Are you aware that 40% of your home's exterior is above your head? Eric G sits down with Matt Spanton from RafterX to dive deep into the often-overlooked world of roofing, discussing the critical importance of addressing roof damage after storms. They explore how RafterX is revolutionizing the roofing repair industry by helping homeowners navigate the complex claims process with insurance companies. Eric and Matt also provide valuable insights on what to look for when hiring a roofer, emphasizing the need for reputable contractors who understand modern roofing systems. From understanding warranties to the significance of using quality materials, this episode is packed with tips to ensure your roof remains a strong shield over your home.

Roofing is a topic that deserves more attention, especially in light of its critical role in home maintenance and protection. During a lively conversation with Matt Spanton of RafterX, Eric G sheds light on the often-overlooked aspects of roofing repairs and the importance of timely action after severe weather events. Spanton highlights the tendency of homeowners to overlook roof inspections following storms, despite the fact that roofs bear the brunt of environmental challenges. They discuss how RafterX operates as a national platform, connecting homeowners with qualified contractors who can help navigate the complexities of storm damage and insurance claims. This segment underscores the need for proactive roof maintenance to prevent small issues from evolving into larger, more costly repairs down the line.

The discussion then shifts to the crucial elements of hiring a roofing contractor, where Eric and Matt offer a wealth of insights designed to empower homeowners. They delve into what characteristics to look for in a reputable contractor, emphasizing the significance of experience, licensing, and insurance. The conversation also touches on the evolving nature of roofing materials and systems, stressing that homeowners should work with contractors who are familiar with the latest technologies and installation techniques to ensure compliance with warranty requirements. This segment serves as a comprehensive guide, equipping listeners with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their roofing projects, ultimately aiming to enhance the longevity and durability of their roofs.

Takeaways:

• It's important to inspect your roof annually, especially if it's over seven years old.
• After a storm, homeowners often forget to check their roofs for damage.
• Using quality materials and trained contractors can significantly reduce future repair costs.
• Roofing systems have evolved, with multiple layers needed for proper installation and warranty.
• Hiring a reputable contractor familiar with your chosen roofing system is essential.
• Understanding the importance of proper ventilation and insulation in roofing can prevent future issues.

Links referenced in this episode:

• pyramidheating.com
• monumentgrills.com
• raftrx.com

Companies mentioned in this episode:

• Rafter X
• Pyramid Heating and Cooling
• Monument Grill

To get your questions answered by Eric G give us a call in the studio at 833-239-4144 24/7 and Eric G will get back to you and answer your question and you might end up in a future episode of Around the House.

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Information given on the Around the House Show should not be considered construction or design advice for your specific project, nor is it intended to replace consulting at your home or jobsite by a building professional. The views and opinions expressed by those interviewed on the podcast are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Around the House Show.

To get your questions answered by Eric G give us a call in the studio at 833-239-4144 24/7 and Eric G will get back to you and answer your question and you might end up in a future episode of Around the House.

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We love comments and we would love reviews on how this information has helped you on your house! Thanks for listening! For more information about the show head to https://aroundthehouseonline.com/

Information given on the Around the House Show should not be considered construction or design advice for your specific project, nor is it intended to replace consulting at your home or jobsite by a building professional. The views and opinions expressed by those interviewed on the podcast are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Around the House Show.

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It's around the House.

In this episode of the around the House show, we start out talking roofing with Matt Spanton from Rafter X.

But very few people realize that after a storm passes through, they might see their windows, they might see their siding, but they don't think about the roofs.

It's just something that seems to pass a lot of people by.

And so we're out there to let them know, hey, 40% of the exterior envelope of your home is above your head where you really don't see it much.

Around the House show is brought to by Pyramid heating and cooling serving in Oregon, the Portland metro area and Bend, Oregon.

They are your one stop shop for heating and cooling and indoor air quality.

A lot to know.

But we've got you coming.

This is around the House.

Welcome to the Round the House show.

The next generation of home improvement.

I'm Eric G.

Thanks for joining me today.

We are brought to you by my friends over at Monument Grill Grills.

If you're looking for a brand new barbecue and you want one on a budget under 500 bucks, check them out.

At monument grills.com what is winter time.

As we're cruising into that and it has been storm season all across the country and I think this is a valuable topic for all of us out there that are homeowners or soon to be homeowners.

