Wednesday, May 02, 2007

WTF Roofers Chapters 1 & 2

Chapter One finds us, like so many others, at the FIRST RAIN. Gee, the roof leaks, ceiling sheetrock in the back bedroom beginning to sag.

I'm not looking for miracles, I just want the roof tarped to prevent the sheet rock from coming down and hold us over until the roof can be replaced. The biggest issue is that I don't want to do the tarping. I could, but I don't wanna. Rain is forecast for the next day. The roof is steep and wet and old and tired. As it turns out, in the end I am wet, old and tired.

But I digress. I call company "W" whom I have had do work in the past. I realize that ALL the roofing companies are swamped, and I could handle a response like "we're swamped and can't help you or get back to you for a week". What I got was "Bill will call you back sometime today". So I wait ALL DAY. Or at least until 3pm, because I know how things work, I call again. "Bill is in a meeting, I'll be SURE to have him call you when he gets out" No call.

So I'm on the roof tarping, slipping, climbing back, nailing, tarping, slipping, cursing. Roof is tarped, rain comes, no more leak.

I'm done with "W", and I don't hear from them for 10 days. They start leaving cheerful messages "Hi, returning your call about a roof!" I ignore all calls until one day they actually get a hold of me. It's Dave. Using my most mature adult personality, I quickly, and in a business like manner let Dave know that they have forfeited any opportunity to work for me now or ever. Dave is SHOCKED! "We called you back in three days!" Not true, but it doesn't even matter. I tell him as much, calmly without being accusing, and just try to explain that there is nothing to discuss and have a nice life. He's INSULTED! Sorry goodbye.

Some time passes as I try to find a reliable reference for a roofer that does quality work and is reliable. I don't know about you, but I find my best references at Christmas parties from people I have never met before or since.

Chapter Two. Time passes. I lose the little piece of paper with the name on it, but remember it started with "A" and was based in our town.

Fortunately there is only one. I call and set up an appointment for the estimator. I want to be there to explain that I want new gutters on one side of the house and a new skylight. Things seem to go well. He will get the estimate to me in a week. Life intrudes, and a month later I realize that I have not gotten an estimate. I call. They are VERY SORRY and will have it out to me shortly. Life intrudes again, and about another month later, still no estimate. "REALLY? OH I AM SO SORRY" Another couple of weeks go by and I get a call asking what kind of vents I want. After I tell the man, he says he will bring the estimate over this afternoon. Two weeks later I call again, "REALLY? OH I AM SO SORRY" Somebody had an accident, someone else is out of town yada yada yada "We'll drop it off this afternoon"

They actually DID drop it off this time, but I'm beginning to think I'm not sure I want them working on my house.

Peek at Chapter Three. I call another company out of the book this morning, they have an estimator over in 2 hours, and promise to email me the estimate post haste....

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