I get what you're saying about volatile pricing, especially after storms—I've definitely seen roofing materials spike overnight too. But honestly, isn't the whole point of a quote to give customers some peace of mind and clarity? If we're constantly adjusting prices based on every little fluctuation, aren't we kinda undermining trust?
Maybe instead of shortening the quote validity period, we could look at other ways to handle volatility. Like, what if quotes had built-in flexibility for certain materials? For example, you could lock in labor costs and stable materials for 30-45 days but clearly state that highly volatile items (like shingles after a storm) might be subject to a percentage adjustment if market conditions drastically change. That way, customers still have predictability on most of their costs, and contractors aren't left holding the bag when prices skyrocket overnight.
Also, from experience, I've noticed that transparency goes a long way. Customers appreciate knowing upfront that certain things might shift slightly rather than getting blindsided later. I remember last year after that big hailstorm hit town, one contractor I know honored his original quotes fully—even though material prices jumped like crazy—and he ended up losing money on several jobs. Another contractor was upfront about potential price adjustments from the start and didn't face nearly as much pushback from clients when prices inevitably rose.
I guess my point is, maybe it's less about how long we honor quotes and more about how clearly we communicate the terms and conditions around them. People generally understand market realities if you lay it out honestly from the beginning...
I like the idea of splitting out stable vs. volatile materials—makes sense to me. When I got my roof done last year, the contractor had a clause about potential price adjustments for shingles, but labor and other materials were locked in. Honestly, it didn't bother me at all because they explained it clearly upfront. Transparency really does help...customers just don't like surprises, especially expensive ones, lol.
Splitting out volatile materials is definitely a smart move, especially now with supply chains being so unpredictable. One thing I'd suggest is setting clear timeframes for how long your quotes are valid—maybe 30 or 60 days max—and explicitly mentioning that after this period, prices might be adjusted based on market conditions. When I helped a friend plan his green roof recently, we did exactly that. Customers appreciated the clarity upfront, and it saved everyone from awkward conversations later on...
Setting clear expiration dates definitely seems like a good way to handle it, especially given how crazy pricing has gotten lately. I remember when we redid our patio deck last year, the lumber prices were all over the place. The contractor gave us a quote that was valid for 45 days, which seemed fair at the time. But even then, by the end of that period, prices had shifted enough that we had to revisit some material choices.
One thing I'm curious about though: how do you handle situations where customers come back after the quote expires and prices have gone up significantly? Do you find it easier to just explain the market shifts openly, or are there other strategies you've found helpful to ease any potential disappointment? I imagine some customers might feel blindsided if they didn't fully understand how volatile things can be.
Also, do you think there's a sweet spot for how long quotes should remain valid? 30 days might feel a bit short to some buyers who need more time to plan or secure financing, but 60 days might be risky if you're dealing with highly unstable material costs. Has anyone experimented with different lengths and found one timeframe that customers are generally comfortable with?
Anyway, from my perspective as someone who's usually watching the budget pretty carefully, transparency is really appreciated—even if it's not always great news...