I've got Matt Spanton from Rafter.

These guys have got an amazing program out there when it comes to exteriors.

Matt, welcome to around the house.

Yeah, thanks.

I appreciate it.

Thanks for having me on, man.

You guys have got a great new program out there and I say new.

It's been a few years it looks.

Like, but you guys are really filling in a big hole in the industry out there that really can help homeowners navigate damage to their homes.

Yeah, we're a national platform of roofing contractors throughout the nation.

I think we're teenagers and growing markets.

I feel like every week we're somewhere else.

Right.

And we're looking to bring consistency in the restoration process with claims and specifically hail and wind and restoration projects as such.

Yeah, it is so cool because I've.

Had problems here in my area.

I live in the Portland, Oregon area, as many of our listeners know.

And many times we'll have some windstorm damage because we get those here as well and they have a hard time.

Even finding a company that'll come out.

To take a look at it, let alone having the insurance company work with them to do it.

And you guys really have got a great program for helping people with that.

Exterior damage on roofs.

What got you guys thinking about this?

Because obviously there's a need.

Yeah.

The insurance restoration industry has been growing drastically for the last.

I've been in it 20.

They're going on my 23rd year.

Right.

So we'll be done with 23 years of this.

Wow.

And it's grown drastically year after year that I've been in it.

There's a need for it.

Right.

A lot of times these storms come through, and we know that our cars got hit because we go out to get in them.

And we can see it.

Right.

We can touch it, we can feel it.

But very few people realize that after a storm passes through, they might see their windows, they might see their siding, but they don't think about the roofs.

It's just something that seems to pass a lot of people by.

And so we're out there to let them know, hey, 40% of the exterior envelope of your home is above your head, where you really don't see it much.

And if we don't handle those problems, what happens is we can fall out of that claim, period.

And then the exacerbated damages occur 2, 3, 4 years, and then we're out of coverage, and we've lost warranty in our roof, so.

Absolutely.

I just had an email come in this morning with pictures and a video of somebody that had a windstorm last night wherever they were located.

And then they had the old.

The old stockpot sitting over the upside edge of their skylight.

And I'm like, well, you could have lost shingles.

You could have had a bad flash skylight.

You could add a lot of things.

Have you been on the roof?

I haven't been up there for years.

Yeah.

And obviously they need somebody to get up there to take care of that, because that problem is not going to get better.

Yeah.

No, it's.

And it's something a lot of us don't like to do, and especially a lot of our lives.

Our wives don't want us up on those ladders.

Right.

It's like Christmas light.

Companies are getting bigger and bigger.

Right.

It's not always the safest to do.

Back to the point of those windstorms come through.

A lot of times those shingles will break the seals.

They'll lift up, they'll lay back down.

And we still don't realize that there's damage up there, they crease, the granules come off, then when they lay back in, they don't reseal.

So, yeah, anytime that we get really winds over 40, 50 miles an hour, we get those really gully washer storms that come through and they cause damage to everything else.

If you're seeing trees down, if you're seeing that, it's always a good idea just to have it take a look at it.

Right.

See what's going on.

For anything, either number one, peace of mind, or number two, documentation of that, like, hey, it was okay.

Right?

Yeah.

That plays into down the road if we do have another claim, making sure that we know exactly when that damage occurred, because it's crucial in order for the filing dates to be correct.

Yeah.

It gives you a timestamp and kind of a doctor's order saying, hey, you passed the clean checkup on this date.

So between point A and point B, and it's got to be a problem when dealing with insurance claims is if someone hasn't been up on that room, up on that roof for 5, 10, 15 years, nobody has any idea what that thing looked like.

And now you're looking at a hole up there that could have been done two weeks or two years ago.

Yeah.

And we have certain forensic data companies that give us benchmarks as to when certain storms hit certain size.

But all those reporting systems are also contradict each other.

Right.

And so if we don't routinely check what's going on with our home.

You're exactly right.

We don't know when something occurred.

And better yet, we can't prevent something that is going to be exacerbated.

Right.

So what we could fix today for 100 bucks could cost us a whole lot more than that up on top of the roof.

And then what comes in.

Right.

And we can end up with saturated insulation, drywall damage, interior issues that we have to clean up.

Right.

And that gets a lot more costly.

So, yeah.

