b'MRCA RESIDENTIALSteep Slope University (Its A Great Idea)Jim PetersonPeterson Roofing, Inc. in Mt. Prospect, ILI ts not just a roof anymore, its a Roof System. Without this understanding, you will surely lose your business or at the least, go through a lot of unnecessary hard knocks along the way.Why is it that the number one complaint to the building department in most communities is regarding steep slope residential roofing contractors? Why is it also in the top five complaints to the Better Business Bureau (BBB)?Why dont these types of complaints get reported at the same rate with regard to low slope commercial contractors? In the following, I hope to answer some of these questions as well as give you some solutions to avoidlosing older, more established roofing contractors (that do some of the downfalls many of us have experienced. comply) to lack of work since they are unable to compete In 1978, at the age of 19, all I needed was a ladder,with the non-compliant roofing contractor.some small hand tools, a pick-up truck, some businessSo, whos at fault? Is it the new contractor with lack of cards and Boom, I was a roofing contractor. knowledge about industry standards or the experienced It wasnt so complex back in those days as comparedcontractor not wanting to share their knowledge and to today. You met with your customer, signed a contractexperience?(or even just shook hands), installed the shingles and gotIts probably a little of both and we need to realize that paid. That was it. How simple. Thats not the case withworking together, instead of against each other, will help todays business climate. With all the laws, regulationseveryone. We can all be successful. The next time youre and codes changing at a rapid pace, as well as thein an airplane, look out the window. LOOK AT ALL THOSE rising costs of insurance and increase in the number ofROOFS! There is more than enough roofing work for all lawsuits, its much more difficult to start and maintain aexisting roofing contractors as well as the new roofing roofing company that will be successful. contractors.Dont get me wrong, even though things were muchSo, whats the solution?simpler when I got started, by no means did I come outThis Steep Slope University is a great forum for our of the chute being instantly successful. Although hadresidential roofing industry. With the MRCA representing been roofing since the age of 15 and knew it all, I was18 states, what better way to help all us contractors get headed to the school of hard knocks. on the same page so we can all succeed? Like the saying Getting married at the age of 20 and having four kidsgoes, together we conquer, divided we fall.by 25, I didnt have time to join any roofing associationsForums such as this are important, where experienced or attend their events in order to stay on top of industrycontractorscansharetheirknowledgeandnew standards. Looking back, I would have saved tens ofcontractors can share their new and innovative ideas to thousands of dollars, not to mention the headaches,becoming successful. Realizing there is always more we if would have been more involved. In todays roofingcan learn from each other will help us to take our industry world I would have definitely lost my business without theback and ensure we all achieve the success we have knowledge I have since gained from these associations. worked so hard for.So, with many roofing contractors joining our industry everyThank you to the MRCA for making this Steep Slope year with the same mind set I had when I got started, youuniversity possible to help keep us contractors up to snuff I would have saved tens of thousands ofon industry standards, regulations and overall business knowledge.dollars, not to mention the headaches,So, lets get together, by way of a roofing association, if would have been more involved as the commercial contractors are already doing, and make residential roofing a great industry to be a part of.can see why there are so many complaints about ourHope to see you all in Nebraska at the MRCAs trade show industry (especially with todays media). to experience the Steep Slope University.Unfortunately, we are losing the new roofing contractorsP.S. Dont forget to see all that is offered to new roofing to customer complaints and lawsuits due to their lackcontractors on the MRCAs website, its unbelievable. I of industry knowledge and compliance. We are alsowish I would have known this in 1978.www.mrca.orgMidwest Roofer 29'