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Last week I had the opportunity to be a part of a panel discussing the Construction Academy in our area and the opportunities for our young people in the trades.  The panel discussion was organized and facilitated by Tom Martin and CESA 3.  It also included Jill Underly superintendent at Pecatonica, Duane Elfering UW-Platteville and Barneveld, Dan Carey from Carey’s Seamless Gutters & Overhead Doors, and myself.  Duane and Tom started the academy 2 years ago and the purpose of the panel discussion was to build support and interest in the program.

The Construction Academy is 26 weeklong program that is available to all high school students in our area.  They meet once a week for 3 hours a session.  The purpose of the academy is to provide exposure to opportunities for careers in the trades.   It gives the students some basic training in all areas of construction and provides an opportunity for them to learn which trades they find interesting.  Duane is the instructor for the course but also partners with local contractors to train the students.

We were lucky enough to take part in this program during its first year, the 2019-20 school year.  It was a great experience.  We hosted the academy at our facility for 2 sessions.  In the first one, we gave them some basic knowledge about 3 different roof systems.  The second session consisted of a discussion on siding and we trained on installing LP Smartside.  We were able to provide some instruction and more importantly, tried to show our passion for our trade.  We were thankful to be able to get in front of these students and explain to them the incredible opportunities that exist in the trades.

Like any business, we are only successful because of our people.  They are the most important asset.  The demand for the trades is not going to diminish.  Unfortunately, both locally and nationally the number of people going into the trades is decreasing.  This is obviously concerning to us but should also be concerning to everyone.  Anyone that owns property must rely on the trades at some point.  We all will someday need a new roof, our plumbing fixed, or our garage door serviced.  The shortage of skilled labor creates a threat to consumers’ pocketbooks and a huge opportunity for students going into this field.  Pay and benefits for skilled labor continue to rise and people are starting to realize and appreciate how important this work is.

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Many Tri-State Area roofing contractors advertise that they are properly insured. It is plastered all over every print ad and mentioned in every TV and radio commercial. But what does that mean and how does it affect you?

The two main kinds of insurance that these ads are referring to when they say “proper insurance” or “fully insured” are liability insurance and workers’ compensation. They are both important, but for this blog, we are mainly going to focus on workers’ compensation.

What is workers’ compensation insurance?

Workers’ compensation insurance is an insurance product that provides medical coverage and wage replacement if an employee is injured at work. It protects employees and their families from financial hardship in the event of a work-related injury.

What can happen if your roofing contractor doesn’t have workers’ compensation insurance?

If an employee of your contractor is injured while working on your property and that business doesn’t have workers’ compensation insurance, you could be found liable for that injured person’s medical bills and lost wages. The law puts the responsibility on the property owner to make sure that contractors working on their property have current workers’ compensation insurance. If they don’t, they face liability for any injuries themselves.

Don’t all contractors carry workers’ compensation?

Unfortunately, the answer is no. State law requires that employers carry workers compensation insurance and it is a requirement that they have it in order to be licensed by the state. This still doesn’t stop some contractors from contracting work without it.

Why wouldn’t they have it?

Because it costs a lot. Statistics show that roofing is one of the most dangerous professions.  As a result, insurance that protects against work-related injuries is going to reflect this risk. In Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Compensation Rating Bureau establishes the rates for each industry.  For roofing, the base rate is 28% of gross wages. This means that if a roofing contractor pays an employee $1000, they must pay $280 in workers’ compensation premiums. If the contractor has a history of injuries, this rate could be even higher. It also can be much higher when working in other states.

Is there a way around it?

The answer is no. Not legally. Some contractors try to get around it by claiming that the people working for them are independent contractors, not employees. In Wisconsin, there is a nine-part test that determines if independent contractors are actually employees. In order to be considered an independent contractor you must:

  1. Maintain a separate business.
  2. Obtain a Federal Employer Identification Number from the Federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or have filed business or self-employment income tax returns with the IRS based on the work or service in the previous year. (A social security number cannot be substituted for a FEIN and does not meet the legal burden of s. 102.07(8) of the Act.)
  3. Operate under specific contracts.
  4. Be responsible for operating expenses under the contracts.
  5. Be responsible for the satisfactory performance of the work under the contracts.
  6. Be paid per contract, per job, by the commission, or by competitive bid.
  7. Be subject to profit or loss in performing the work under the contracts.
  8. Have recurring business liabilities and obligations.
  9. Be in a position to succeed or fail if business expense exceeds income.