What could have been a $500 fix now turns into a 30, 40, $50,000 fix because now you got mold in the attic space, you got wet insulation, you got drywall repairs, and you got a hot mess going on.

And that can just be like a stack of dominoes falling if you just ignore it, because they never get better.

Roof leaks never seal themselves?

No, very few.

There's not really a.

There's only one type of roof that's self ceiling, and it's not meant to go on top of residential homes.

And yeah, it's only going to be Exacerbated.

And what we have to remember too is a lot of those leaks are slow leaks.

So you're like a slow burn.

Right.

And so it'll trickle in through the years.

It'll get in that attic insulation.

It'll get in the walls.

We don't know it's there.

Right.

Because a lot of times it takes a long time for it to get saturated enough.

So another good thing along with having that roof inspected is also peeking up in your attic every now and then.

Just peek up in there.

Flashlight, take a look, see what's going on.

Look at the underside of the decking.

Look and see.

Do we have anything growing up there?

Is anything microbial that we see for dark spots, for growth?

Just.

That's a good indicator that it's not always an indicator that the roof is an issue, but it's a good one.

That's probably where we should start looking.

It's funny, I've been on a lot of roofs in my life and it's so funny.

You'll get up there, the roof looks in decent shape inside.

There's no sign of water damage.

But you go walking across and you go, wow, that is a little spongy right here.

Obviously something going on beneath it.

Because now it feels like you're walking on a trampoline instead of onto a roof deck.

Yeah.

With that.

Right.

Just depends on.

Older homes used to be built with 24 centers on the trusses.

Right.

And three, eight decking.

So you're going to feel that deflection regardless.

Yeah.

Also what it could be.

Right.

A lot of times is heat rot.

A lot of times, if not properly ventilated, that decking will start to delaminate due to just the actual heat itself.

And then two, if you've had a couple, two or three roofs put on there.

Every time you put a roof on and take it off, we're putting tens of thousands of nails in and out of that roof.

Right?

Yeah.

And so you can start to get that Swiss cheese effect Right.

Of the decking.

And it's obviously going to compromise the integrity of that.

Of that wood.

Or you had a framer that missed decking day and cut that thing about three, eight too short.

And it's just missing the edge in that one too.

Right.

We.

I have seen holes roofed over that are large enough for men to fall through, no problem.

Right.

Without any type of coverage or buttoning it up.

And I've seen all kinds of things under roofs through the years.

Yeah.

Oh, yeah.

Well, I gotta ask you, insurance Companies.

Are a business and they're probably one of the most hated out there as far as you always see them walking into the house with the black hat on and the cowboy hat being the villain.

But we also have to remember they're a business and a profit center themselves and their job is to keep their company profitable so it keeps going so they can insure more people.

And so many times it's smart for you to think, oh, they're not on my side.

They're not my partner.

I need help navigating this.

What is the best way?

Since you guys work with a lot of insurance companies and work alongside them, what's the best way to navigate storm damage?

Depend.

It's going to depend on the state that you're in on how?

I can answer that as a contractor, depending on the state that you're in is going to depend on where your contractor can play a role.

But ultimately, having a contractor that is versed and is trained in actual identifying what real storm damage is versus the idea of what a carrier is going to pay for is totally different.

Round the house.

You'll be right back with more from Matt Spanton from Rafter X.

We're talking roofing just as soon as we return.

Don't go anywhere.

Welcome back to the around the House show, the next generation of home improvement brought to you by our friends at Monument Grills.

If you're looking for a great grill this holiday season, check them out@monumentgrills.com where you can get a great grill for a great price.

Now we've been talking with Matt Spanton from Rafter X about a company that he's got that they are revolutionizing how storm repair is happening on your roof.

And then later in the show, we'll be talking more about roofing materials and using the right ones for your project.

Now let's get back to talking with Matt.

So having a reputable contractor who knows what they're looking for, who's been around the block, who's got good reviews and good referrals, oftentimes contractors like ourselves are, I won't say, tied in with carriers.

We're not.

But we do work in certain preferred programs where we've been vetted.

They've checked our licensing, they checked our insurance.

We've been through all of the background checks.

Our folks are through the background checks and we pass the sniff test to be able to work as a preferred contractor to their claims.

Those are really important things.

We want to make sure that we're operating as a contractor with the same integrity that we'd like to think that the insurance company is going to offer that client as well.

