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Don’t Underestimate the Length of a Roofing Project

AVOID EXPOSING YOUR BUILDING TO THE ELEMENTS

Similar to the first common roofing pitfall we discussed here, underestimating the time required to complete your project is a mistake that can lead to major delays, cost overruns, and can expose your building to the elements if you’re not careful. Let’s look at some causes of this problem, some of the consequences of underestimating the time required, as well as some tips for avoiding this pitfall altogether.

What Can Cause You to Underestimate the Project Length?

A misunderstanding of the full scope of the project can often cause poor estimates with regards to project length, as well as cost. If you don’t know all of the repairs that need to be made to your roof, or all of the roof areas that need to be replaced, or how many roofs you have on your building. If you don’t know the full scope of your project, that can give you bad information from which you pull your estimates.

Secondly, if you have a contractor who over-promises, this can lead to a bad estimate as well. Many times, contractors will promise you that they can finish your project in two weeks just so they can get the job, even though they know it will take longer. This is difficult to avoid, and really gut instinct and common sense is the only way to avoid it.

roofing project
Estimating the duration of a roofing project is difficult, but is important to help manage expectations.

Consequences of Underestimating Project Length? 

During many roofing projects, the layout of the building has to be modified, or inhabitants of the building have to be removed or relocated. Going past the planned deadline means things remain in a modified condition for longer and your business can suffer.

On top of disrupting your operations, a project that goes over it’s estimated time will usually cost more than was planned and can destroy your budget. That’s a problem that needs no explanation as to why it’s so serious.

How Can You Avoid this Pitfall?

The best way to avoid this pitfall is to bring in a professional to analyze your roof, rather than just doing it yourself. If you aren’t completely confident in your ability to develop an accurate estimate, you need a roofing contractor to do it for you.

On top of bringing in a professional, it’s probably a good idea to bring in two professionals. A second opinion can help you determine if the first contractor was being overly optimistic in their time estimate.

Conclusion

underestimating the amount of time it will take to finish your roofing project is a dangerous mistake to make that can cost you a lot of time, money, and can stress out you and your employees. Be careful to avoid this pitfall, it’s not fun for anyone.

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