Around 1998 we had five prices in approximately six months. This was due to oil prices at the time and I thought it was crazy. I?ve worked in the after math of hurricanes and hailstorms and I?ve seen roofing labor prices spike after these storms. As a matter of principle I refused to pay these unnecessary spikes in labor. aThis storm is different I had no choice, but to pay all of our roofing crews additional funding to match the offers from competing roofers in Colorado Springs. The industry has changed because of the shortage of construction workers and there is nothing that anyone can do.

I love our free enterprise and that we have few barriers in economics. Don?t get me wrong this is awesome, but chaos can ensue. Out of town roofing companies that are better known as storm chasers are pursuing local installers and are paying up to 35% higher rates than the traditional local market could pay, but that was before the storm. Local roofing companies were shocked when overnight we were forced to pay $500-$1,000 more to roof a home. There are going to be a lot of happy construction workers before years end. Overnight these men received a 35% pay raise. That?s one heck of a pay raise and it occurred only because of supply and demand.

Colorado Springs roofers have adjusted prices according with supplier and labor increases. Today in May of 2017 there is still a work load of roofs that are being replaced from last years historic hailstorm. This is a good time to have your roof replaced.

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Much like the typical homeowner, the owners at ASAP ROOFING can often feel like salesman are a dime a dozen. Especially when throwing out catchy sales pitches that more often than not turn the customer off, salesman can seem evasive, pushy and unreliable ? all the characteristics that often lead to disgruntled customers.

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Wanting to change that image, not just for the company but also for the salesmen themselves, ASAP ROOFING from its inception has focused on building good moral character, teaching rapport building skills, fostering social intelligence, and even practicing these skills in mock customer interactions.

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A typical day at ASAP ROOFING starts with a 2 hour training session reviewing the works of authors such as Daniel Pink, Dan Ariely, Martin Seligman, Shawn Achor, and Daniel Goleman ? all top researchers in their fields of psychology, behavioral economics, and positive psychology. So why would the owners of a roofing company want to review the work of psychologists?

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According to Igor Kublitskiy, one of the three company owners, ?When we teach our sales people to achieve what they thought was not possible in our roofing company, it pervades to all areas of their lives, which just makes them even better at sales.? It?s easy to see then the benefit this sort of learning environment would have for both an employee and an employer, and Kublitskiy relates that, ?Since we?ve been using this approach in our company, our sales have increased by 60%, but even more telling is our contract retention rate. When customers are happy, and feel they are treated well, they don?t cancel deals, it?s just that simple.?

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And the effect seems to be paying off. ASAP ROOFING, a Denver based national roofing company has enjoyed tremendous success in the last few years, quickly opening offices in both Indianapolis and Dallas. However, the success has not just been in numbers. ASAP ROOFING has one of the highest customer satisfaction ratings, and at this point, a waiting list for sales people.

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Igor shares that future employees now come in saying that they heard about ASAP ROOFING?s approach and want to be part of the cutting edge approach. And cutting edge it is. The next step is to develop online training classes, videos and webinars.

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Written by Nick Dorotik

nick@asaproofing.com

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For more information about ASAP ROOFING, visit http://asaproofing.com/

Preparing a home for sale requires some strategy on your part. To maximize the price you hope to get and complete the sale within your desired time frame, your house must be as perfect as possible for potential buyers. The DMV housing market is strong but not so strong that you can let your home appear mediocre and still command top dollar. Therefore, diligent preparations before you list are highly recommended.

In the real estate industry, the act of preparing a home for sale is sometimes referred to as staging. This can range from major upgrades throughout the home to purposely (and a bit artificially) making it look more appealing for prospective buyers to simply giving the house a good cleaning. According to the National Association of Realtors? 2015 Profile of Home Staging, 49 percent of agents say most home buyers are affected by staging, and another 47 percent say some buyers are affected by staging. Simply put, good preparations into selling your home will make most prospects take notice and are well worth your effort.

So what should you focus on when preparing your home for sale? Here are several tips, taken from our comprehensive e-book, to consider as you take the initial steps toward listing your home:

Upgrades

Some home buyers love a good fixer-upper, but there are some parts of a house no one wants to deal with when they move in. Not upgrading these problem areas can ultimately slow the time to sale and/or reduce how much you get. Here are some of the important upgrades you should think about making before listing:

• Roof: Yes, replacing your roof is a major project that seems like it will delay your plans to sell, but it?s one upgrade you can?t overlook (depending on the shape of your roof). If a home inspector tells a buyer under contract that your roof is a problem, the deal may ultimately fall through. Now for the good news: A new roof carries a high return on investment and, perhaps most important, will never scare off buyers; if anything, they may be more apt to purchase knowing they have decades before they will need to worry about another replacement roof.
• Windows: New windows simply look good to prospective buyers. Though expensive, windows offer a return on investment similar to a new roof and give your home an updated, fresh appearance during an open house.