Above list source: http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dwd/publications/wc/WKC_13330_P.pdf

It is not likely that contractors that try to use “independent contractors” to avoid paying workers compensation can meet all of these criteria. This puts the liability for injuries back on you, the property owner.

Hopefully, this information makes it clear how important it is to confirm that your roofing contractor has current workers’ compensation insurance. Next time you are hiring a roofing contractor or any contractor to work on your property, make sure to ask to see a copy of their workers’ compensation insurance before allowing them to start working. Check to make sure that the dates on the proof of insurance are not expired. A few minutes of due diligence could save you from a huge lawsuit. Don’t take a chance on hiring an unlicensed or uninsured contractor!

For more information on Workers’ Compensation Law check out these links:

Wisconsin-http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dwd/publications/wc/WKC_13330_P.pdf

Iowa- http://www.iowaworkforce.org/wc/index.html

Illinois- http://www.iwcc.il.gov/handbook013013.pdf

This article was written by Jamie Heinrichs

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It’s that time of year again when roofing contractors like us are preparing to call our crews back to work. The long winter has drained our operating cash and the fact that spring is near makes us eager to get back at it. But every spring (and fall) the questions from our customers are the same.

  • “When is it warm enough to install asphalt shingles”
  • “Are the shingles going to seal down?”
  • “Shouldn’t we wait until summer?”

The focus of this blog is on answering these questions. The information is based on our 50+ years of experience in the industry and research we’ve done online.

The fact is you can install shingles regardless of the temperature. Roofing in cold weather is not impossible and will not void the warranty.

That being said, we feel there are several drawbacks to roofing in cold weather and choose not to do it unless it is absolutely necessary. Following are some reasons why:

  1. The shingles become brittle in cold weather. This increases the risk of them cracking when being formed into valleys or over ridges. It also becomes more likely that the nails may blow through the shingle if the air pressure of the nail guns isn’t set correctly or if the shingles aren’t nailed in the proper location. These problems can be mitigated by being aware of the risk, but it is a concern that problems could occur and go unnoticed.
  2. Our equipment doesn’t work as well in cold weather.  The compressors don’t run as well and the moisture in the hoses causes the guns to freeze and stop working.
  3. We become less efficient.  It is human nature to become less productive if you aren’t comfortable, plus the added clothing makes it harder to move.
  4. It’s not worth the risk from a safety standpoint. Setting up ladders and crawling around on frosty or snowy roofs is dangerous for our employees.
  5. The shingles won’t seal until spring. This isn’t a serious problem unless they blow off in the meantime or if too much dust and dirt collect on the seal strip.
  6. The shingles may not lay as flat and may look rough or rippled. This problem will usually go away once the weather warms up and the shingles seal down.

So it’s still winter.  When is it warm enough?

We feel the risk of the problems listed above decreases significantly when the temperatures start to climb above 30 degrees consistently.  The shingles become more malleable and less brittle, our equipment functions properly and the snow and frost melt, making the job safer. The shingles still may not seal completely, but the risk of them blowing off before they do becomes less likely. Unless you are installing white or light-colored shingles, the roof temperature is usually significantly higher than the air temperature anyway. On a sunny day in the spring, the roof temperature may be 10 to 20 degrees warmer than the air.

So trust your contractor if they tell you it’s warm enough. If you have hired the right contractor, they aren’t going to be willing to compromise the quality of their installation and open themselves up to possible headaches down the road.

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We recently got a call from someone with roof problems.  They had their house re-roofed by one of our competitors four years ago. Ever since then they had been noticing a couple of serious leaks. One of the leaks was running down through an exterior wall and into the basement.

We agreed to take a look. When we got there, the homeowner pointed out the location of the leaks and we went on the roof to do an inspection. We noticed a few things that looked improper and could be causing the leaks. We offered to tear apart those areas, find the problem, and fix it.

The most serious leak was in this area.

We tore the shingles off and found wet, rotten sheathing in the area where the valley runs into the rake edge. It looked like our competitors had replaced one small piece of plywood which was now rotten again. There was also some of the original sheathing which rotted. We removed the rotten plywood and found something we had never seen before.

The previous roofers must not have been too confident in their ability to install a watertight roof in this area, so they came up with an ingenious plan. They cut a piece of ice guard to fit inside the attic below the problem roof area. The ice guard was placed so that when the roof leaked the water would run down the ice guard and drain out through the soffit.

