As a business owner, you have likely suffered through a poorly-managed project run by an outside consultant or contractor - where the project goals and scope of work were not adequately defined, deadlines were not met, key stakeholders were not properly involved, or communication was poor. It was probably frustrating, and, even worse, it was an expensive waste of time and money. Don’t worry - we’ve all been there.
At GIDEON, we've delivered millions of dollars worth of successful commercial roofing projects for our clients, and one thing we've learned over that time is that success starts with the discovery call. Without it, a project is rarely a good experience for you or your contractor.
In this article, we'll discuss why the discovery call is so important, how you, as a building owner, can use it to vet your contractor, and how you can prepare for it.
The discovery call's primary function is to help you and the contractor discover if you're a good fit to work together. They need to understand your situation, your goals, your budget, and your expectations for the project. You need to know if they are capable of helping you achieve your goals.
A good contractor will ask you questions about the age of your roof and building, what it’s used for, what kind of problems you've experienced, what kind of maintenance, repairs, and replacements you've done in the past, what your biggest concerns are, what your budget is, and what your timeline is. They are (or at least they should be) vetting you as a client as well as gathering the necessary information to see if they can deliver on your needs
You should also be vetting them. Ask your contractor the following:
This screening process is the discovery call's first and most vital function.
Many contractors skip the discovery call and simply set up an inspection. But this can lead to much wasted time for both you and the contractor because they can't do an efficient inspection without preliminary information.
Learning what kind of roof you currently have, any history of installations and maintenance, as well as your current problems and goals, will help the contractor determine what type of inspection needs to be done and what tools they need to bring for the job.
It will also help you both understand if they're even the right company for the job at all - some companies work only on certain kinds of problems or certain types of roofs. The last thing you want to do is to waste time meeting them for an inspection, only to discover they can't help you.
If you do choose to work with the contractor, the discovery call lays the foundation for those crucial aspects of managing a successful project: project goals, scope of work, budget, timeline, how communication will be handled, who the key stakeholders are, etc.
At GIDEON, we do free discovery calls with all potential clients. If you choose to set one up with us, we recommend the following preparation:
#1. Set aside at least 30 minutes of uninterrupted time for the meeting so we can have a thorough discussion.
#2. Be prepared to answer questions about the following:
#3. Be prepared to discuss past experiences with roof repairs or replacements, like:
#4. Have important documents on hand, including:
#5. Recall any major weather events, like storms or hail, and whether the roof was inspected afterward. If possible, try to remember the dates of these events.
#6. Bring together key stakeholders who may have more information about the roof, like your head of maintenance. Having them participate in the call will ensure a more comprehensive understanding of the situation.
Remember, this discovery call is not about GIDEON; it's about you. Your input is essential for us to craft the right solution. The more information you can provide, the better the outcome.
We've all experienced the frustration of hiring the wrong company and dealing with delays, poor work, and unexpected costs. A good discovery call helps both you and the contractor set the foundation from the start and make sure the job gets done right. Now that you've learned about the importance of the discovery call, we recommend reading about the next vital step in the process of hiring a good commercial roofing contractor: the inspection.