Depending on which side of the fence you stand, you may prefer an in-person assessment at your home, or you may prefer to get a free online estimate. We have found most potential clients prefer to get a free online estimate and provide their information via email to [email protected] or call and text to 844-567-2329.
“Wait! I can text my information to you?” The answer is yes, you can. If you are interested in this, go to our checklist to see what information we will ask of you. Or maybe you are wondering what factors we consider when we create an estimate. If so, please visit our article What We Consider In a Log Home Restoration Estimate.
You may already be thinking of a few pros and cons regarding the online estimate versus meeting someone in person. In this article, we will give you a brief explanation of the pros and cons of a free online estimate versus in-person assessment.
Pros of Free Online Estimate
The pros of a free online estimate can greatly vary from customer to customer. Similar to the many differences in log homes, your pros may differ from other customers. Your needs may not be the same as another log homeowner. And that is completely normal.
We are an Environment Friendly Company
For example, you may have a vacation cabin several miles from your home. Maybe your cabin is states away. You do not want to drive 6 or more hours to show it for a matter of an hour. Understandable. It is easier for you to do an online estimate. In fact, this is our favorite way as well. Because we are an environmentally friendly company and would prefer not to pollute the air with more gas fumes than necessary, we use updated technological advances to create an estimated proposal using the photos and information we receive from you.
We have a Text Friendly Phone Number
You can text us your information and pictures all from the convenience of your cell phone. No need to take a few days off or spend money on gas to get there on a day that is convenient for both you and us. Reasons potential customers prefer a free online estimate can vary from:
- it is free. FREE!!!!!! NO COST!!!
- they recognize the need for companies, like ours, to go as green as possible by preserving gas and protecting the air environment from harmful fumes
- it is safer for them because:
- we are strangers to them, which we completely understand; we watch crime shows, too.
- current concerns over personal health safety, especially for immune compromised individuals
- convenience of not having to be available to show their log cabin
- keeps the physical location of a vacation log cabin private until they decide to become a client
- it is a faster turnaround especially if they are getting multiple estimates to compare
Cons of Online Estimate
The cons of an online estimate is usually only felt by the customer. Perhaps, you, the log homeowner have a difficult time communicating what you want to convey. Do not worry about this as we will ask a lot of clarifying questions to better understand your needs.
Maybe you do not have a great understanding of how to use your cell phone to send pictures. Not to say you are a caveman, but you may not even have a cell phone or internet. You are not alone.
Electronically Impaired…LOL
Or you do not understand how to send attachments in an email. This is actually common and we are generally able to walk you through it. You can even jump on your computer and one of our staff can guide you through it using Google Meet.
You probably would not be reading this article if you liked to stay disconnected from the world but we have a miniscule amount of customers like this, too. Or you are sitting in a library thinking, “Is she joking?”
Due Diligence
Occasionally, we experience a con. When this happens, it is usually due to information that was not included or because a customer was unaware of the extensive damage inside the logs. This is why we suggest checking for log rot and insect infestation.
Pros of an In-Person Assessment
The most common pro of an in-person assessment is generally a way for you and us to meet and bond. There is just something that happens after meeting in-person. First impressions tend to be on the money. You discover things about the person you are meeting. Maybe you feel more comfortable and more trustful. However, it may have nothing to do with the person you are meeting. There are many other reasons why a person could prefer to meet in-person. This could be due to them:
- lacking a camera
- not knowing what pictures to send us
- preferring to meet people and judging their character before they can trust them with their log cabin
- not being confident in their level of effectively communicating their concerns
- only having a land line and not having a cell phone or email service
- not trusting our company to assess their log home via online communication without seeing the home in-person
- having not read the History of Log Masters Restorations
- lack of access to the internet and are unable to see our ratings with the Better Business Bureau or Google Reviews
This way is not necessarily the quickest way to get an estimate as it would require an appointment based on our availability. However, if time is not an issue, then we look forward to our first visit and tour of your log cabin.
Cons of an In-Person Assessment
The cons are pretty straight forward as they are the opposite of the pros for an online estimate. The most notable is the lack of a free estimate. A fuel and service recovery fee is charged for in-person estimates. This is our newest company policy to combat the ever rising inflation. This is not a tax. It is a fee. To understand, click here to read about the fee.
You could probably even add more to the cons, which I would be glad to get your comments on and add them to this article. I love hearing from anyone whom reads our articles.
We Will Accommodate
Either way, if a potential customer is near one of our two locations, or happens to be on the way to a client’s log home, we can accommodate this request for free. Whichever you prefer, whether free online or in-person, we try to make it convenient and safe for our potential customer.