Will Lorenz - Driving HOA Business in 2022 - PODCAST TRANSCRIPTION

Editor's note: The following is the transcript of an live interview with Will Lorenz from General Coatings. You can read the interview below or listen to the podcast.

Speaker 1:
Welcome to Roofing Road Trips with Heidi. Explore the roofing industry through the eyes of a long term professional within the trade. Listen for insights, interviews, and exciting news in the roofing industry today.

Heida Ellsworth:
Hello, and welcome to another Roofing Road Trips from Roofer's Coffee Shop. This is Heidi Ellsworth and I am here today with Will Lorenz from General Coatings. Hello, Will.

WIll Lorenz:
Hello Heidi. Thank you for the invite. We love being on your show and it's great to share ideas with you and come forth to talk about all the great things that are going on in the roofing business, and General Coatings is proud to be a sponsor and part of the program going forward.

Heida Ellsworth:
Oh. Well, I love having you. You've been on Coffee Conversations. You've been on Roofing Road Trips. You and I work on a lot of different projects together and associations, and I always look forward to this time when we can talk about what's happening out there.

WIll Lorenz:
Indeed. And roofing is what's happening. In the last two years, everybody is doing roofing and it's a great success for all of us and we're excited to see where the market can grow and all the good work that people are doing. We're going to have much better roofs in 2025 because they all got done in 2021 and 2022 and 2023.

Heida Ellsworth:
So true. So true. And today I had asked you, we talked ahead of time, and I just was saying we would really like to hear you... And I'm just going to say this up front, Will. You always have such great insights, both on a macro and a micro look on internationally, US. One of the areas that I think scares contractors and scares probably a lot of people are homeowner associations, the HOA world. Especially in California, but everywhere, it's like, "Am I going to get sued? How does this work working with all these different people?" And you and General Coatings have really done some great HOA work. So let's talk about that today.

WIll Lorenz:
Yeah. I think with the housing circumstance that seems to be a challenge across the country, clearly the builders are trying to come up with apartments or HOAs that can put people in a better circumstance than a smaller apartment in downtown city X. And people are trying to get out a little bit of ways, and these type of facilities allow many people to live together, but then they have one single roof across this, which has many tenants. And that can be the challenge for a roofer to go and work with that association and explain what benefits they're going to get on this roof system and how durable and performing it's going to be, but yet get everybody on board because there's usually always somebody that's really in favor of it and there's someone else who's always trying to present some challenges for the roofer, or for the supplier too.

WIll Lorenz:
And we want to try and help them with if they have a good performing roof system, really that's where the questions get answered. If the roof is water tight and performing, you've done what their job is and everybody should be satisfied. And we particularly think that spray foam as a great recover system over these existing roof system is just the way to go. Many of these climates are hot, dry deserty kind of environments that people seem to retire to when they want to get out of the cold and snow, and spray foam adds insulation to it and waterproofing and just makes it an easy, simple solution. And we're just surprised that it hasn't taken off in all the other inner cities as much as it's done in the Arizonas and the Phoenixes and the Las Vegases and the palm deserts that really enjoy having greater insulation and a great weatherproof system.

Heida Ellsworth:
And when you're thinking about this, so many times when contractors are reroofing a single building, whether that maybe has tenants in it or it's a single family home, everything that's in it of course, that's our whole job. That's the whole roofing industry's job is to protect all the treasures and protect the families and all the people who are in there, keeping them dry. But when you're talking about these HOAs, many families, and it rolls downhill, you get one leak and all of a sudden you don't know how many different tenants or different folks are going to be affected by that. So I would love for you to talk a little bit more about that with the spray foam. We can go on forever. There's so many benefits on here. But what are you seeing with really the systems that are making a difference for these HOAs using spray foam and coatings?