Unfortunately, their plan didn’t work. The water ran down through the wall and into the basement. The homeowner hired a roofer and got a piece of ice guard in their attic.

We replaced the rotten wood and fit 60 mil EPDM over the problem area. We then re-installed the shingles and properly flashed the wall. We’re confident they won’t need ice guard in the attic anymore!

We posted this story to demonstrate what can happen if you hire the wrong roofing contractor. Anyone can nail down shingles, but it takes a skilled and experienced roofer to protect your home from water damage.

This article was written by Jamie Heinrichs

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Websters defines trust as “the firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.”  That is a fairly simple definition but in real life, it can be a complicated concept.   We usually don’t trust someone immediately upon first meeting them.  In our personal relationships, it takes time to build trust.  Unfortunately, when making infrequent purchases, such as home improvement services, knowing which business to trust can be difficult.  Sometimes you have to decide who you can trust without the benefit of your own personal experience. Trust in the home improvements business is built by consistently meeting expectations.  When you choose to trust a business, you are taking a risk. You are risking your hard-earned money in hopes that the business will perform a quality service. Trusting the wrong business can be an expensive mistake.

Once you commit to improvements on your home or business, how do you decide which contractor you can trust to deliver the best service and provide the most value for your money?

The best way to minimize your risk is by becoming as informed as possible.  It is now easier than ever to become informed. With the internet and social media, information is literally at your fingertips.  Following are some ways to use the internet to educate yourself and ultimately decide which home improvements contractor you can trust.

  1. Do a simple Google search.  For instance, if you type in “window installation”, the search engine brings up YouTube videos and installation tips.  These links should help you understand the basic terminology and mechanics of the service that you are looking to buy. They will give you the ability to ask informed questions when you meet with your potential contractor.
  2. Use Social Media. Sites such as Facebook, provide an excellent platform for asking your friends and family about their knowledge and experiences with home improvement contractors.  Post the question on your wall.  If your friends don’t feel comfortable sharing their experiences publicly, they can send you a private message.  Also, some contractors have business pages where they post pictures and information about their services. Our page is https://www.facebook.com/HeinrichsRoofing
  3. Go to a professional trade organization’s website.  For example, one reputable trade organization in the roofing industry is the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA).  On their website, https://nrca.net/, they have a Consumer tab that takes you to resources such as “Buying a new roof and getting your money’s worth” and “Residential Roofing Contractor Qualification Form”.
  4. Visit review sites such as Angie’s List.  These sites provide real reviews from real customers. While reviews from people you don’t know may not carry as much weight as reviews from your friends and family, they still can be helpful.  Angie’s List makes an effort to verify that each review is legitimate.  It’s not foolproof, but it makes it harder for people to create fake reviews.
  5. Search for the contractor’s website. Many professional contractors have some sort of web presence.  This is a way for them to share information with their customers and build trust. For example, on our website heinrichsroofing.com we share information such as details about the services we provide and pictures of our work.

Use the internet as a tool to help you decide who to trust. Don’t base your buying decision on one criterion. Do your homework. Carefully think about everything that you expect from the service and consider everything that creates value. You will be glad you did!

This article was written by Jamie Heinrichs

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How important is customer service?

The customer is boss. Without them we do not work.

As a contractor, customer service is the most important thing we do. It is one of the biggest ways we differentiate ourselves from our competitors. It is directly related to our customers’ overall satisfaction and the likelihood that they will refer us to their family, friends, and neighbors.

SO HOW DO WE ACHIEVE GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE?

Listen carefully to our customers’ concerns and problems.
Every customer has different needs and priorities. We allow them to explain what they want and answer their questions.

Create solutions based on our customers’ needs.
We present options that will best match our customers’ needs. We then provide them with the information they need to make an informed decision.

Educate them about the process and manage expectations.
Customer satisfaction is based largely on expectations. It is important that we thoroughly explain the roofing process so there are no surprises, and we can deliver the service that our customers expect.

Deliver what we promise to deliver.
At the very least, we try to deliver exactly what we say we are going to deliver. Ideally, we will be able to exceed our customers’ expectations and create a positive and memorable experience.

Express appreciation and ask for feedback.
It is very important to say thank you and ask if everything was as expected. It is also important to ask if there is any way to improve your service. Customer feedback is vital to ensuring good customer service.
Focusing on customer service has been essential to our longevity. We rely on long term relationships with our customers for repeat business and referrals.

