This is the year we planned to replace our roof. When we bought the house five years ago, the home inspector told us that it was coming up on being due, so it was the next big thing on our list after taking care of a few other important elements over the last few years. We had a couple of big windstorms a few months ago, and lost a couple of shingles which I replaced, but I didn't think any more about it (that just happens, right?).
A roofing company representative knocked on the door the other day and volunteered to check the roof for us. They found a bunch of damage from the windstorms that had escaped my amateur eye. With our authorisation, they filed an insurance claim on our behalf. The insurance adjuster was here today, and he indicated that the claim would be paid. I now have a figure from the insurance company, and am wondering how to proceed.
We have signed documents agreeing that the roofing company that filed the claim on our behalf gets to do the job. I have no qualms with that — we were going to pay for the whole job ourselves, so we're very happy to only pay a deductible, and we wouldn't be in this situation without them. But, now that I have a figure, is the roofing company going to play games with me? Are they going to charge more than what insurance is going to pay out, leaving me more out of pocket than might otherwise be? How do I proceed in negotiating with the roofing company?
(Sorry if this is not relevant to this StackExchange: it's related to home improvement, but not DIY. Happy to take it somewhere else if mods suggest.)
Best Answer
The universal rule is that if the vendor solicits you instead of the other way 'round, he has stacked the deck in his favor at your expense. Either in cost or quality. This is what you pay for the convenience.
If you signed papers then it sounds like the negotiation phase ended.
Your next step is to read the papers you did sign, and see what you are allowed to do, and what you are obliged to do.
We can't guess because we didn't read them either :)
In the future, never, ever, ever, ever, ever hire a company you learn about because they solicited you. You are welcome to say "Get off my property" then use it as a tickler to remind you to do your own self-initiated search for respectable roofing vendors. Also beware of social media which is easily faked like Facebook, or in the business of referrals like Angie's List. Yelp tends to be full of salty gripers, but it's actually not half bad for this, because they really work to keep corruption/fake reviews off.
Also in the future, read before you sign (recommended: never sign the same day). Most people believe "keeping your word" is a cornerstone social value, essential to honesty. Well, think about it, how can you keep your word if you don't know what your word is?