’s close to my estimate that I have done before visiting the site.

If they are thinking $6000 and I know it’s closer to $10,000 then it would be a good idea to let them get quotes from someone else first. I don’t like being the first one in anyway. It’s much harder to close the deal if you are first in, especially when the price is thousands of dollars higher than what they are expecting.

user182

Now yer talking about making a commodity out of yourself, Are you prepared to be the low bidder?

Grumpy

That there is what we call funny numbers. And for time spent, I am still getting a better return on investment doing it the old fashioned way. Too many unanswered questions.

It's always nice to measure twice and cut once. But that's why I send out the production manager or crew foreman to do a remeasure when the job has been sold. However this can count as your measuring twice.



Yes I am prepared to be the low bidder initially... just to get my foot in the door. What I mean is if I did buy some bulk arial measurments at $2 a piece, then apply the laws of averages and give a low cost per square with the caveat that it is an estimte only and subject to field verifications. This may entice the customer to contact me. At that time I could perform the REAL estimate based on real world values like layers and flashings, bushes etc...

It definetly would be an experiment worth trying. It's the same thing the window companies do advertising $100 per window then talking the customer into paying $700 per window. Called a "loss leader".


However I don't see any reason why the estimate would need to be low. Think about it for a second...

Why not give a real HIGH estimate as your initial offering then when you get to the house you know you have a qualified buyer... maybe even shave off a couple bucks because the first esimtate was just an estimate. Perhaps assume all jobs are 3 layers, then you are a hero when you are onlyc harging the customer for 2 layers, because they only have 2 layers, not 3... On the flip side, if they have 4 obviously charge them for the 4th, though that'd be rare (in a suburb, 4 layers are common in the city).

Sure your response rate with a higher estimate would be much lower than with a lowe estimate, but the buyer would be a very well qualified buyer... and if it's done on a MASS scale it could definetly be made to work. Like I said it's an experiment definetly worth trying when these aerial measurements get more realistic. Maybe a year or two more.

Try it both ways in two similiar yet different neighborhods and see what happens. I'm actually getting excited about the idea now.

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-Grumpy
Chicago Gutters Chicago Roofing