Revival of Retro Marketing, Where does all that roofing trash end up?

Modified Torch Down roof repair circa Autumn 2006

While this is not a new photo, all of our services remain the same. That is, if one does not count the advances in technology and energy saving methods developed over that last decade.

I started learning to torch this type of roof at the age of nine. If you asked me then, I’d say it was hard, today, I would say, torching is as easy as putting butter on bread.

This repair method is very versatile and can be used on a variety of asphalt based products. Various types of materials react different with fire, and it takes time to learn the ropes of this particular art. It is fun to watch the tar melt into oozing patterns while the flame burns hot.

Not only is Modified Bitumen available in a variety of colors, the smooth sheet (pictured) can be painted for reflecting heat and longer life. This is an excellent flat roof and I’ve installed it on homes and commercial buildings. This is the roof I have a number one success rate with durability, foot traffic and the price is right.

A repair could be a six inch patch or an area nearing 100′ square. Or larger, this repair was about one thousand square feet.

Propane is a very clean burning gas. The VOC content (basically solvents) of glue and thermoplastics contained in other types of roofing are more irritating to the lungs, skin and body. Being derived from asphalt and less processing makes this a “greener” flat roof than some of its counterparts. Rubber roofing requires multiple types of caulking, glues, primer, cleaner and are all solvent rich. Some of these products contain hot solvents and others that burn off over a period of decades. Caulking might be the biggest offender of longterm Solvent/VOC emissions with regards to liquid products.

Rubber and thermoplastics do break down and are further from being organic, meaning their end result is more toxic in the long run. Polymers in plastic and every roof built will eventually end up buried in the dirt of a landfill.

No matter the product, every measure of savings and environmental concern is taken into account for green building practices. Thankfully, some of the landfills are offering seasonal recycling programs for shingles. The need for a place to recycle asphalt, rubber, pvc and thermoplastic roof sheets is a big need. The tire industry does well at recycling tires, but how can the roofing industry save thousands of dollars on dump fees unless programs are available? Many roof contractors have half full trailers of roofing debris, waiting to fill on the next job. The average waste disposal cost for a residential roof is about 3-$500 for transportation and dumping. In Colorado, the material typically goes in with the trash.

Asphalt, rubber and thermoplastics could be recycled to build roads. Some places have these facilities. Our San Jose, California location has an extensively organized dump/recycling center. Wood shake is recycled, nails, metal, asphalt, plastic, rubber etc. It’s a well run operation and the fees were pretty competitive with our local landfills in Colorado.

Each season, we search the local landfills and are constantly looking for opportunities to utilize recycling programs. If recycling is unavailable, our company holds onto trash for a seasonal recycle facility to open.

This year, all of our recycling is done and the equipment is clean. The weather is amazing and it’s time to begin preparing for the monsoon of Spring and Summer. Colorado can get unexpected rainstorms that cause leaks, maintenance and yearly roof check’s are very important. And, if there is nothing wrong, nothing gets fixed.

Getting the roof checked is free.

If repairs are needed, you’ll be provided with up front pricing.

Roof Certifications are often available the same day.

Our prices are low, our overhead is low, our customers save and benefit from better quality.

Our customers are confident in the integrity and performance of our roofs and our word.

It’s a great time to call 303-452-2822 for a free estimate, information or to ask a question.

The importance of ventilation and insulation ~ A Customer Testimonial, and my response

Today, I received a wonderful email, and am so excited to share it with you. Essentially, I know that I am too honest to be a good salesperson. In fact, I am not a salesperson at all. I am however, a contractor who offers all of the honest information to my customers so they can make informed ownership decisions. I believe in treating everyone with the utmost respect and dignity by providing honesty. I know that the truth has won a great deal of customers to my wonderful base. Year after year, people keep coming back, some just call for advice and never purchase anything, some call for purchases and live in another state or country, and own property near one of our locations. Thankfully, I’ve personally met most of our customers, spoken to and enjoyed doing business with.

 

What is the old Cliche’ that recovering businesses advertise…. “We know we’ve made mistakes in the past, but we’re getting them fixed”. This is usually followed by a personal invitation to return and consider being a customer once again.

The Allied way of doing business is old fashioned, sincere and based on excelling our customers homes, businesses and lives with minimum investment and future cost savings.

 

Okay, here is the testmonial:

Good Morning Shane

 

I owe you an apology. When you installed the gutter guards I thought that would take care of the icicles and when you told me that I  needed more insulation and ventilation I thought you were just trying to sell more stuff. Recently the city of Loveland has been offering an energy audit which we had done and they explained more about the soffits and insulation with diagrams until it got through to me.  We had the recommended work done and no more icicles except one at the corner of the back porch where the gutters meet I’m going to call the contractor about that.