WIll Lorenz:
Sure. Well, let's examine the current building that you have there. So you have a building that has let's say a dozen tenants in there. Each of these person has a bathroom, they have a kitchen flute coming up, they have an AC unit, they have all sorts of complicated things on the roof that need to be sealed up because really where water comes in, if there's going to be a leak, is where there's some sort of penetration. It's around a drain, it's around a pipe, it's around an AC unit. Those are the places that most good roofers focus on making sure they're well sealed, and spray foam has that ability to go in there and expand and seal around it, and then it bonds well to all those irregular surfaces and it's sealed up.

WIll Lorenz:
And so if water can't get in, it's going to be a performing roof and then you have a happy tenant. The second thing is most people with, as you say, their treasures in there, they don't want them to put them at risk. Many of these folks are off working or they have their family residents in there that has multiple generations and they can't afford to have these things damaged by in climate weather that gets in because of a quick storm that came in while reroofing it and tearing it all off and starting over. They want to have a roof system that can be installed when they get back home from work. That area of their roof has been done and there was no risk to their contents. And spray foam can be that recover system that you can put right on the existing roof system, provided that it's a single roof to begin with.

WIll Lorenz:
So you just have a second layer roof system. Then it's the perfect system. Additionally, in many of these climates, as we said, hot and dry climates, there isn't sufficient insulation. A lot of these original roof decks were put down with basically just a roof system on top of plywood. There really weren't much insulation on it. And so if you add an inch or two of spray foam on top of it, it's a whole world of difference in keeping that warm temperature from getting in, increasing their AC bills, and also causing them disruption because it's different temperatures during the day and the night. And so people are well satisfied by having an insulated roof deck, and spray foam gives those multiple benefits that an HOA, which has got many people to satisfy, solves.

WIll Lorenz:
I know it's hard in the beginning getting them all together to meet and come up with a solution and a budget. But at the end of the day, they're all really extremely vested in finding the right solution. And so I think it's about providing that. And then the great contractors that I've seen in the west here and in the Southwest who do it, they have a good hands on approach telling them exactly what they're going to do and they deliver on that promise. And with General Coatings products, we help them deliver on that promise. And we're just glad to be a part of that solution that keeps their roof dry.

Heida Ellsworth:
And let's talk about energy savings. You started that out at the beginning, but as a tenant or someone who either owns their facility or is renting, I'm paying my own electric bill. And so to have that happen on the roofing system to keep the electricity down, that's a huge benefit.

WIll Lorenz:
It is. When you look at ways to go forward as smart business people and family people, you look at conservation as being one of the best things you can do. Grow your bank account, you'll be more successful. Same thing with your house. If you use less energy, you'll have better net savings and money that you can spend or money that you can save for future investments. So the idea of having your energy bill going up through the stack or up through the roof is just not a wise decision. And so if you can get a system that's insulated and give you that money back so that you don't pay Edison or whoever, that's just the best way going forward.

WIll Lorenz:
Money is tight and people need to be able to put that in their pocket. And spray foam roof systems allow them to keep more of that in their pocket than an insulated roof system. And so I think it's a smart way forward. And again, you're not tearing off it, so you're not putting in the landfill. It's a great, safe solution for people in these climates that need a roof system but really can't afford to keep upgrading to a new start over roof system every five or 10, 15 years. They need something that is continuous, and a spray foam roof system allows them to continue to go back and recoat and repair and continue to have that roof perform for decades.

Heida Ellsworth:
And it's a great opportunity for the roofing contract too, through their service and maintenance program, to be able to get on that roof, fall and spring, and really stay in touch with that HOA so that they aren't out there looking around.

WIll Lorenz:
It is. And a thing I find about spray foam roofs is even if you put a penetration on there where somehow someone drops a screwdriver, let's say they're up there fixing your AC unit, it's an isolated small hole that can be easily patched and repaired, typically with caulk and a coating on top of it. And so it doesn't take much, and it generally doesn't involve into even a leak. It just looks like it's a mechanical damage that's easily repairable. Other system, let's say a membrane or something, if you punch a hole in it, boy water can come in and go everywhere. So who wants to be put that person at risk about that?

