Two roofing companies can install the exact same Owens Corning shingles and deliver very different results.
The difference often comes down to details homeowners will never see. How the crew installs flashing around a chimney. How the crew protects vulnerable areas from water. Whether the crew follows the manufacturer’s installation requirements or takes shortcuts that may not show up until years later.
Quality materials matter, but they can’t fix poor workmanship.
Experience Doesn’t Automatically Mean Improvement
Recently, Owens Corning came to Zooby to provide additional training for our team.
You might wonder why a company that’s already an Owens Corning Preferred Contractor would need more training. It’s a reasonable question, and the answer reveals something important about how Elmer Zubiate approaches his business.
There’s a difference between having twenty years of experience and spending twenty years getting better at what you do. Elmer understands that distinction, which is why he welcomes opportunities for his team to learn directly from the people who manufacture the products they install.
The Cost of Cutting Corners
A roofing warranty can provide valuable protection, but it isn’t a substitute for doing the work correctly. Manufacturers have specific installation requirements, and failing to follow them can affect both the roof’s performance and its warranty coverage.
The problem with roofing shortcuts is that homeowners rarely discover them right away. A small mistake around a vent or roof valley can let water in, eventually causing damage that costs far more than the time someone saved during installation.
The contractor may save a few minutes. The homeowner can spend years paying for that decision.
What Elmer Wants His Team to Remember
Elmer recently shared an observation that explains why he takes training so seriously.
“Keeping a roof over your head is not something to take for granted. It protects everything in your home.”
Think about that for a moment. Your roof protects the place where your family lives, your possessions, and much of what you’ve spent a lifetime building. Yet most homeowners have no practical way to judge the quality of the work being done above their heads.
They trust the contractor to care about details they can’t inspect themselves.
What Makes a Contractor Worth Trusting?
Not every roofing company qualifies as an Owens Corning Preferred Contractor. The designation recognizes companies that meet certain requirements, but Elmer understands that earning recognition doesn’t mean the learning should stop.
He brings manufacturers like Owens Corning in to work with his people for a reason. He wants the crew to understand the proper methods, the vulnerable areas, and why following the manufacturer’s specifications matters.
Anyone can promise quality. What interests me is what a company does to make that promise believable.
The next time you’re comparing roofing estimates, look beyond the price and the shingles. Ask how the crews are trained and what the company does to ensure the job is done correctly.
After all, the best part of a roofing warranty is a roof that never gives you a reason to use it.
Jeffrey Eisenberg is a renowned optimization expert and co-author of the NY Times bestselling marketing books, such as “Call to Action” and “Waiting For Your Cat To Bark.” He co-invented the Persuasion Architecture framework, helping companies increase sales by over $1 billion. Jeffrey has trained and coached hundreds of companies, including Google, NBC Universal, and HPE, by optimizing their customer experience and sales processes using data-driven strategies. He excels at anticipating customer needs and driving innovation.