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• Exterior doors: Potential buyers walk in the front door to look at your home. Don?t let that first impression be negative because the door is 70 years old. And don?t fret about the cost?steel doors offer one of the best returns on investment of any home upgrade.
• HVAC: For sure, prospective buyers, and the inspectors they hire to look at your property, will pay close attention to your heating and cooling system. That old furnace or a lack of central air conditioning will not impress. An HVAC upgrade is another major project that is too risky to not undertake when preparing your home for selling.

Repairs

Some parts of your home may not need upgrading but desperately require some sort of repair. Don?t put off these projects thinking the next owner can handle them, even if it means you will get less from the sale. For starters, the cost of the repair often is cheaper than whatever is knocked off the sale price (and those price reductions, which usually come in $500 increments, add up). Furthermore, qualified contractors might identify more problems that will need to be addressed. For example, hiring a roofer to replace some missing shingles might lead to a recommendation for other repairs?repairs that, if not made, might burn you on a home inspector?s report and cut into the sale price.

Declutter

Less stuff in your home will make it look bigger to prospective buyers, who in turn can more easily envision their own stuff in the house. Declutter your home?putting things in storage and/or having a garage sale?as part of the staging process. You will be moving all your possessions once you sell anyway; consider decluttering a good head start toward that endeavor.

Clean

This advice should be obvious, but you might be surprised how many home sellers don?t put much effort into cleaning their homes before listing. Take a weekend to really attack the dirt and dust in your home, which may include cleaning walls, ceilings, floorboards, and upholstery. And don?t hesitate to hire a professional service to give your home the deep clean it will need before listing.

Yards

Don?t ignore the outside of your home while taking care of all the interior issues that must also be addressed. Your house can be in perfect condition, but if your front lawn has dead patches or your gardens are overrun with weeds, prospective buyers will form a negative impression of your home before even setting foot within. Preparing your home for selling means preparing your entire property; paying extra attention to the exterior will increase the chances you get your asking price.

Whenever a new roof must be considered, careful deliberation must be given about all available options. Replacing a roof is a very costly venture and for this reason, the choice is often made to have an overlay done in order to save time, labor and disposal costs. Of course, whether or not this is possible depends on the shape of the roof deck and how many layers already exist.

Tear-Off Indications

While it is often thought that an overlay is like putting a new dress over an old one or putting on make-up over an unwashed face, such comparisons should not be the only reason for removing a roof. Following are some things to consider which, if applicable, may indicated a need to replace the entire structure.

• Ice Damming ? In areas where the temperature goes below 30 degrees, an old system that does not have water or ice protection membranes and is prone to ice dams may may require removal. Even structures that are twenty years old without such protection but no prior problems could likely experience damage when cold weather hits.
• Building Code ? Many times it is not up to a contractor but is actually a building code requirement to remove an existing roof if there is more than one layer present. It is important to contact a local building inspection department to be sure whether or not a new roof can be installed over an old one.
• Severe Damage ? If the existing roof is not in overall bad shape but has specific areas of aging or damage such as crooked rows or severly curled tabs, little doubt remains that the entire roof must be removed and replaced.
• Decking Deterioration ? During an inspection, if sagging between trusses or rafters is noticed, that is a sign that a deck may be damaged or is deteriorating. This could be caused by a fungus and if not properly treated, may have spread across the entire deck. If such is suspected, then serious consideration should be given to replacing the entire roof.
• Inappropriate Shingles ? If lightweight shingles are being covered with heavyweight shingles, a structural expert should be consulted to determine if the existing structure can handle the additional weight of new shingles. If considering replacing current shingles with lighter weight ones, the outcome is generally not good as bumps and ridges are often visable.
• Shorter Life Span ? Although this is simply a theory, many roofing experts agree that putting a new layer of material over an older layer can shorten the lifespan of the roof by approximately ten to twenty percent.

If any of the conditions mentioned above are evident on a roof, a complete tear off is probably the best solution. For anyone who is unsure about which option is the right one to select, the wisest decision to do is consult with a reputable roofing company to get professional advice on such an important project ? and leave any re-roofing unsure thoughts in the hands of expert roofers!

Call Schulte Roofing to Repair or Replace Your Roof Houston TX!

Do you have a roof Houston TX that needs some work and you are unsure whether to tear-off or cover the existing material? Call Schulte Roofing at 800-367-7663 who can help all greater Houston area customers decide whether a roof should be a complete torn off and not!