When is enough? (Random thoughts on roofing)

So I am the proud owner of a roofing company........all the bills, all the responsibility, the lack of work but I can't really complain, at least about the work we do find. We have been a small company doing what we can for the past few years, we have earned our reputation and we have weathered the storms... $4 gas, materials price increases, bad economy, but really, enough is enough.

I went to work down in the greater houston area (I am from El Paso) as a sub for a roofing company (who shall remain nameless), only to be worse off than when we left. They have alot of work, all insurance based and from what I have seen mostly 'fraud' in my honest opinion. Knock a door, offer a free roof, and jump up on top and tear off shingles......blame it on Ike.

Total BS, I have been doing roofing work for 7+ years now, insurance work, work for GCs, repair work, regular maintenance and now I am starving for work when 'fraudsters' are living high on the hog. Problem here is there are no real 'storms' and when the last one hit in 07 (giant hail) most anyone who had homowners insurance got a new roof (by out of town companies who left in a firestorm of lawsuits for poor workmanship, slick contracting and just plain unacceptable business practices) and so now with the economy how it is and our severe lack of rain to get people thinking of their roofs we get to twiddle our thumbs and just sit patiently for our next lead to call.

Is anyone else in this situation? We have considered going out of town and 'storm chasing' so find work but everything I beleive in is at odds with that scenario, I believe in good work, repeat customers and doing things on the up and up with the insurance companies.

I dunno, maybe I am just getting hypersensitive to this industry and I should just go along with the storm companies, get an rv, a cell phone and start collecting checks. Any opinions?>>>

el paso go chase a storm its the in thing to do nowadays were loading up the truck and headed for a storm area know to just because we like money and having it to spend!>>>

Hi Eric,

Since you are working Houston as a sub probably for what amounts to a days pay without the satisfaction why not advertise your own company in the area ?

Don't do everything I say or even copy what I have done in the past when roofing, first my business is in Ireland and the UK so the big picture was always different or so I thought before I came in here.

When in London (a long way from Dublin) I used every trick and then some to make money, working on roofs was a means to an end.

I ran small ads in all the local newspapers, flyers in doors, even tried local radio.

I was advertising Quality Work, Quality Materials, Customer Service, I even went as far as arranging insurance backed guarantees, not as hard as it looks I just got the UK suppliers to give me the same back up their Irish equals provided.

I made good money but equally important I can walk down any street I worked on and meet with the people I worked for knowing they got good value.

>>>

El What is the lesser of the two . Having the monies to enjoy when you can THE LOVELY MRS and kids or staying at home not having the dough with all that brings. I happen to be in a position where I travel most of the time because I want to and I'm payed very handsomely for it. You have the equipment go out and get your self some of that work. You are getting smarter as to what it takes since 06 .>>>

CIAK - I am not saying anyone who is a stormer does shoddy work, just that's what happened here. Before out first real big hailstorm back in 06 nobody here had the kind of insurance knowledge to do what the stormers did, we would look, measure, give a bid with a price. If insurance covered it we would roof it, if not then the homeowner generally went to someone cheaper. When people showed up selling "free roofs" we were blown out of the water. We have our loyal customers but honestly with a city our size we can only get so much work out of them, and to be honest, if you do good work then there is not real need for callbacks so we are SOL. I have been thinking about what you said....follow the work but I have poured everything into my company here, my own $, paying employees even when there is no company money to do so, buying all our equipment and now it's just depressing to watch other people committing insurance fraud and getting rich when we play by the rules and can't afford to eat. I dunno, I guess this year is going to be a make or break year for us, I have already been looking at going to Austin or even Midland to chase the hail but since I have a wife and a 3 and 7 yr old it is a big step just to leave for work.>>>

quote/]twill59 Said: Tough decisions we will all be facing. CIAKs got the answer. If everyone is robbing, then rob bigger.

Twill I can't believe you posted this. I never stated anything even close to " everyone is robbing rob bigger. " Man that is so lame. What I am trying to get across is " market the area you want to roof like the predator stormer's are . Do a better job than your supposed competition . " I'm not even now sure you understood that ????? twill . You just are not ready for anything with more . Whew , I'm flabbergasted at that mindless comment. El If you have a Texas lic why don't you move where the other people are roofing and get er done. You can do as good of a job elsewhere can't you.??? I'm not understanding the idea I have to do losy work and rip people off because I'm working for a stormer . Help me out will you .I just don't get it ???>>>

I have been advertising locally for more work like none other but out here in the desert of west Texas there is so little to damage a properly installed roof that the phone only seems to ring if it is raining or if the wind set that nice new roof in your neighbors yard. I have been fixing alot of improperly installed roofs due to nailing way too high on the shingles, and/or leaks but here I personally know the owners of three of the largest companies (local, legit, hard working companies) and even they are feeling the squeeze. I guess we just have to keep trucking on, hope for cloudy skies and keep the word out about out of town roofing companies.>>>

I hear ya.....It's a discusting biz...Nothing at all like some of us remember it was, when we began.....For me, it was in 1983....You just have to move on to something else, or possibly a niche where more palatable general ehtics/morals are practiced....Otherwise your forever in angst. The alternative, as you said, it to become one.....You know; "When in Rome......".....Course, then there's something my dad used to say..."If you swim in s#!* long enough - some's bound to rub-off on ya". :laugh:>>>