We recently experienced an example of great customer service from one of the manufacturers’ reps that we work with. We replaced the side steel on the Belmont Fire House. There was a mix up with the number and the color of the window channels that we ordered. Without the correct channels, we could not continue the project. We called Kent Enright, our sales rep with Metal Sales™, the manufacturer of the steel we were using on this project. We explained the situation and told him we needed 16 more channels. Unfortunately, they had stopped production at the factory for the next two days to count inventory.

How important is customer service - before

Before

How important is customer service - after

After

Kent was able to get them to make the channels we needed and somehow fit them in his car. They are 10 foot 2 inches long, so I am sure this was a challenge. He then dropped them off at our job site on his way home from work so we could continue working the next day. He went above and beyond to create a solution to our problem. Kent not only came through in this situation but also is always available to answer questions or help in any way that he can.

Kent’s example of great customer service is important for a sustainable business relationship. His effort and willingness to solve problems make it more likely that we will continue to do business with him and his company in the future.

Our recent experience with Kent reinforces our belief that customer service is key. We will continue to strive to provide the same level of service for our customers. It is one of the underlying causes of our strong reputation and gives us the ability to establish relationships with new customers regularly through referrals.

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Is your vinyl siding dirty? A few tips to make it look new.

Like anything that is exposed to the elements, vinyl siding tends to get dirty over time. Dust and dirt collects in the wood grain and can discolor the siding. Bugs and bird waste results in ugly stains. The beauty of vinyl siding is that it can be restored to its original look by simply cleaning it.

The Vinyl Siding Installation Manual recommends the following cleaning practices:

  1. Use an ordinary, long-handled car washing brush. This brush has soft bristles, and the handle fastens onto the end of the hose. It allows the siding to be washed just like a car. Avoid using stiff bristle brushes or abrasive cleaners, which may change the gloss of the cleaned area and cause the siding to look splotchy.
  2. To remove soot and grime found in industrial areas, wipe down the siding with a solution made up of the following:
    • 1/3 (0.08 liter) cup powder detergent (e.g., Fab®, Tide®, or equivalent powder detergent)*
    • 2/3 cup (0.16 liter) powder household cleaner (e.g., Soilax®, Spic & Span®, or equivalent)*
    • 1 gallon (3.8 liters) water
  3. If mildew is a problem, use the solution previously mentioned, but add 1 quart (0.95 liters) liquid laundry bleach. Mold and mildew can also be removed with a solution made up of 30% vinegar and 70% water.
  4. When washing down the entire house, start at the bottom and work up to the top in order to prevent streaking.

Follow the precautionary labeling instructions on the cleaning agent container. Protect shrubs from direct contact with cleaning agents.

Vinyl siding can also be cleaned using a pressure washer. Be sure to use a nozzle with a wide spray pattern. Nozzles with narrow spray patterns tend to clean the siding unevenly and leave your siding looking streaky. Be careful around windows and doors or other protrusions. Pressure washers can loosen or remove caulking and could cause leaks.

Be careful when working off of a ladder. Try to maintain three points of contact at all times.

Periodic cleaning keeps your siding looking new and allows you to get the most out of your investment.

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People say to us all the time “I’ve been hearing and seeing more about these metal roofs. What are better metal or asphalt shingles?”

The answer is a bunch of questions.

What goals are you trying to accomplish when purchasing your new roof? How long do you plan on owning this property? If I invest more money in a more expensive roof system, will I recoup the cost when I sell?
By answering these questions, you can decide which kind of roof system is best for you.

One of the most considerable differences between metal and asphalt shingles is the cost. Although shingle prices continue to rise and the gap is closing, it is still cheaper to buy an asphalt roof than it is to buy metal. In most cases, significantly cheaper. If you purchase a standing seam, residential metal roof system, the total cost will be 1.5 to 2 times more expensive than asphalt shingles.

But doesn’t metal last longer?

In theory, metal should last longer. In practice, it will only last as long as the finish(paint) protects the steel. Once the finish is gone or damaged, the steel can rust and deteriorate. We currently sell Metal Sales™ brand steel which carries a 45-year paint warranty. This warranty states that the finish will not crack, flake, chip, or peel for 45 years and it will not fade for 30 years. If these failures occur, they will either repaint or replace the steel. If they choose to replace it, the warranty does not cover the labor to do so.

So what about asphalt then?