And so we try to put that best foot forward first for our clients and operate out of integrity to start and then making sure that your contractor briefs you on where they can fall in the process.

So what I can do in Florida in comparison to what I can do in Georgia is totally different as far as answering that question.

In Florida I can just present the damage and what it takes to replace the roof.

In Georgia I have a little bit more freedom of how I can help the client understand the claims process.

I can't direct them on policy, I can't do that.

But I can work within the claim policy a little bit different or process, I should say, than I could in Florida or say California.

We were talking about California earlier.

Yeah, you have to have public adjusters involved in some of those states.

Yeah, it's interesting how it's state by state, region by region like that, and how different it is.

And I think one of the other.

Important things is roofs right now are roof systems.

Some of these things now have, okay, you need to use this layer and this layer just to get the shingles on.

And that's where that experienced contractor that really knows how these systems work together within the certain brands that they work with.

Yeah, that's a great point, Eric.

Those systems that we install, certain contractors can install those systems for the warranties and certain ones cannot.

Right.

The other thing is you get what you pay for.

So those systems say if we're putting down a certainty warranty roof, we have to use not just their shingles, but we have to use their starter, their underlayment, their ice shield, their ridge cap, their ventilation.

All those things are made in conjunction to work with.

And we also have to be, we have to be versed and we have to be trained on their processes and how they want their nail, their nails laid right.

And how they want their roofs trimmed back and which way their felt is going over or under in certain spots to be able to meet that warranty for you.

But yeah, they, there's the warranty, a shingle.

Right.

With a very large proration.

But unless you're using their components and all of their systems, you're not going to get the full gamut of what they actually will and can warranty.

And those roofs cost more.

If I'm going to buy underlayment from certain it's going to cost me more than buying it from brand X.

Right.

Yeah.

And so for that, you're going to see that result in your quote or your bid.

But we get what we pay for.

We all know that same.

Right.

And with that, you get a much better warranty and somebody who's going to stand behind that product.

I can't tell you how many times I've been driving around my area here and I see a roofer up working and I see three brands of materials on the roof up there and they're all competitors.

And I'm like, yeah, there's going to be a warranty company.

Whoever's roofs on that is not going to be happy seeing brand X, Y and Z underneath it when warranty time comes around.

Yeah.

And you never know what really happened to you until you really need the warranty in place and the manufacturer comes out and they start digging into the labels and the idea, finger pointing, oh.

If you would have used X, this would have been fine.

And whether or not that's the truth.

Or not, it happens.

Yeah.

You give them the opportunity to not cover a warranty.

The partners and the shingle partners that we work with on the manufacturing side, I will say we, we put on full systems, even on our custom underlayment that has our logos and everything.

We, we purchase it from them, they roll it off special for us.

It's still their product.

Right.

Just looks prettier with our logos on it.

Right.

It's a little marketing, but yeah, they, I can tell you, our shingle manufacturer partners, they always try to lean for our homeowners because of our size and our buying power.

We, we truly do look at them as partners in our industry because without them, we couldn't put as many.

We're going to do well over 10,000 roofs this year.

If we didn't have the allocation, we didn't have that partnership with them, we wouldn't.

And so they, they are very good with our clients.

If we do run into a warranty.

Situation, one question I got for you, and I think we need to shock some people out there because a lot of people have no idea what a roof costs.

And I know this question is like, what does a car cost?

It's like, is this a Lambo or is this a Kia?

Which one is it?

But what's the average roof cost out there?

Average roof cost in the Southeast right now is right about $26,000.

Our average roof in Texas Right.

In our is about $23,000.

Our Midwest brands is closer to about 27, $28,000.

So that kind of gives you the range and the reason why those changes.

Shorter work seasons.

Our labor is going to have to get paid a little bit more.

Shorter, colder conditions.

We have to do a little bit more to prep that roof and to and for the underlayment and some of the flashing.

So there's some additional costs that involved with that.

So they range.

That's much a range of what you're going to look at.

And we're talking about a architectural.

We put very few three tab roofs on.

The price is pretty insignificant.

But in architectural asphalt shingled roof.

Well, and you want that architectural anyway because it's such a thicker product.

Right.

So it's going to last through the next windstorm.

You've already had one.

Right.

And you've got another one coming up.

