After a hail storm roofing companies from all over poor into a neighborhood to start knocking doors and drum up some work.
As a homeowner it is important to know who these people are and what incentivizes them.
- Canvassers – These are a lot of the door knockers. Their job is to knock on as many doors as they can, speak to as many people as they can, and to set inspection appointments for Roofing companies. Most of them are paid a fee per verified appointment that they set, plus a commission bonus if the appointment translates into a closed deal for a roof replacement.
- Roof Salespeople – The salespeople are the ones who will usually do the initial inspection of the roof to assess damage concerns and the overall condition. Most salespeople are paid commission only which incentivizes them to persuade as many property owners as they can that they need a brand new roof.
As a homeowner it is important to be aware that the intention of the initial door knock and/or inspection is to start a sales process that has the following steps:
Step 1: Show property owner the damage and create urgency to replace roof.
Step 2: Advise property owner to file an insurance claim.
Step 3: Sales rep offers to meet with insurance adjuster for the initial insurance inspection.
Step 4: After the insurance company agrees to pay for a full roof replacement, then its time to put a deal together for a new roof based on the insurance proceeds.
Step 5: Get a signed contract from property owner to replace the roof.
Step 6: Perform the agreed upon work and collect payments.
Now, there is nothing inherently wrong or bad about this sales process provided that in Step 1 there is a real honest conversation about the extent of roof damage that is found, the options of repair and replacement are discussed, and a fair and equitable roof replacement contract is put together for the homeowner.