Anyway just thought I would let you know. You are very knowledgeable about home construction and I could not absorb all the information that you were sharing with me. If you are ever up in the area let me buy you a beer or root beer if you prefer.

 

Regards

 

John (last name omitted for privacy)

Loveland, CO

John,

Thank you so much for your kind letter, and I will gladly take you up on a beverage next time I’m in the area.

It is always nice to hear about good advice paying off. You’re right that attic insulation and attic venting is absolutely critical to keeping your home energy efficient and free of mold, mildew and bacteria friendly conditions. As you know, your family will enjoy increased comfort inside your home and about 5-15% savings on energy, maybe more. If you do compare usage to previous years, I would love to hear about that data so I could share it with a couple who recently bought gutter dome and discovered their need for attic insulation, also. Construction upgrades and repairs often reveal deficiencies in other areas, and it is exciting to help people save money.

Thank you very kindly,

Shane Cameron

 

Do your gutter guards suffer from Ice Dams?

Ice forms from light snowfall melt off.

Heat escapes through the attic.

Gutter covers can help homeowners to realize heat loss and make changes to save on utilities and increase the comfort of the home.

This information flyer explains with word and illustrations the cause and solutions to ice daming. http://www.centerpointenergy.com/staticfiles/CNP/Common/SiteAssets/doc/Ice_Dams[1].pdf

For a free analysis and estimate please call 303-452-2822

Highland Denver Colorado Roof and Siding Replacement.

Here is a roof project I completed in 2009. A slightly steep roof and “gingerbread wood siding” gives this beautiful house great curb appeal. It still looks great after 3 years. There have been years when Allied Roofing is busy in the Highland Neighborhood. Many of our customers are part of a group called Highland Mommies. It’s a great network. I’ve enjoyed working in the neighborhood and building such great friendships. The Highland Mom’s have referred Allied Roofing to many of our new and repeat customers. Our great customers keep coming back. Thank you Highland Mommies!

A turn of the century roof replacement.

If you build it, they will come.

Advertising is good, but not always effective. The 1989 Baseball movie Field of Dreams was about a farmer who heard a voice inspiring him to build a baseball field and the end result was the Black Sox coming. You can watch the movie to get the full understanding.

The truth about reality is this “If you build the wrong thing, it will be a lot of waste”. Kevin Costner’s character in Field of Dreams was not presented with an advertising problem, he was presented with a “possible” problem and the movie was entirely fictitious in the respect that legendary baseball teams could reappear from the grave and play a ball game in Iowa.

Sham-Wow probably costs a couple of pennies to produce, the advertising is costly, people bought them. Blankets with arm holes have become a huge market because of the advertising, availability and perceived value.

If a product is marketed and unavailable to the consumer for any reason the marketing will not give a good return on investment. If a product is marketed and the ads fail to properly add value to that product then consumers will not see the value. Value must be built in and the products benefits must be apparent to those who are forking over the dough. Nobody will spend money on something they don’t value…. or won’t spend it willingly.

Gold has always been hard to come buy, it can be stored in abundance, but only with great effort. It’s rare, beautiful, hard to come by and perceived as valuable for its many qualities. People throughout history have used gold and silver as money.

Money is defined by a variety of things and can be manipulated in the market when it is not rare, beautiful, hard to come by and has a perceived value that is forced upon the marketplace by things like: fiat currency, printing money on demand aka counterfeiting, shortages of food and water.

Prices of food, shelter and any commodity become higher when the supply of those goods is in danger of running low, during times of drought,  war, money counterfeiting and many more things.  The marketplace is not affected by only one factor.

If there is a monopoly over any commodity including money, it can be more easily manipulated.

Let’s take the idea of money as a commodity and apply it to advertising by thinking about the following:

How can a company better target the market according to what people need?

How can a business grow when the economy is in a downfall?

Who would be the best person/group of people to take a struggling economy and creatively meet needs and make a profit?

Where should advertising dollars be spent?

How can a company best follow the money trends, follow the money and meet the needs of consumers?

How can a business find the best target market at all times and grow successively?

The thing I love about business and the marketplace is that there is never just one correct answer, but many correct answers. The best answers are the highest in regard to people. I mean, ethical business attracts ethical people. Enron used the lower answers as a model and robbed a lot of folks. I hear the stories first hand in the homes of a good number of people, tidbits here and there. It was devastating. Spending money in the wrong place is just painful no matter what.

A wise man once said “if you want to make money, you’ve got to go where the money is at.”, he then reached into his pocket and payed the bartender for his twelfth round. Years later that same wise man was still using the same stool to sit on, the same pants and the same 5 dollar bill on a string.

The wise man had a lot of great information, but failed to properly divulge it. Marketing is the same as wisdom, if wisdom is applied to the correct people in the correct ways it will flourish and prosper. Marketing must be done in the absolute least expensive way possible by using existing resources. People with a great attitude and smile are better than anything.