Disrupting an Industry
Roof Fix: Setting new commercial and residential standards
Roof Fix’s reputation in the commercial and residential construction market has been exemplary. As a leading roofing company in San Antonio and South Texas, it’s also one of the fastest growing, with over $14 million in sales annually (a figure that puts them in the top 4 percent of revenue-generating North American companies). Add to that back-to-back Angie’s List Super Service Awards in 2016 and 2017, as well as its status as a factory-certified GAF* Master Elite® contractor and it becomes abundantly clear—Roof Fix is disrupting an industry and revising perspectives consistently, year after year. “The problem is the riffraff and fly-by-nights,” says Roof Fix owner and founder Duane Charping. “Customers are getting burned, and 60 percent of the roofs getting installed are being done 100 percent wrong and wouldn’t even pass inspection. While setting up roofing contractors, I noticed that the roofing industry had a horrible reputation. Every time I tried to find or locate a contractor, I noticed roofers never wanted to repair their work. We started to get a lot of complaints.”
A third-generation builder and remodeler, Duane has provided exceptional service for more than 30 years. He’s insisted on a hands-on, high-tech, high-touch approach, placing communication and customer satisfaction as top priorities in his business model.
“My father owned siding and window companies across Texas,” Duane says. “We owned lumber yards, and I grew up in the industry. The No. 1 thing I learned is you have to install to manufacturer specifications. The experience we bring to the industry is bar none. We certify our installation. It’s one of our biggest assets.”
Recruiting and Leading the Best Talent
With his guidance, Roof Fix has become a trusted resource for commercial builders and homeowners in the community. That relationship has not been built over night. It’s been nurtured and cultivated for decades, structured upon a solid foundation of experience, a reputation for excellence in the commercial and residential market, as well as an uncommon vision of an owner with the willingness to go above and beyond for his employees and customers.
Duane has built a team of highly trained professionals who care, and who want to make a difference—and they make sure every aspect of every job is done right the first time. That means understanding customer needs and offering the complete spectrum of GAF roofing options to optimize performance and weight, and provide optimal structure and coating solutions and resistance to weathering and chemicals.
“We’re a component company,” Duane says. “There’s a uniqueness in the way we estimate our jobs. We measure the homes with 100 percent accuracy, and we use our GAF certification process. We inspect what we expect. We provide photo documentation to the customers every day.”
With Duane’s direction and general manager Tim Carmichael’s guidance, this company has recruited employees with the right tenure and expertise, and has gone a long way to ensure every member of the Roof Fix team is appreciated and has skin in the game.
“We don’t always rely on our knowledge,” Duane says. “Everyone we hire we recruit. We recruited Juan Olivo from 25 years in the roofing industry. Our whole team is committed. We work great together. It’s a hand off, from Amanda who runs customer care, to the legal team. We’ll come out there and make sure your roof is up to city codes. We’ll handle the whole entire process. A lot of companies charge additional for that. It’s just part of our system to offer that free to the community.”
And it all speaks to the product and to the service they provide. Duane and Tim are intent on hiring the best talent available to ensure the customer gets exactly what they need so they can rely on experts who care.
“We have no limitations like they do in the corporate world,” Duane says. “In the corporate world, you would never find someone better than you for fear of being replaced. Our culture makes a difference. Everyone’s job is secure. I find people better than me to do the job. That’s what’s made us triple in size every year.”
“I’ve trained more million-dollar producers,” Tim adds. “I will share every little piece of sales knowledge. We want people to be successful. There’s plenty to go around for everyone. The more I train and show people, the better I get.”
Tim started 20 years ago in the industry. He began moonlighting as a roofing installer, saw an opportunity and began working fulltime. Then he went into sales and teamed up with Duane at Roof Fix.
“The problem is the riffraff and fly-by-nights. Customers are getting burned, and 60 percent of the roofs getting installed are being done 100 percent wrong and wouldn’t even pass inspection.” Duane Charping, Owner and Founder, Roof Fix
Customer Experience and Satisfaction
“Duane is easily accessible to myself and Juan and anyone here,” Tim continues. “We all work together to make sure the experience for our customers is second to none. You can’t imagine how many people write in our reviews about our presentation and professionalism. Corporate clients and homeowners alike understand that what we’re doing is different from what everyone else is doing.”
Roof Fix’s long history of customer satisfaction and community involvement has put them on the map. They’ve been using drone technology to estimate roofs and damage for 10 years. They’re innovative and use metal detectors and magnets. And there’s no terms and conditions to their contracts. If they break something they’ll fix it.
Once a year, they also give back to the community by providing a free roofing project for someone in need. And as an ongoing community service, they offer free leak repair and free roof patch for residents. With such service and care for the community, it’s no wonder that this company has set the standard for customer service in San Antonio.
One of their guarantees is a single-pay 20-year warranty on commercial Duro-Last Roofing Systems products. With zero-percent financing on most roofing up to five years, the team at Roof Fix is able to offer solutions that fit a customer’s needs and their budget. And, they have never received an install grade lower than a 95.
“We know the customer has a choice of where to go,” Duane says. “I know what it feels like. I came across the worst experience of my life with my homebuilder, who went bankrupt. I want to make sure our customers don’t have that experience. We’re not perfect, but you can count on our integrity.”
“With Duane taking the helm by himself, there’s not anyone who’s going to change the path that this company’s on,” Tim says. “We’re a rocket ship, and nothing is going to stop us. Duane gets it done. He’s able to make executive decisions very quickly and implement them and make sure we can push forward on the right path, from marketing to projects to who we’re going to hire and what we’re doing to save money. Everything works out in such a great way. There is constant innovation here.”
For more from Duane and Tim, tune in to their radio show every Sunday from 3-4 p.m. Central Standard Time on KTSA 550AM and 107.1FM, where they can be found educating consumers and providing roofing solutions.
*General Aniline & Film (GAF) is the No.1 roofing manufacturer in North America.