"Insurance adjusters sometimes prefer local invoices and paperwork; smoother claims process."
Yeah, that's a solid point. I've seen adjusters get pretty picky about paperwork, especially after storms. But honestly, I've had mixed experiences with local suppliers too—some are great, others...not so much. Had one local place drag their feet for weeks after a hailstorm, while an online order I placed around the same time showed up in perfect shape within days. Go figure.
Still, you're right about the risks. If you're in storm country, it's probably worth paying a bit extra for peace of mind. Personally, I'd say check reviews carefully either way—local or online. And if you do go online, maybe order well ahead of storm season to avoid those last-minute shipping nightmares. Learned that one the hard way myself, haha.
"Personally, I'd say check reviews carefully either way—local or online."
Yeah, totally agree with this. Reviews saved me from a nightmare once. I almost went with a local shop because their prices were tempting, but a quick look online showed tons of complaints about delays and damaged sheets. Ended up ordering from another local supplier with better feedback, and it worked out great. Moral of the story: cheap isn't always cheerful, haha...
Definitely smart to check reviews first—seen plenty of storm repairs go sideways due to poor-quality roofing sheets. Even good installers can't fix bad materials.
Couple quick thoughts:
- Did you notice if the negative reviews were mostly recent or spread out over time? Sometimes suppliers change management or sourcing.
- Curious if anyone's found differences in durability between local vs online suppliers...anyone had metal sheets hold up better long-term from one source over another?
Good points about checking review timelines—I hadn't thought of that. Honestly, as a first-time homeowner, I'm still figuring out how much weight to give online vs local suppliers. My neighbor swears by a local place because he can actually see and touch the materials beforehand, but I've also heard online suppliers sometimes offer better warranties. Guess it depends on comfort level...but either way, quality definitely seems worth paying extra attention to.
"My neighbor swears by a local place because he can actually see and touch the materials beforehand..."
Yeah, I totally get that. When we replaced our roof after storm damage last year, I felt way more confident going local because I could physically check out the quality and thickness of the sheets. Online warranties can sound great, but have you looked into how easy it is to actually claim them if something goes wrong? Might be worth asking around about people's real experiences with warranty claims before deciding...
