- Ran into the “today only” thing after last year’s hail storm. Three different crews, same pitch.
- Didn’t see any real jump in shingle prices at the supply yard that week. Maybe a couple bucks per bundle, but nothing wild.
- My mentor says if a quote’s only good for a day, it’s usually about getting you to sign fast, not about material costs.
- Only time I’ve heard of overnight price hikes was during the big COVID shortages—felt like everything was out of stock or backordered, but even then, most quotes held for at least a few days.
- Around here (Midwest), most folks expect a week or two to decide. Feels fair, especially with insurance stuff dragging out.
- I get that prices can change, but the hard sell always makes me suspicious. If it’s a real deal, why not give people a chance to think?
- Maybe it’s different in other regions, but I haven’t seen legit “act now or pay double” situations except in stories.
Just my take—maybe I’ll see it differently after a few more seasons...
Had the same thing happen after a windstorm last spring—got three quotes, two of them said “today only” and tried to get me to sign right there. I actually called the supply yard myself and prices hadn’t changed at all. Like you said,
Ended up going with the guy who gave me a week to decide. If someone’s rushing you, I’d take a step back and double-check what’s really going on. In my experience, unless there’s some wild shortage, a week or two is pretty normal.“the hard sell always makes me suspicious.”
That “today only” pitch always rubs me the wrong way. Had a similar deal after a hailstorm—one guy even tried to say the price would jump by 30% overnight, which just didn’t add up. I called around and, like you, found out materials were steady. What’s worked for me: get the quote in writing, ask how long it’s good for, and check if there’s any real reason for a rush. Usually, a week or two is totally reasonable unless there’s some crazy supply chain thing going on. If someone’s pushing hard, I’d be wary.
That “today only” sales tactic drives me nuts too.
I get that prices can change, but unless you’re in the middle of a hurricane or something, it just feels like pressure. I had a guy come out to quote my roof last month—he said his “manager” would only let him honor the price for 24 hours. I told him straight up that if that was the case, I’d just keep shopping. Suddenly, he could “check with the office” and give me a week. Funny how that works.Usually, a week or two is totally reasonable unless there’s some crazy supply chain thing going on.
I’m curious, though—has anyone actually seen legit reasons for quotes to expire super fast? Like, outside of massive storms or lumber shortages? My area’s pretty stable (Midwest), and even after a nasty hailstorm last year, most companies gave me written quotes good for at least 10 days. The only exception was one company blaming “volatile shingle pricing,” but when I called their supplier, nothing had changed in months.
I’m new to this whole home repair thing, so maybe I’m missing something. But it seems like if someone’s really pushing you to sign same-day, it’s more about closing the deal than any real price jump. Is there ever a valid reason to sign right away? Or is it mostly just sales tactics?
Also—how do you all handle it if you get a quote, then prices actually do go up before you decide? Do most companies stick to their written quote, or have you had them try to back out? Just trying to figure out what’s normal here...
I’ve only seen super short quote windows when there’s a legit shortage—like during the lumber spike in 2021, but even then, most places gave me at least 3 days. Usually, if someone’s pushing for a same-day signature, it’s just a sales move. If prices go up before you decide, I’d expect them to honor the written quote for whatever period they promised (usually 7-14 days around here). Had one try to back out once, but I just showed them the paperwork and they stuck to it.
