The true story of the worst contractor experience I've ever had.
Learn from my mistakes or you might suffer the same fate.
The true story of the worst contractor experience I've ever had.
Learn from my mistakes or you might suffer the same fate.
Have a look at the estimate that Robinson Roofing & Construction gave us.
It seems straightforward enough.
53 square of 30 year dimensional shingles
15 bundles of 3-tab shingles
6 rolls of synthetic roofing paper
36 pieces of metal drip edge
7 rolls of 30 foot ridge vent
4 boxes of roofing nails
5 pipe flashing boots
and 100 pieces of step flashing
As you can see, the total material cost used for the estimate was $7,420
Note that this is only an estimate, it is subject to change if costs go up or down.
Also note that the date of this estimate was 4/23/2025. This is important to the timeline because it was not accepted until 1/12/2026.
As you can see, we specifically asked if the estimate would be good for a couple of months while we explored our financial options.
Robinson replied that the estimate should still be good because they haven't told him that they [the materials supplier] are raising prices. So [no] the estimate would not go up until that happens.
Robinson made it clear that the estimate was only an estimate and subject to change.
Later, after the job was completed at a significant savings in materials, he insisted that this was not an estimate, but rather a quote for a new roof, because it benefited him financially.
My wife and I decided that financing $21,000 was too big of an interest hit, so we decided to save and pay cash. As you can see in the email chain above, we informed Robinson Roofing of our target date and asked if he can put on a roof in the winter. We also asked where we can go to pick out our roof shingle color.
As you can see in the email, we specifically reiterated that his estimate was for 30-year dimensional shingles.
Robinson replied that the shingles were Certainteed Landmark and that Landmark Pro would be extra. Further demonstrating that his estimate was just that, an estimate.
We would later discover that the Certainteed Landmark were actually less-expensive 25-year shingles in spite of his estimate specifying 30-year shingles. The song and dance he gave us about the warranty is legendary. It's highlighted later in our review.
After the holidays, we let Robinson Roofing know that we were ready. Since it had been a few months, we realized he might have forgotten some of the particular challenges with our roof. Even though we were sure that he had factored in the challenges when he estimated the labor cost of $13,680 we wanted to double-check and give him the shingle sample that we has picked out.
Again, at the time we did not know that he based his estimate on the Landmark Pro shingles not the cheaper Landmark series that he had us look at.
On January 7th, Robinson sent us the text you see here. He arrived later in the afternoon and we re-visited all the problems spots on our roof. He assured us that the $13,680 worth of labor that we were paying would cover the unique work that needed to be done.
At about 10 am on January 13th a group of four Spanish-only speaking laborers were parked in my driveway. I left a voicemail for Robinson that his workers were here and didn't know what to do.
The workers got discouraged and left. they later returned when Robinson arrived.
Robinson himself doesn't speak Spanish. He relies on a person named Ernesto to translate for him.
So both men must apparently be present for anything to get done.
After the workers had left on the first day, I noticed vertical "stripes in the shingle pattern and sent the text here to Robinson.
He blew it off like it was my imagination but miraculously after I pointed it out, it didn't happen anywhere else on the roof. Yes, the stripe pattern is still there and everyone can see it.
Day 2 starts out with Robinson telling me at 8:44 in the morning that "the boys" wouldn't be coming today because it's going to rain.
As you can see from the text chain, I was forced to micro-manage my own roofing job.
Not only did the Spanish-only crew NOT replace the shingles they had torn off, there was still visible plywood sheathing. I was forced to send Robinson the picture you see here to prove that his workers lied to him.
Also note in the text that I pointed out that some of the shingles were only staggered by 1 inch. You can clearly see that in the picture, but Robinson argued the point ad nauseam.
After much coaxing, "the boys" returned to finish the section of work that they had started the day before. It took them all day and the finished after dark. It never rained.
In simple terms, an estimate and a quote are two different ways that contractors like Robinson Roofing and Construction give you an idea of what a job (like a roof replacement) will cost—but they aren't the same thing at all.
An estimate is basically a rough guess or ballpark number. It's like when a roofer looks at your house quickly (maybe from the ground or photos) and says something like, "This roof job should run around $21,100." It's not a promise—it's based on limited info, assumptions about materials, labor, and what they can see so far. The actual price can go down (or up) if they discover things like fewer layers of old shingles than expected, simpler access, or lower material costs than anticipated. Estimates are not binding, meaning the contractor isn't locked into that number, and if the real costs end up lower, they can (and ethically should) adjust the final invoice downward to reflect the savings. Estimates are great for early budgeting or comparing options, but they're flexible and often come with disclaimers like "subject to change" or "final price after full inspection."
