Turning a leaky roof into a landmark

By Chris King, PABCO. 

Preserving the aesthetics of this scenic lodge with PABCO shingles that will protect it from the elements.  

When Shane and Sheri Dunlap, the husband-and-wife team behind S&S Roofing were given the project of the La Conner Lodge, they were ready and eager to get started. The duo began their company in 2009 and, as Sheri said, “No job is too small — we do it all. From repairs to complete tear-offs — commercial work and private homes, flat roofs to metal.” 

The La Conner Lodge project was triggered by a leak noticed by the owners. Sheri recalled getting the information about the project, saying, “Somebody reached out to us from the lodge stating that they’d heard good things about S&S and they were looking into putting a new roof on the lodge. They asked us to bid and of course we said yes. We were honored to be awarded the job.” 

After an inspection, Shane Dunlap recommended a complete tear-off and roof replacement, recommending PABCO’s Paramount shingles in Antique Black for aesthetics and durability. 

“The lodge is right there on the water, and the shingles take a beating,” Sheri notes. “Shane has been using PABCO since we started and his father used PABCO. Being able to recommend a good shingle from a good company that stands behind their product make it really easy to recommend putting a PABCO shingle on.” 

The plan called for removing the existing roof, repairing damaged sheathing and installing new underlayment and shingles. Challenges included the size of the project and the fact that the hotel would be fully occupied during the re-roofing process. 

“The lodge was kept open during the project and S&S Roofing team members were trying to be as respectful to the guests as possible while providing a quality job,” Sheri says. “It was also a challenge was being right on the water with the wind.” 

S& S worked closely with hotel management to keep them apprised of the plans each day. Work proceeded in sections, with crews moving from one side of the complex to the other. “We moved along, section by section and we coordinated closely with the manager because we would have to block off certain areas for security and safety,” Sheri says. “La Conner Channel Lodge was amazing to work with during the whole project, helping us keep customers safe while the roofing project was completed.” 

Safety and quality workmanship were the top priorities. “When it comes to safety, it wasn’t just for our employees but those on the ground as well,” Sheri notes. “S&S Roofing takes safety very seriously. Everybody on all of our roofs has to be tied off. On this project we also had to put up safety barriers so guests knew where they could and couldn’t go. We had a team member on the ground who helped direct traffic.” 

The project progressed under the watchful eyes of Shane Dunlap and Jose Arreola, the main foreman. “Shane is very involved with the company, so between Shane and Jose, one of the two was up there constantly making sure employees were staying safe and also that things were going on smoothly and properly, as they should be.” 

The 16,500-square-foot project was successfully completed in four weeks. “Ninety percent of our work is single-family residential homes and this project really showed the strength of not only our employees but also our company being able to take on such a large project while the customer was still open and operating at full capacity,” Sheri says. 

Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and Sheri and Shane Dunlap wouldn’t have it any other way. “Shane and I are very involved with the company,” Sheri says. “We are family owned and operated and our hearts are really here. What I mean by that is we care about the quality, we care about the customers and at the end of the day, we don’t walk away from a job unless the customer is happy.” 

Original article source: PABCO