 |
|
NO FREE LUNCH
Email: Larry Eckert |
|
|
|
If you've ever managed real property, you've probably encountered manufacturers' representatives who purport to be roof consultants. They usually offer not only "the best products on the market", but also free evaluation, design and quality control inspections. It's hard to find fault with free stuff, but consider the following.
Manufacturers and their reps make money only if they sell some material. Since part of your job is to manage money, their interests and yours do not exactly overlap. Even if you accept that most of these representatives are honest (and we do), no-sale means no commission and self-preservation is a pretty strong instinct. Their evaluations are likely to skew more to their advantage than yours.
A given product could be of the highest quality, but not necessarily the best for your application. A rep for that product will, of course, be biased in its favor and could be inclined to "make it fit" your circumstances. This can result in inflated initial cost, burdensome maintenance, diminished performance, or all of the above.
Manufacturers sell to roofing contractors, not property managers, and that's where their loyalties tend to lie. The manufacturer's quality control inspector may be disinclined to enforce appropriate standards if doing so would offend a major customer.
We really don't want to tarnish the names of any manufacturers or their representatives. We enjoy a generally good relationship with that segment of the industry. Many of the companies that offer "roof consultation" along with their materials produce quality merchandise but that's not always enough. Acme supplied that coyote with some truly extraordinary products (rocket skates, giant springs, earthquake pills, instant-tunnel paint, etc., but none delivered the desired result. If Wile E. Coyote had retained a qualified consultant instead of relying on Acme to define his needs … roadrunner stew!
Larry Eckert
|
|