You might as well have something that's going to do a better job of lasting versus saving a handful of thousands of dollars and have to go do it again real soon.

Yeah.

On the average 3 tab, I think actual cost now you don't have the difference in the components.

You can use the 3 tab for the starter and the ridge and whatnot if you want to.

Your average square shingles is.

It's so insignificant.

It's less than 10% on the material range.

To switch to architectural.

We just, we don't.

We won't even put a three tab on for our warranty.

We just won't do it.

Yeah.

It doesn't make sense.

And I get that it's out there for that budget person.

And if you're gonna throw it on.

Your shed or your freestanding garage, knock it out.

But it's just not worth it in my mind.

Yeah.

Most of the three tabs you see that are getting put on these days are builder grade.

They're building 200 houses in a neighborhood and there's the builder saving in mass.

And he doesn't really care what happens after his one year builder's warranty or two years warranty.

That's where we see the three tabs still going on.

And that's where three years in, when the windstorm comes up, you guys can just start walking down the street because every one of those houses is going to need some work on it.

Yeah.

They'll find them in their yard and give us a call.

So.

It's so true.

So you guys planning on expanding across the country?

I know you guys have only been.

Around for a few years with your new system if I remember correctly.

Yeah.

So we're Relatively new as far as the platform level goes.

The private equity platform goes.

And so Sawmill Capital is the, is the private equity company and Rafterx is our contractor brand.

We are expanding.

We should see some great numbers and we're seeing some really good feedback from the contractors that we're working with and folks that we're looking into, acquire and to bring into the platform.

It's exciting times in the industry.

Don't change that dial around the house.

We'll be right back with more from Matt Spanton and Raptor X just as soon as we return.

Welcome back to the around the House show, the next generation of home improvement.

Now we're going to wrap up our conversation here with Matt Spanton and Rafter X and then I'm going to give you my tips and tricks for tackling that roofing project, whether you're going to be the one doing it or if you're hiring somebody.

I've got some great things that you should be looking at in case you're trying to hire that roofer.

So we'll do that just after this conversation.

Now let's wrap it up with Matt.

We are expanding.

We should see some great numbers and, and we're seeing some really good feedback from the contractors that we're working with and folks that we're looking into, acquire and to bring into the platform.

It's exciting times in the industry.

No kidding.

No kidding.

And like I said earlier, you guys are really filling that hole out there because there are so many companies out there that all they do is brand new roofs and when that storm comes through and gets damaged, they're the ones that are in there trying to maybe deal with the insurance company for the first time or they've got a repair and they're trying to sell that homeowner on.

Well, you just should do a new roof because we don't really do repairs in that homeowner now has a decision of, okay, do I just pay for a new roof?

Because no one else has returned my phone calls.

Because everybody on the street has damage or to actually deal with a company that can actually come repair this, that can do it and save some money now and save that for when I really need a new roof.

Yeah, we briefly touched on this earlier.

Is having repair and warranty divisions within each one of our brands throughout the country is crucial for us as we build a consistent warranty for every rafter X customer that's out there.

We have to be able to control what that warranty looks like and how it's responded to.

And so we've been implementing these divisions that we haven't had in the past.

Part of that is our actual warranty for our current reroof clients and clients.

And part of that is if somebody calls in with a repair or what they think is a repair, we go out there first and assess it and see can we repair it first.

We're not necessarily going to go out.

There and try to push a reroof.

If we can do a repair and save these folks some bucks and get them long, a little bit longer now, if it's going to eventually just cost them exponentially to keep band aiding, it will of course give them the option to reroof and some financing options with some partners that we have in play.

But that also lets our clients know, hey, listen, our only source of revenue is not reroofing.

We don't have to push you into reroof if we don't want to.

We're not a one trip pony.

We can go up there and we can do these repairs for you and we can get you under warranty, keep an eye on this thing for the next year, 2, 3, 5, whatever we think we can get.

Then when you need a new roof, we can provide you some budget options to go ahead and do that for you.

And that is smart.

So, Matt, is there anything else we.

Missed today that we haven't covered?

Because really like what you guys are doing out there, assisting homeowners through this whole damage process to get them, you know, get back to new and have something that's going to protect their home because it is the roof over their heads.

Yeah, yeah.

Like, like we said, a roof is 40% of the envelope of your home.

So it's not only an aesthetic item on the outside of our house, but it really protects about 100% of our home.

