# Ethics of comparing roof repair estimates **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 21, 2024, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethics-of-comparing-roof-repair-estimates/997888 "2024-02-21T15:39:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2024, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethics-of-comparing-roof-repair-estimates/997888/21 "2024-02-21T17:55:02Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Agreed. One summer would be about all anyone would need to realize that roofing was not something they wanted to do for a living. If it takes you that long to figure it out then roofing might be your only option. Most roofers eventually get injured in a fall. I think a lot of them jump. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2024, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethics-of-comparing-roof-repair-estimates/997888/22 "2024-02-22T02:49:16Z")
I roofed a barn and a house my wife and I built. I slid off a 60 degree barn roof, had time to wonder if the 100 lb test laundry line would take my 120 lbs, and apologize to God for taking His name in vain. I have a $9000 quote and a $7000 quote, a third yet to come. My thought is that $9000 replaces all the decking, bad or not, the $7000 replaces none of it, at $80 per piece of plywood. Was plywood used for roofing in 1956? I’m thinking I will get a $7000 quote expecting to replace plywood, and run into 1 x 6 center match. How bound are the contractors to their quote? Do I get my roof off and an unexpected $3000 increase? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2024, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethics-of-comparing-roof-repair-estimates/997888/23 "2024-02-22T13:10:07Z")
😆 My youngest son worked one summer doing that. He managed not to dive off a roof, either intentionally or not, but he did end up working for Menards (the Midwest version of Home Depot), which is almost as bad, but not as dangerous. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2024, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethics-of-comparing-roof-repair-estimates/997888/24 "2024-02-22T13:27:41Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > It just seems rude. You know, you could argue that the opposite is true: say you’re willing to do a job for eight thousand, but you offer to do it for ten thousand — maybe figuring that your potential customer will tell you if someone else offers to do it for nine thousand. Someone else offers to do it for nine thousand; would you want to hear about that, so you can respond with a lower bid? Or would you rather they just accept the offer of nine thousand, missing out on the chance of instead paying you eight thousand? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2024, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethics-of-comparing-roof-repair-estimates/997888/25 "2024-02-22T13:34:14Z")
How do you fit new decking around vents? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2024, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethics-of-comparing-roof-repair-estimates/997888/26 "2024-03-05T18:30:04Z")
That was the way to go. The bid winner went from $7,200 to $6,500, and none of the three bidders are visibly angry with me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ethics-of-comparing-roof-repair-estimates/997888.md?page=1)