A quote, on the other hand, is a firm, detailed offer. It's usually given after a thorough on-site inspection, measurements, and a clear understanding of the full scope of work. It spells out exactly what’s included: specific materials, labor hours, timeline, warranties, and a fixed total price (e.g., "$21,100 including everything listed"). Once you accept a quote (especially if you sign it or it becomes part of a contract), the contractor is generally committed to doing the job at that price—unless you request changes or truly unforeseen major issues pop up (and even then, good contractors handle those with a written "change order" for approval). If actual costs come in lower than quoted (like discovering easier tear-off or bulk material discounts), the contractor should pass those savings on to you via a reduced final invoice or credit—quotes are about certainty, not padding for the company's benefit. Quotes put more risk on the contractor to cover surprises, giving you as the homeowner much more certainty and protection.
When a company like Robinson Roofing and Construction provides what they call an "estimate" but then treats it like a quote—meaning they present it as the final price you'll pay, hold you to the higher amount even when the actual work costs less, and don't remove the extra from the final invoice—that's a mistake (and can be misleading or unfair). It confuses customers because estimates are meant to be preliminary and adjustable in either direction, not a one-way locked-in figure that only benefits the contractor. If they later refuse to credit you for legitimate savings without clear prior agreement, it can feel like they're overcharging, eroding trust. Homeowners end up paying more than necessary for a number that was never truly firm or reflective of the real job. The right approach is transparency: call it an estimate if it's rough and changeable (and adjust fairly if costs drop), upgrade to a detailed quote once everything's clear, and always get important stuff in writing. That way, everyone knows exactly what to expect—no unfair surprises when the bill arrives.
As you can see from the text exchange pictured, the contractor asked if I would have paid more money had the job taken more shingles. He said this because I had asked for an invoice adjustment down (or to receive and keep all 159 estimated) after he used fewer bundles of shingles. Keep in mind, his estimate charged me $7,420 for a specific itemized list of materials, much of which he never had delivered or used on my project. He never provided a quote for a "new roof" as he claims, only a "shopping list" with prices as if I was checking out at Lowe's. I later replied that I absolutely would have paid more if more material was needed. It was, after all, only an estimate.
Have a look at this lovely text exchange with the owner of Robinson Roofing and Construction.
At the top is a picture of the gutter that his workers destroyed and then tried to bend back into shape hoping that I wouldn't notice. As you can see, while I was responding to his-rapid fire texts about charging for materials that he didn't use, I told him that I was going to have to hire another contractor to replace the gutter.
Due to lack of proper tools, his workers put their ladders directly against my gutters and carried heavy bundles of shingles up. During the job, they covered the gutter with a drop cloth that they nailed to the roof so the gutter damage wasn't seen. The drop cloth was there to create a kind of chute to slide old materials into a trailer during the tear-off process. When the drop cloth was removed, the gutter was nearly falling off the house and severely crushed.
The sad fact is, neither Robinson or his workers respected the value of my home. They left food trash in my yard for my dogs to find and choke on, they destroyed plants and dropped heavy materials onto my air conditioner condenser units. The gutter was the most visible damage and this is not the only gutter that was bent out of shape.
As you can see from his response he states that "the only way I ever do a job where I give money back is where I have made a major error" as he did with one of my neighbors. Unfortunately my neighbor failed to tell me that Robinson had made major errors on his roof job. But honestly, it's embarrassing to admit that you hired the wrong guy who might have lowered your property value, so I understand why my neighbor kept that to himself.
He goes on to try to re-characterize his estimate as a quote by stating that it was for a new roof, which isn't mentioned in the estimate at all. But more about that later.
He continues to accuse me of some wrongdoing by listening to my own voicemail. Just to be clear, he left a strange voicemail and I had to listen to it a few times to figure out that it was a butt-dial and that he was talking about me and the workers on my roof. He accuses me of being "perverted". In a later text he said "Go ahead and sit in your closet and listen to your voicemail...I know you're gonna get off on that".
This is by no means the only hostile text from Robinson. In another text he admits to slandering me to his workers stating "Ernesto and I had a long talk this morning and I explained to him the type of person you are and what You're going to do to him." Which explains why Ernesto told me later in the day that Robinson said that he better hurry up and get his air compressor and ladders before I steal them.
In a more hilarious text exchange, he "threatened" me by asking if I wanted to get his vendor involved. He seemed to think that I should be afraid of his building materials supplier. For a few minutes there, it felt like I was talking to a kid threatening to "tell his mom" rather than a guy in his late 60's. It still makes me chuckle and shake my head.