Exactimate is paying for itself and more.

tico Your responses indicate that you harbour rancour .Jim and Tom both expressed an honorable position . Your experience has taught you what ? That the noble idea of honor and morality ethics go out the window when put under pressure . I'm curious about your position. How do you handle those very situations.

ah jim,but how quick will one turn to scaled skin to win the deal or jam the adjuster? everyones A great guy til the deal is heading away,then the fangs come to bare.seen it. the snakepit it the concoction of all those involved.

Tom I read Jims post. I read yours from this point .............. your authenticity is the root of your appeal and is what will keep customers coming to you and spread the word of mouth about your personal service,or whatever you are offering. That could be applied to the insurance work . That same brand and be the better for it. Keep it real very very real " Authenticity "

TomB Said: Personal statement....Im a simple man....although, a bit abstract at times....Sometimes I view what others get very excited over, as, (for lack of better words), cannon fodder, in the big scheme of things....I suppose, I equate devulging into the hail damage/restoration, snake-pit of an industry....dealing with insurance co.s & the such, as becoming a lawyer or a used car salesman....My compass just wont go there....Or maybe Im just lazy....

It's only a snakepit industry if you do snakepit business.

I see the business as something quite logical. The houses are damaged and we are in the business fixing houses. There is plenty of legitimate work to do, so we go there and do legitimate work. There is nothing snakepitty about it.

We have a very high percentage of very thankful clients. They are confused and intimidated by the insurance process. After we hold their hands through the process and put on a great roof, they are very thankful indeed.

We can paint the remodeling industry, in general, as a snakepit industry. Yet, we all know there are good guys and bad guys in every industry. I don't think the roofing business, or the "storm chasing" business is any exception. There are good guys and bad guys in it too.

Personal statement....I'm a simple man....although, a bit abstract at times....Sometimes I view what others get very excited over, as, (for lack of better words), "cannon fodder", in the big scheme of things....I suppose, I equate devulging into the hail damage/"restoration", snake-pit of an industry....dealing with insurance co.'s & the such, as becoming a lawyer or a used car salesman....My compass just won't go there....Or maybe I'm just lazy....

CIAK Said: Tom In highest regards as an objectification , praiseworthiness, respect my man . No one is asking anything more of you or for that matter anyone else . For clarity , how or what did you mean by Am I willing to throw out all morals/ethics I believe in?...ie, when in Rome-Do as the Romans ...?... could you be so kind as to elaborate. Is it in relation to the topic or just a personal statement ? Clarity is the goal. B) :) :) B)

Yes, I'm interested in hearing a little preaching too.

Tom In highest regards as an objectification , praiseworthiness," respect my man ". No one is asking anything more of you or for that matter anyone else . For clarity , how or what did you mean by " Am I willing to throw out all morals/ethics I believe in?...ie, " when in Rome-Do as the Romans "...?... could you be so kind as to elaborate. Is it in relation to the topic or just a personal statement ? Clarity is the goal. B) :) :) B)

Am I prepared for an economic downturn?....Why, yes....Am I willing to throw-out all morals/ethics I believe in? .... i.e.," When in Rome - Do as the Romans"....?....Why, no....Don't need to....But hey....That's just me....Never have gone with the herd mentallity...

Vaa Fakaosifolau Said:

jimAKAblue Said: We are also asking for profit and oh of 10 and 10.

:blink: do you mean 10% on the cost of the job? like in a total markup of 20% for both?

Crikey the minimum we get is 50% and more likely 70%, sometimes 100% for small jobs. either you must have zero overheads or you are big volume.

I wouldnt bother even going out to look at the job or waste my eyes on any plans for 10+10%

I thought slavery was abolished a couple hundred years ago :ohmy:

Thst particular 10 + 10 would be ontop of the entire job scope. I was already getting close to a fifty percent gross profit markup before the ten and ten was added.

All of these numbers are relative. If I pay myself $100 per hour, then add ten percent for overhead and ten percent for profit, I'm doing pretty good for a tradesman.

Jim Are you prepared for economic downturm . That is the thread

jimAKAblue Said: I couldnt find the recent thread where I was asking about exactimate or I would have posted this update/// in there.

Exactimate is more than paying for itself. Im building one tomorrow...a very small cottage: 12 squares of 25 year. Im filing a supplement for about $1500 more than the original estimate for my portion of the roof. We also added about 1500 inside for interior damage and repair. We added another $1000 for an insulated garage door on the workshop. We are also asking for profit and oh of 10 and 10.

