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Home > A Frugality-Without-Sacrifice $7500 Windfall

A Frugality-Without-Sacrifice $7500 Windfall

April 12th, 2014 at 12:03 pm

I just received a letter from the manufacturer of my recently installed roof shingles. The shingle manufacturer is offering to send me a check for $7500 as "full release from any and all claims you have arising out of or in connection with the shingles." That is a $7500 refund on an $8000 roofing job! Is this money that I will have to use to have the roof redone because I went too cheap to begin with? Or is it a sumptuous windfall from my frugality-without-sacrifice* approach to personal finance? Here is the story so you can decide.

Last Fall, I applied my high-outlier-low-outlier approach to getting big job estimates to have my roof replaced.** I saved many thousands and still got a top quality job by a top quality installer using top quality shingles and carrying a full warranty on both the materials and the installation. At the end of the job, the installing company sent its inspector to check the results. He told us there could be a variation in the color of the shingles from what that color was supposed to be. I looked, but how would I tell if the nice color of the shingles was the nice color they were supposed to have? We agreed to have the manufacturer's inspector come take a look.

The manufacturer's inspector came, took photos and went. A short time later we received a letter from the manufacturer telling us that "the color problem you are experiencing will remedy itself after exposure to the elements... so please allow an additional 90 days for this process to take place... after which we will reinvestigate the matter."

Well, I guess they must have reinvestigated and found the color problem to still exist. And so I have that $7500 offer to settle my claim.

IF I had practiced frugality AS sacrifice, I would have looked for and settled for the cheapest roofing job I could get using the cheapest shingles I could find. But that is not what I did. I practiced frugality WITHOUT sacrifice* and looked for the lowest price I could get for a quality job from a quality installer using fully warrantable quality materials. And so, I have my top quality roofing job, shingles that are a bit off-color (to an expert) but still look nice, and an unexpected $7500 check on its way.

Is this dumb luck or the expectable reward from not being penny wise and pound foolish? You already know what I think.

# # #

*My Financial Independence Key:
Text is http://retired-to-win.savingadvice.com/2013/12/17/my-financial-independence-key-separating_106169/ and Link is
http://retired-to-win.savingadvice.com/2013/12/17/my-financi...

**Big Job Estimates Save Me Big Money:
Text is http://retired-to-win.savingadvice.com/2014/03/20/big-job-estimates-save-me-big-money_107839/ and Link is
http://retired-to-win.savingadvice.com/2014/03/20/big-job-es...

6 Responses to “A Frugality-Without-Sacrifice $7500 Windfall”

  1. ThriftoRama Says:
    1397312866

    Um, who cares if the roof shingles don't all match exactly. Cha-ching!

  2. snafu Says:
    1397324964

    I didn't see the warranty, did you get 20, 30 or 50 year shingles? I'd not be terribly fussy about colour changes over 20 years but wonder if there is some problem with the shingles themselves or tar paper underlay or type of nails, or number of nails per running ft. or whether the inspector saw incorrect positioning or some feature he didn't like. I'd ask for a copy of the inspectors observations and final report before deciding if I would sign their release.

    just my 0.02 cents

  3. Retired To Win Says:
    1397325705

    Snafu...

    I appreciate the concern, but no no... there is nothing structurally wrong with these 30-year shingles. And the warranty on the installation (correct number of nails, type of underlay, and all) is separate from the shingles warranty and still in force. And, anyhow, the letter from the shingles manufacturer has a section setting out the defects and only color is indicated.

    AND anyhow, the $7500 would more than cover the entire cost of new 30-year shingles. Wink

  4. Retired To Win Says:
    1397325757

    April 12th, 2014 at 07:27 am
    ThriftoRama Says:
    Um, who cares if the roof shingles don't all match exactly. Cha-ching!


    My sentiments exactly, Thriftorama!

    Thanks for commenting...

  5. snafu Says:
    1397346696

    I find the whole 30 yr warranty a 'pie in the sky' as people move over a 30 year period. What is the likelihood the company will be in business in 2044? We've done 3 roofs in homes in various cities, our Condo board arranged new roofs 2 yrs ago as that was the expiry date on the shingles. Since there was nothing wrong with the majority of units we thought it was silly to re-do all when only 3 units needed replacement. One of the owners tried to find out if new shingles was a matter of choice or mandated by Condo legislation. The language is so convoluted she couldn't tell what it meant. [Her real issue was the fact that the units were to be painted and she objected to the colour...she's one of those who objects to any change]

  6. Retired To Win Says:
    1397351849

    April 12th, 2014 at 04:51 pm
    snafu Says:
    "I find the whole 30 yr warranty a 'pie in the sky' as people move over a 30 year period..."


    I would agree with you, but my wife declared before we had this roof done that it was the last one she would ever do because she has no intentions of moving from this house unless it is feet first. So, we shall see what we shall see... Big Grin

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