Right.

The roof fails everything underneath, it is liable to get wet.

So just have them checked.

We always let our folks know if your roof is over seven to eight years, start to have those roofs checked at least once a Year, if not biannual.

A good roofer will come out there and take a peek at it for no cost.

They'll be able to find the things that might be just slightly off that we can fix now that'll get you another 10 years and not have a leak that comes in and causes us a moisture problem inside the house.

So it's really crucial to get a look at that and start forming a relationship with a good roofing contractor sooner than later.

That is awesome.

So where do people find you guys if they get themselves in a bind?

They got some damage they need some repair or a new roof?

Yeah.

So if you go to our website, www.raftrx.

it's raftrx.com.

all of our brands and our locations are listed there throughout the country and you can find the brand that's that's closest to you.

If we're not there now, we'll be there soon.

And so we're looking forward to helping many more clients next year.

Right on.

Matt's Patton, thanks for taking the time today, man.

I love what you guys are doing.

Keep it up out there.

There's such a great need for this and the storms aren't getting any easier out there.

So I think you guys are gonna have plenty of work in the future.

Yeah, yeah.

No, I appreciate it, Eric.

Thanks for having me on.

I appreciate what you're doing.

Thanks, Matt.

I think there's a really great thing here going on with companies like Rafterx and by no means are they a sponsor of the show here, but what I like is you're filling such a need out there and if you've ever been in an area where you've had windstorm damage, I have.

Trying to find a company that wants to deal with the insurance company on repair or just is going to go up and take a look at things and try to figure out what the best solution is without just trying to force a brand new roof on is something innovative.

Now, there's a lot of great roofers out there, but there's also a lot of great roofers that don't want to go up and do repairs because they can spend that time doing a full roof and it's more profitable for them.

And I totally get it.

So not saying anything about the roofing industry out there other than I think it fills a great need and trying to find somebody to get up there and do that work is pretty smart.

And so there's a lot to be said about a company out there that has grown across the US that is ready to help people with storm damage.

Because one of the biggest things that we see out there is that we see this in hurricane areas, we see this in windstorms, we see this in any kind of a natural disaster that natural disaster hits.

Of course, many of the homes in the area have roof damage and the local contractors don't have the bandwidth to do the work.

So what happens, you get all the fly by night ones in there, the unlicensed, unbonded, uninsured contractors, the ones that have probably lost their licenses from other states.

And you know something, now they're in your neighborhood trying to do roofs and you're just looking for somebody to get it dialed in and you pray and hope you hired the right person.

So something like this I think is really great.

And the more that we have of this kind of thing, the better we can elevate the industry.

And I think it's really smart.

Now, one of the things I want to talk about and we touched on in the interview, but if you're looking to get a roof done out there, and I want to give you my tips and tricks here in this rest of this segment and of course next segment on what to look for and what to think about, because there's a lot of different options out there.

If you're in California or Southern states, you've got your tile roofs, you've got metal roofs, you've got, of course, your different tar architectural roofs.

You've got some of the composite ones out there that are more of a rubber one that look more like shake.

There's a lot of different materials out there.

And so that's one of the things that I want you to think about as you're thinking about a new roof.

And this is something I'm doing now next year if I'm hoping my roof can make it through the winter, and it should.

I've been up there, what, keeping an eye on it, maintaining it, but I'm starting to notice now, you know, it's towards the end of its life, I'm noticing some soft spots which tells me that I've got that plywood is starting to break down in a couple spots and that tells me that it's on its last leg.

That means I got to pay attention to those areas to make sure that they're going to make it through the winter.

And in my area, it's tough because winter here usually means tons and tons of rain, which is not great for those soft spots.

So I'm keeping an eye on things, making sure I don't have any damage that is getting worse up there.

But that's where we talked about it a few years ago.

I'm going to probably do the fortified roof system, and that's something I'm going to work on.

I'm going to put on all the things, including the ring shank.

I know I'm going to have to do some re sheathing because that plywood that's up there is starting to delaminate in a few spots.

And I know that.

So why not go up there, do it right?

I can deal with insulation while I'm up there and I can really take care of a few things all at once, which to me is pretty exciting because I can get up there and do it right and I can get it certified.

So I am looking good to go.

Now, one of the things before you dive into this whole thing that I want you to take a look at, though, is your brand of roofing that you're going to be putting up there.