Well see how much sticks. If they dont pay the oh and profit, well still be getting about 800 more on the cottage roof scope.

We supplemented another job and did better because it was a bigger roof (30 sq). The job went from 7400 to 9300 without overhead and profit. OH and Profit will push it beyond 11K. We are confident about the 9300.

Who uses XM 27 program . We should open a discussion where things are XM27 and how to use it to our advantage. I would be willing to join in and contribute . Some of what I'm seeing and hearing has a I don't have or use this program don't know how it works . Lets open it up with what XM does . Like it or not this is the future for a lot of Residential contractors.

Vaa....somewhat off-topic, (but not really), I thought I'd address you Profit & Overheard comment.... It all dempends on how a particualr party calculates p&o....There's direct costs which may or may not include what some of us call direct labor burdens, as well as gross & "net" profits. Some calculate P&O according to man-hours, whereas, most, I think, are more conventional and figure P&O based on net sales amounts.

Whatever the method; All things considered equal, (i.e., all playing fair/legal/legit), The costs are the costs; It's not rocket science.

I have always included as much "overheard" as possible, that could be calculated to direct labor cost;....i.e., WC, GL, fed & state taxes are basics....Over time, a company can reflect historically with considerable accuraccy, what other 'overhead' costs could be included into "direct Labor Burdens" category.

That being said, for a small/medium sized outfit, a 10% overheard/10% profit would be a good starting point.....I would consider 10% net profit very successful, especially in these times. I do know, on big work, the P&O is mucc slimmer....4-7% net/actual profit, if all goes well.

Of course, when it comes to mid-America residential roofing....stormers/insurance work, lack of state licensing, misrepresenting employees as subs, (1099'ing), exploiting illegal worker and all the oportunistic/unscrupulous behavior that goes on....All the above goes out the window....Which is what we're talking about here anyway....so why did I just type all this.....????

twill59 Said: Verified: The fellas round here 1099-ing their employees and doing work for a bout $220-230 a square---- YEP! They think theyve hit the jackpot w/ insurance work too! The Legit contractors @ $300 + per sq. are the ones who are feeling screwed. Especially since we are the ones paying the insurance tab!!!!

Twill in Texas thats the prices....$235 is high and you dont get jobs. I make $75 a sq with that. Up north its alot higher cause there is different materials used. We dont need I&W here. Everyone here 1099's their crews. Be hard pressed to find a residential contractor who doesnt. I have insurance and my crews do as well. Most here dont. I would love to make $300 per sq...that would be 90% profit. I am also competing with alot of 2 chucks n a truck. No licensing requirements...I wish there was.

You can say you heard it first here verified .tico I don't take offence you can't understand in real time what I was referring to when I mentioned not understanding you post. I am neither or any of the characters you portray in your post. The numbers in XM are approximately 30% higher than MSB integra. XM is a dream to operate . If any one has had cad experience it will be a snap . Insurance work is the immediate future of this business on a national scale . One thing the stormers do is keep prices high . No discounting etc to get the work . Poor workmanship is not just the stormers . I'm not defending them just a messenger.

I just spoke withan allstate adj on a claim. she told me they are switching to exatimate. There prices are so low its crazy. they say cost is $114 per sq including shingles/ tear off/ nails/ DE/ and pipe jacks. $160 is my cost $110 material and $50 labor. I need to make 30-40% for overhead (insurance, office, holding the warranty and marketing etc). I like to get 220-230 per sq. on a cash 30 year job. With the insurance deals I want more because I have to do more and wait for my money.

And tico just FYI if its werent for a sale some where along the way you wouldnt be working. I am a 2nd generation roofer who didnt ever sell until about 10-11 years ago. I didnt sell full time until 2008. I have callouses on the backs of my knuckles from shingling. the insurance is a nessasary evil when you live and roof in about 80% of the USA. Dont worry Florida is gonna get hit again. yes the bad stormers ruin it (the ones that do bad work and lie and leave). Those of us who live here have to suffer after all the work is done. As well as the homeowners. Last year we got hit bad..they all came an left. this year we are living off the repairs and a few new storms that came thru. Next year may be different. we may have to go to the hometown of some of these stormers that came here so we have work. its a vicious cycle. I am opening a new office in Wichita Falls and will move there in october after my twins are born. I will leave the midland office open. This way I wont have to chase anything hopefully the storms will come to me.