We mostly sell CertainTeed shingles. They now carry a lifetime warranty. Does this mean they expect their products to last forever? No, it means that they will pay some amount of money to the buyer forever as long as several conditions are met. They pay 100% of the replacement cost if the shingles fail in the first 10 years. After that, they pay a pro-rated percentage of the material cost only. That means they will give you a percent of the cost of the shingles but no money for all the labor required to tear off the old and install the new. After the initial 10-year period, the percentage decreases 1/600 every month, so at 40 years you would receive 20% of the cost of the shingles if you still had the paperwork (proof). If you have the shingles installed by a Certified Contractor, the initial period of 100% coverage extends to 50 years on a residential property.

This gets us back to asking yourself what is best for you. If you plan on living in your house for 30 to 40 years and only care about what is going to last the longest, maybe metal is worth the investment. If you think it is likely that your house will be worth more at the time of sale to justify spending more now then maybe metal is the choice. If you don’t plan on staying in your house long term or if you qualify for the extended warranty then maybe shingles are the better option.

Other people care less about cost or how long it will last, and only want their house to look as good as possible. In which case, you should ask your contractor for addresses/photos/ websites with examples of the different roof systems installed. You own the property so the only opinion that matters is yours.

Conclusion

I hope this blog educated you on some of the differences between metal and asphalt. It was not intended to be an endorsement of one product over the other. No matter what product you choose, a new roof is a substantial investment that deserves careful consideration. Both metal and asphalt have been and will continue to be viable options for homeowners in our region.

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1. Your windows are drafty

They may be un-insulated, single pane glass. If you can feel air moving around your windows, it’s probably time to replace them. With today’s energy costs, you can’t afford to have windows that are not energy efficient.

2. They don’t operate properly

They won’t stay up or don’t latch. If they don’t latch properly, they aren’t sealed efficiently. Not to mention the safety concerns raised by unlocked windows.

3. Condensation forms between the panes of glass

Sign that the seal on the window has failed or the glass is warped and the panes of glass are too close together. Either way, they are compromised and not performing the way they were designed.

4. You hear everything that is going on outside

New windows help lessen noise pollution. Properly sealed windows muffle unwanted noise.

5. You have to go outside to clean your windows

It can be a lot of work and potentially dangerous to clean your windows off of a ladder. If this is a problem for you, it’s time to replace your windows with new windows that tip in for easy cleaning.

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5 things you may not know about shingle warranties.

1. A shingle warranty is not a statement on how long the manufacturer thinks the product will last.


A shingle warranty is a statement about how long and under what conditions the manufacturer will pay some amount of money if their product fails.

2. Not all shingle manufacturers have the same threshold for determining if there is a warranty claim.


Warranty claims are granted based on different criteria for each manufacturer. Some will grant claims based on cosmetic problems such as curling or shading.  Others won’t grant a claim unless the shingle failure results in a leak. The disparity in the minimum threshold for qualifying shingle failure makes a big difference in the value and usefulness of the warranty.

3. After a short initial period, shingle warranties are pro-rated and for materials only.

Most shingle warranties are made up of a short, initial period, during which the manufacturer will pay all expenses if their shingle fails. They will pay for all of the materials and labor of repairing the roof. It usually lasts 10-15 years and can sometimes be transferable if you sell your home during this period.  For example, CertainTeed calls this period the SureStart Period.

The second part of the warranty is the pro-rated period. This is the remainder of the warranty period. If the shingles fail during this period, the manufacturer will pay a pro-rated portion of the material cost only. For example, if the shingles fail in year 16, they will pay the pro-rated cost of the shingles only.  They will not pay for the labor required to remove the defective shingles or installation of new ones.

4. Hiring a certified contractor greatly increases your ability to get a longer/more comprehensive warranty.

Most manufacturers have certified contractor programs.  They certify contractors who have proven their competence and give them the ability to offer much more comprehensive warranties. These warranties extend the 100% coverage period for many more years.  For example, Certainteed has its ShinlgeMaster program which allows their factory-trained contractors to offer their SureStart Plus Warranty.  This warranty extends the initial 100% coverage period to 50 years on single-family homes. Hiring a certified contractor that can offer extended warranties greatly increases the value of your roofing investment.

5. Improper installation voids most shingle warranties.
Shingle manufacturers include language in their warranties that specify installation standards that must be met, otherwise the warranty is void. Some of the major requirements pertain to ventilation and fastening (nailing). It’s important that your contractor knows and understands these requirements or you may be stuck with no warranty coverage at all.
All shingle warranties are not the same. Be sure to understand what kind of protection you are buying with your shingles. You can find the manufacturer’s warranties on their websites or ask your contractor to provide them and answer any questions you may have.