Before you call a contractor, before you figure out what you want to do, take a look and do your shopping.

So figure out what you want it to look like.

And of course, budget's going to be a consideration, but you want to take a look and see if you're going to be honest.

I would not do a standard three tab roof on anything besides a garden shed anymore.

It's just not durable.

There's a lot of better roofs up there.

And like we were talking about here with Matt in this last episode, take a look at the roofing, pick it out, stay away from the three tab.

Get in there.

It's one thing if you're doing a repair, but get rid of that.

Don't put that back on.

Roofing has come a long way, so what I would do is take a look and figure that out.

Now when we come back, I'm going to tell you why this is such a big part of this.

Because this is probably one of the most important things when it comes to roofing is all wrapped around the brand of roofing that you're looking at and how that whole system is going to work together.

And yes, you should not look at that as a shingle or metal.

You should look at it as a system.

And I'll tell you why just as soon as we return.

Don't change that dial.

Around the house.

We'll be right back.

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We've been talking roofing in this hour and when we had to break, I was just talking about some of the biggest things that you should be paying attention to if you're going to hire a roofing contractor.

And if you have any information that you want more about of this stuff.

If you're like, hey Eric, I got another question for you.

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All right, we're talking roofing.

One of the most important things is finding a contractor that is familiar with the roofing system you want to put in.

So there's so many brands out there, but there is one common thing out there is that the roofing companies, because there are so many different roofing systems out there, they train installers to be able to put their system down correctly because it isn't just tapping nails and throwing shingles up.

There's ice shields, there's underlayments.

Felt is really not one of those things you're seeing being used anymore.

It's really an underlayment system up there.

And you're seeing all these different layers that go into a roof system.

They are making sure so they don't have warranty claims and issues of a poorly installed roof system.

You're seeing companies now, and it's been going on for years, having certified installers or trained installers.

So they have gone through.

They know that these guys are putting the system in systems incorrectly and they have these different systems or levels of installer depending on how much they're doing and what they're doing on that roof.

So take a look at each company and then try to use their website to find an installer near you and here's what happens and this is why I think this is really important.

One, you've got a roofer that is very familiar with the system.

Two, they're probably getting a better deal on it, or at least, you know, they're not paying the highest price for the materials.

And lastly, it's going to reduce your chances of having warranty issues with the roof because here's what happens.

There's a lot of great roofing underlayments out there, and some brands make better ones than others.

But the problem that you have is that like anything with a warranty, when you start mixing stuff together, you're giving it out to the roofing company or the main people that are in charge of the warranty.

That way you don't go, it was an installer error.

They put the wrong underlayment data and you're like, has nothing to do with the underlayment.

And so you open up the can of worms of having multiple manufacturers of product up there.

So I strongly recommend that you look at the system and work its way that way.

So understand the roofing and then start talking to contractors and seeing what happens.

Talk to those, of course, you're still, just because they're certified, you want to make sure that they're licensed, bonded and insured.

You want to make sure that you don't have to pull a building permit or something for this.

Now, as a homeowner, I would say if you have to pull a building permit for it, do it.

Why?

Okay, it's going to cost you a little bit of money, but one, you're going to have an inspector that should be going up on that roof to take a look at it and make sure that the drip edges are right, that they're doing all those things.

And the other thing is too, is when you're working through this process of getting quotes, make sure that you understand metal work is the key to this as well.

What am I talking about?

I'm talking about the step flashing that's maybe going down up against a second story house, the flashing that's going around a chimney.

Now, if you're in a coastal region, now you're talking stainless steel materials.

If you're in a coastal region, are using stainless steel nails or at least a heavy duty galvanized nail.

Are you finding if you're on a coastal region as well or like out here on the west coast in the Pacific Northwest, I'm looking to see how it does with wind.

I'm looking to see how it does with moss.

How does it hold up to those kind of things.

Because I tell you what, if you look at my neighborhood here, if you get moss cleanings done every year on that thing, it's not enough.

I just treated my roof for moss three months ago.

Guess what?

I gotta do it again.

Everything likes to grow green here.

But then you get down into the desert southwest, now you're looking at something that's gonna hold up to extreme heat.

And now I gotta look at something for extreme heat, too.

If I had a full sun house, because, yeah, a few years ago, we got to be 117 degrees.

