Alvin vs hiring a virtual assistant for your contracting business
A full-time virtual assistant from an agency costs roughly $1,600 to $2,900 a month for contractors, and a good one is worth it. Alvin does much of the same office work at a fraction of the cost, at any hour, with a receipt for every step. A VA still wins on phone calls and judgment.
On this page
Side by side
Scroll sideways to see every column.
| A virtual assistant | Alvin | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | About $1,600–$2,900 full-time through agencies (examples: Stealth Agents, Virtual Latinos, MyOutDesk) | Standard $99/mo, Pro $299/mo, plus usage in credits |
| Hours | Set shifts | Any hour, including the 10pm stack of paperwork |
| Ramp-up | Weeks of training; starts over if they leave | Connect your apps once; Alvin remembers your business |
| Logins | You hand a person your passwords | Encrypted vault, filled in at sign-in, never shown to the AI |
| Record of work | Whatever they write down | Every action: who asked, who approved, before/after values, screenshots. Can’t be edited or deleted |
| Phone calls and judgment | Yes | No phone line today; anything unclear comes back to you |
Prices and features as published by each company, checked October 4, 2026. They change; check their site for current details.
Where a virtual assistant is strong
- Real judgment, and they can pick up the phone.
- They build relationships with your suppliers and adjusters.
- They can work in any software you give them a login to.
Where Alvin is different
- Costs a fraction of a full-time VA and doesn’t clock out.
- Your logins stay in a vault instead of a spreadsheet you emailed overseas.
- Nothing to retrain when someone leaves: Alvin’s memory of your business stays.
- Every action has a receipt your bookkeeper can audit.
Can you use both?
A VA plus Alvin is a strong setup: the VA handles calls and judgment calls, and asks Alvin for the repetitive work, under their own role limits.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a virtual assistant for a roofing company cost?
Agency prices we checked run from about $1,600 a month (Stealth Agents, about $10/hr full-time) to $1,988 (MyOutDesk) and $1,600–$2,900 for an entry-level LatAm assistant (Virtual Latinos). Check each agency for current rates.
Can Alvin make phone calls?
Not today. Alvin works in your apps and by email; the office phone line is on the roadmap.
Can my VA use Alvin?
Yes. Add them as a team member with their own role and limits. Their requests get receipts like everyone else’s.
Sources
See Alvin do your office work.
Hand Alvin real requests in the demo, or book a pilot and we’ll set up your apps with you.