Heida Ellsworth:
No, no. And so as these contractors are getting in front of these HOA boards, we know plenty of contractors who are just amazing at this. Their whole business is around that. But for those who maybe haven't done a lot of HOA work, getting in front of the boards, really being able to present all of these different benefits, General Coatings will help. Right? You help go in with the contractors?

WIll Lorenz:
Yes. Yeah, our sales team likes to get out in front with our contracting partners, meet up with their partners and explain to them the value of working with that contractor and our products to get a watertight roof system. We know that at the end of the day, the collective interest of an HOA is to do what the will of the owners are. And the owners are there saying, "We need a durable roof system." And General Coatings, with their Ultra-Thane systems, can be part of that solution every time.

Heida Ellsworth:
And I love how when you really think of about it, that big picture of talking about the newer homeowners, especially in HOAs, you're probably going to have a lot more millennials be first time homeowners on condos, however that works, or retired, like you said earlier. And so for them to be able to talk about the sustainability story, about the durability, and about the protection of their assets, I think those types of things matter. Not filling landfills, being able to save energy costs. Really, there's just such a great story here.

WIll Lorenz:
I can recall when my wife and I started out, we didn't have much. And so the condo and HOA complex that we were part of, we wanted not to spend a great deal of money on air conditioning and heating. We wanted it to be able to go out to dinner or to, in our case, we had a new family right away, to support money there for the raising of our kids. And so it's the best interest of the people who live there to get a smart system, and saving energy with your roof system is just a great first step.

Heida Ellsworth:
I think that is important. And one of the things that I wanted to also ask you about is how does this roofing system work with solar?

WIll Lorenz:
Well, when you look at a solar system put on, you've got a couple ways to go about it. You can put on something that has a mechanically attached stanchion, so they're drilling holes in your roof, they're putting a piece of metal down there with screws and trying to seal around it so that it can support these panels. Or you have typically a ballasted system, which is something then that sits up on the roof and has a substantial weight to it. But again, it's also something that has a lot of holes where the wires come in and connections. And so again, solar systems just add to the complexity of roofs and put more penetrations. And penetrations really are where water can come in. And so if you don't seal those well, you will have unhappy clients. If you seal them well, you will have happy clients. It's really that simple. And spray foam, by being a self flashing, fully adhered system that's sealed around it, gives you that all these thousands of metal stanchions are all sealed up well and water's not going to come in. What a good piece of mind. You're giving people-

Heida Ellsworth:
It makes sense.

WIll Lorenz:
Yeah.

Heida Ellsworth:
When you think about everything that's going on with solar, and we know there's going to be a huge push on solar, as a contractor, if you can go in there and say, "Look, we have a system that whether you're getting solar now, and we can help you with that, or whether you can get solar down the line, this system will work." And if they aren't putting it in, once the solar's put in, they can come back up with there's service and maintenance contract and make sure everything is working right with the system.

WIll Lorenz:
They can. And if there's just simple damage that happens because of somebody up there taking a look at the electricity and trying to fix things that maybe needs to be done, replace a panel or whatever over the years that it's up there, a spray foam roof is one of those things where they can do a very simple repair. Most repairs are caulk and coating over that area that was a minor damage. You really keep a sustainable roof system there. And then when it gets towards the end of its service life, you don't tear it off. You put another layer of roof coating on top of it and keep it going. So you're not going to the landfills, and this roof is now sustainable and it's performing for you for the next generation. When you decide that your kids need the house in the HOA, you know that they're going to have a water tight place to live.

Heida Ellsworth:
And they're going to get it. Yeah. So I at least hear a lot of roofing contractors who are using roof coatings, but I think spray foam still has some contractors a little scared. Like, "How do I get into it? How do I use it? Am I doing it the right way?" Can you talk a little bit about all the contractors who are listening to this right now who are like, "I want to add spray foam to my business," how do they do it?