Think about what you're looking at.

Think about what's going to work and take a look at that color and see how it's going to match some of the issues that you run on to as well.

Make sure you have extra material.

Here's why.

When you have trendy colors like the greens and the blues, those things change all the time.

And if you have to go up and do a repair, you want to have a few bundles of shingles stuck away in a cool, dry, not sunny place.

So that way, if you have to have somebody go up and do a repair, it's not a big deal.

My brother in eastern Washington, out in the desert out there, had some house painters come by a number of years ago.

They got up on the roof and they were painting the trim because he did not like being up on the third story.

I don't blame him.

I don't like either.

They got up there, did the painting, and they got paint all over his green roof.

That roof was five years old.

It was discolored.

It was looking pretty rough because of all the paint that they got over it.

They didn't tarp it off.

They had paint everywhere.

And then what happened?

They got up there and tried to clean it, made it worse.

And so this company, painting company, had to go in there and reroof that whole layer of the house.

And the problem was, again, the roof didn't match, so they had to do the house.

That got to be an expensive claim because of somebody not paying attention.

If there would have been a few bundles of shingles around from that might have done okay.

If you have some bundles put away, make sure you got that around there.

Now, I also want to make sure that you've got people up there following the OSHA rules.

They've got fall protection, that they're licensed, bonded and insured.

And this is something that's really big, especially with roofers, because if you hired somebody that's not licensed, bonded insured.

And also make sure if you can check on this as well, if they've got employees up there, make sure that they're paying for their workers compensation insurance.

Now, every state in the union does this differently.

So sometimes it's the Department of Labor and industries, sometimes it's through your contractors board.

It's depending on who you're working with.

But do the research.

Note the laws on your area because like we've talked about before, if you're hiring somebody to go up on your roof and they're not licensed, bonded, insured, guess what happens if somebody falls off and gets killed?

You're liable.

They were your employee and guess what, you're in trouble.

And that could cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars because you don't have workers compensation for those people.

And your homeowner's insurance probably isn't going to cover that because they were employees.

It wasn't like it was your guest that tripped on the sidewalk out front.

Get your quotes and make sure that everybody's looking at it equally.

Compare how much roofing they have.

You know, look at the itemized bid.

What type of nails are you doing?

You know, all these details.

I want to make sure that they're doing all the new metals, all the new sheet metals, all the ice and water shields, all the stuff to do it correctly.

And that's going to save you some money in the long run because you only want to do this once.

And when you can spend 25 to 35,000 bucks on a, on a roof really quickly without getting into metal, without getting into some of the other concrete products or tile products out there, or the rubber or any of those other specialty ones like slate, these are things that you want to make sure that you've got that dialed in and it's going to save you some serious money in the long run that you can do at once.

And then next of all, when you go through this, make sure that get somebody up there to take a look at it.

If you're not comfortable getting on the roof, have somebody go up there that you trust.

Maybe it's another contractor friend, maybe it's an inspector in your area.

Efforts, after it's done, have an inspection go up there.

Whether it's your building inspector.

My area, it's not required, but if you have one, that's awesome.

And then make sure that you have somebody go up there.

You can hire building inspectors to go up there to do it independently.

If you're not comfortable, get them on the roof and make sure it's done correctly.

And that's going to make sure that styled in.

Just have that once over to make sure you're good to go.

Because so many times I get up on a brand new roof and that new guy missed a spot and maybe the owner of the company hasn't walked, it didn't make it up there.

And oh, it's beautiful.

It's good.

They walk around, the outside looks good, but then they realize that, wow, okay, you made some mistakes here.

It happens.

It happens to great contractors.

So take a look at that and make sure you've got it dialed in.

And then if you're in an area that has wind, hurricanes, any of that stuff, take a look at the fortified roof program out there.

I'm going to do that.

I think I want to do that.

So I have something that's going to hold up to our windstorms and all of our stuff here to make sure that it's going to be good to go for years to come.

All right, everybody, thanks for tuning into around the House in this first hour today.

We got a great hour coming up in hour number two, if you get to listen to that.

If not catching on the podcast on any podcast player.

If you want to find out more about us, head to around the house online.com and we have a ton of back episodes.

If you're looking for something, check a look at the podcast because we got a ton hiding there.

I'm Eric G.

Thanks for tuning in to around the House.