Opinions Needed

I buy strictly from one supplier, I buy more roofing materials than any other roofing contractor in the area. I get a discount due to volumn I do with the supplier. , as do all the other roofing contractors. My discount is no more , or no less than all the others, which is fine with me. Today I found out that one of my competetors was paying nearly $3.oo less per bundle for 30 year than I was. , adds up to $9.00 per square. Doesn't seem like a lot, but over the course of the year adds up to quite a lot. The bad part is , not just the money, but now I feel I cannot trust the supplier. He called me and said, "oh, the guy asked for a break on costs just on this one job, so I went ahead and gave it to him". To make matters worse the other contractor was getting this discount on a job I had bid on also, so it undermined my bid in my opinion. My question, would you continue with the same supplier? Would you take his word that this was just a one time thing he did?>>>

Check other suppliers prices. Business is business. But remember you're buying more than just materials. Customer service and convenience must be taken into account.>>>

I would be inclined not to believe that it was a one time thing. And I would be ticked off. That's a lot of dollars over time. I would begin to shop around for pricing and see what else is out there. I am assuming that there is more than one supplier in your area. I buy from 3 different suppliers. They are all good and they all want my business. I have my preferences and buy most of my shingles from just one yard but that can change at any time based on service and costs. It's good to keep a relationship with more than one supplier. imho>>>

The Yellow pages is the same way. Everyone pays different prices for the same size ads! lol Its about whats the most we can get? But then again isn't that the way us Contractors are also? lol $10 per square inluding tax is a lot of money. If the average house is 30 sq. then its $300 per job. Do 100 jobs a year thats $ 30,000!!! That'll buy you a nice new truck paid for in one year! Yikes! ABC supply used to start me off at some fairly low pricing and then raise the pricing a little at a time over a few months without my knowledge to get me where they wanted me. Then i would call and complain and they would drop the pricing back down only to just repeat the process all over again! lol I looked into buying direct from the manufacurer but they require X amount of warehouse space ( which wouldnt be a problem to get for the savings ) But they also gave me the Ole " Were not looking for any more suppliers in your area at this time " Routine! :angry:>>>

I would call the supplier and tell him since he can give discounts to someone else that you can shop somewhere else now. If he wants your business he has to be competitive with his prices. Remember that old saying don't put all your eggs in one basket. It seems to apply with this story as well.>>>

My wife runs a material supply yard and I just talked to here and she said if she quotes a job to multiple contractors she gives them the same price on material only (ie) shingles, felt etc..

thats on big jobs not just a 25 sq shingle job>>>

I always call several suppliers before ordering any shingle or copper. as far as service they are all the same. I find when one is lower like say Bradco gives me a price of $3.00 a pound on copper I'll take that # and and call my other supplier and tell them to beat it. And they do almost every time. One thing I do is tell them up front to give me there very best price up front because I don't have time for games. I always pay my bills on time and that helps with leverage to get better prices.>>>

I appreciate everyones input, I do have another supplier who hounds me constantly, I will definately will be giving him a shot at backing up his sales pitch, the big thing besides price ia service, and we need on time deliveries daily. He says they will not have a problem keeping up with our demand, but I am not too sure, as they are 45 miles from our market area. Yet, I still think it is worth the effort to try them. I have been with the same supplier for 15 years, and I guess I am sort of set in my ways now. but I considered what just happpened a breach of trust, above the monetary element of this, and when you add both together, it is enough to make me switch suppliers. I just can't figure, I do five times the volumn as the contractor who had the lower purchase prices, and I always pay my monthly bill on time, never been late.>>>

WEbmaster Steve; Maybe it's just an ethical thing or possibly particular state regulations/laws....But I was told several times over the years that a supplier must quote the same price if it's on a particular job/project....If word gets out, it could be dissastorous for the supplier.....Just on the ethical issue alone....>>>

TomB

Not state regulated here

but you definalty would not want to quote 2 of your good customers a different price on the same project.

But I never shopped numbers either, It might just be me but if I want my supplier to ethical I figured I should be to.

I called 3 suppliers for every project (not residential) I had a price list up to a specific amount of sq's when they asked what the other guy was quoting I would tell them it does'nt matter just give me your numbers>>>

Mike M, even on small jobs, no less than three quotes. Don't worry about distance from you, believe me they are running your neighborhood. True, quantity of sales can better your discount. You have to let them know you are comparing prices, this guy already knows he has your business. Not good, let him know he has to compete with others. On our big jobs we had salesman calling us once they heard we were awarded a contract. Doesn't matter if its 20,200,2000 sq. shop around. We never an enemy we had suitors. PC>>>

I had an instance about 6 years ago where a homeowner-exbuilder was quoted a price that was lower than mine. I had bid the job for a house that he had just built for his son. When I gave him the quote he said I was charging a lot for labour as I was probably paying less than $40 a square for shingles. I told him that the 30 year fibreglass were $45 a square plus tax and he laughed and said he could get them for $42.50 at the same supplier. I called him on it and he showed me a quote from the suppliers salesman. Almost all the prices for the accessories were also cheaper than what I was paying.

I booked an appointment with the branch manager and the salesman and told them what happened. The salesman had the excuse that this was an old customer that he was doing a favor for and was a one time occurance. I told them that unless they lowered their price to match the contractors, I would shop elsewhere. I ended up with a new pricing schedule at $42.50 a square from there on in.

The salesman became the branch manager about a year later and we have an excellent working relationship. I still only pay $48 a square for 30 year laminated fiberglass Pabco Premier and $52 a square for Landmark 35 year.>>>

---Hey, Seen-It-All, where are you. $48/sq for Pabco is ??? I was just quoted $56 locally in Seattle. And there is a Pabco factory in Tacoma 30 miles away. ---As for the original question...I would have a sit down meeting with the head honcho and I mean CEO of that supplier. I would lay out the situation and ask for an explanation...especially for you, who you are and who you have been the last 15 years. What happened to you is absolutely not kosher, especially on the same job for cryin out loud. ---I know suppliers raise their rates sneekily. And every now and then I check around. But I do not check for every job. I have raised a ruckus a few times and gotten a nice credit on my account when I did. But I don't have time to always watch the rates. Lanny>>>

Lanny: I'm on Vancouver Island, Nanaimo to be exact. These prices make no sense at all when you consider the shipping costs across Georgia Strait and over to the Island. Last year I ordered 570 sq of GAF Timberline 40 year and got them landed in the yard at $51.00 a square.>>>

Vancouver Island!!! Who is your supplier? My quote was from Pioneer. Lanny>>>

lanny: Convoy Supply, it's a weird thing because on occasion I've had to pull material out of a B.C. mainland branch to do a project and the prices on the mainland are always higher. I order through the Nanaimo branch to get the pricing and pick up where I'm doing the work. There is an independent lumber yard on Vancouver Island that is the main competition for Convoy plus Roofmart and Steel Bros. which has kept the price down. They probably make it up on accessories.>>>