WIll Lorenz:
Yeah. Well, I think you first begin with being a roofer. If you don't know what you're doing in the roofing business, any roof system is not going to be an easy solution for you. So if you're good at knowing what you need to replace, what you need to ensure that is performing to code and know how to get up on roofs, then spray foam system's one of those things that dial it. But I'll just say that spray foam is being used all across the country in wall insulation, in residential homes, and it's being used at a great success to sealing up buildings and saving energy there.

WIll Lorenz:
So what was a marketplace dominated by other forms of insulation now has a lot of spray foam being installed. And so people are quite familiar with how to operate the equipment, how to spray it, how to maintain it, how to put it down, and how to care for it. And so it's just taking that same knowledge and what you know as a good roofer and applying it with our help up on a roof. And if you've got a system where it's basically a flat roof, you replace the things that you need to that are broken or worn out, you prime it, and you spray the foam down and you coat it. You do the detail works to leave a nice clean professional workplace, and you'll have happy customers. It's not complicated.

Heida Ellsworth:
That's great. And with all of the material shortages that are going on, I've actually been hearing contractors who had not traditionally done spray foam who have now added it to their offerings and are so happy because they're able to get product, they're doing systems a little bit different. Talk about that.

WIll Lorenz:
Yeah. Again, creative people come up with creative solutions. I think everybody was of the mindset that we put on the traditional roof system and then it wears out and we throw another one on, same thing. Maybe it's better than it was, but it's following the same format all the time. Instead, say, "Look, we've got a roof here. Why do we have to tear it off? What can we do to keep it here?" And spray foam is one of those things where you can look at those roofs, and again, you're recovering, you're not tearing it off. And a recover is just simply adding another layer of a quality roof system on top of an original layer so that you have a performing two roof system.

WIll Lorenz:
Spray foam does that quite easy and simple, inch or two of spray foam is magic. It just really saves energy and it waterproofs things. And with a good coating systems on it, whether it's acrylic, silicone, or urethane, you've got a performing system. And acrylics are great in hot and dry climates, silicones are great in wet and cold climates, and urethanes are just the top of the line. And if you want something that's going to hold up to areas that are going to see more in climate weather, then a urethane roof is really as tough as you can get.

Heida Ellsworth:
Yeah. Wow. Such a great offering. Good, better, best, right? Good, better, best. And we keep talking about all the different things that you can do and the way to put things together. But this especially, for any project out there across the board, commercial, residential, low slope. But I love really our focus and focusing in on HOAs that can bring. What a great niche for our contractors to really be focusing on. Will, thank you. Thank you so much for the gems of wisdom.

WIll Lorenz:
Well, I appreciate again, the opportunity. I'm always humbled to be on with you, Heidi. It's just a great experience. I come back jazzed up about being in this business and glad that I've invested so much time in it and more excited about getting on a roof and helping contractors put on another performing roof system with General Coating's products.

Heida Ellsworth:
I love it. Yeah, I'm pretty inspired myself right now. I love it. For all of you listening out there, you can find all this information plus so much more on the General Coatings directory on Roofer's Coffee Shop. And we have great articles, great videos. When Will and I first met, he was like, "Heidi, I have all these videos." And I'm like, "Great." So you can find all of that on the directory throughout the whole site, plus on our YouTube channel, everywhere you find all this great stuff. So Will, thank you again for being here today.

WIll Lorenz:
Thank you, Heidi. It's always a wonderful experience. Let's do it again.

Heida Ellsworth:
We will. We will be doing it again. And for all of you, again, thank you so much for being here. You can find all of our podcasts under the read, listen, watch section of Roofers Coffee Shop. Or best of all, on your favorite podcast channel. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a single notification and a single podcast. Thank you so much for being on this roofing road trip, and we'll see you next time.

Speaker 1:
Make sure to subscribe to our channel and leave a review. Thanks for listening. This has been Roofing Road Trips with Heidi from therooferscofeeshop.com.