An estimator who mentions financing too early sounds like a salesperson. One who never mentions it leaves the homeowner to assume they have to pay the whole amount at once. Good wording sits between those two, and it's the same for every person on your team.
What it is
We write practical talking points for the people who meet homeowners:
- In-home estimators, at the kitchen table or on the driveway with a tablet
- Office staff, who answer the phone when a homeowner asks "do you do payment plans?"
- Canvassers, if you knock doors after storms or in neighbourhoods where you're already working
Each script follows the same order: the roof's condition, the options, the price, and only then the payment option, in your lender's approved words.
Who it's for
It's for roofing companies whose estimators describe financing differently, or skip it because they don't want to sound pushy. It also suits companies that just signed a lender program and need everyone using it the same way from day one.
What's included
- a one-hour session with your best estimator to understand how they actually sell
- the estimate conversation in five stages, with suggested phrases
- the exact financing description, plus three common questions and approved answers
- a phone script for the office
- doorstep wording and a hand-off to a booked estimate, if you canvass
- a one-page "never say" list, including approval promises, invented payments and pressure deadlines
- a short refresher for new hires
The kitchen-table order
- Show the evidence. Photos of the decking, flashing and shingles, explained plainly.
- Offer options. For example, a like-for-like asphalt replacement and an upgraded system.
- State the price for each option. Clearly, in writing.
- Pause. Let the homeowner react.
- Mention the payment option. "Some homeowners prefer to spread the cost. We work with [Lender name], a licensed lender; you'd apply with them directly and they decide. Would you like the information?"
The bracketed placeholder is replaced with your lender only if your agreement allows you to name them.
Selling-law awareness, not legal advice
Several provinces regulate selling at the customer's home and contracts where money changes hands before work is done. Alberta, for example, requires a prepaid contractor licence and posted security in some door-to-door situations under its prepaid contracting rules. Each region page on our areas overview links the relevant consumer-protection office. We flag these rules so you can confirm them; we don't interpret them for you.
Timeline
- Week 1: session with your estimator and review of the lender's materials.
- Week 2: drafts for you and, if required, your lender.
- Week 3: final version and a 45-minute walkthrough with your team.
How results are measured
We compare estimates before and after the scripts: how often financing comes up, how often homeowners ask for the lender's information, and whether the signed-job rate moves. These numbers feed the financing tracking report.
Handling the three questions homeowners always ask
Most financing questions at the kitchen table fall into three groups, and each needs an honest answer that doesn't drift into lending advice.
"What's the interest rate?" Your estimator doesn't know the homeowner's rate, because the lender sets it after an application. The right answer points them to the lender's own information and disclosure documents.
"Will I be approved?" Only the lender can say. The script makes that clear without discouraging anyone from applying.
"Is it cheaper to pay cash?" That's a question about the homeowner's own finances. Estimators should explain that the roof price is the same either way, if that's true under your agreement, and suggest they compare the lender's terms with their other options.
These answers protect your estimators as well as your customers. Nobody on your team should feel they need to improvise about someone else's loan.
Mistakes to avoid
- Leading with the monthly payment. It looks like you're hiding the price.
- Promising approval. Only the lender decides.
- Inventing urgency. "This price is only good today" damages trust and can run into consumer-protection problems.
- Letting each estimator improvise the financing description.
For the rest of the toolkit, see the services overview.
Frequently asked questions
My estimators hate scripts. Will this work?
We write talking points, not a recital. Each covers the order of the conversation and a few exact phrases about financing that must stay word for word, because the lender approved them.
Can estimators help homeowners fill in the credit application?
That depends on your lender's agreement and its rules. Many programs have homeowners apply directly. We write the hand-off accordingly and never have your staff handle financial information beyond what the lender permits.
Do you train door-to-door teams?
We write the doorstep wording and the hand-off to an estimate. Provincial rules on direct selling and prepaid contracts vary, so we point your team to the right consumer-protection office and suggest you confirm with them.
How do you handle storm canvassing?
With extra care. After storms, homeowners are wary of strangers at the door. Our wording leads with your local presence and an inspection offer, never with financing.