What Are The Signs That You Need A New Roof?

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Once a leak is spotted, it is usually assumed that the house needs a full roof replacement. Truth is, there are many things that can cause a leak. And although a ceiling leak usually means that a great amount of damage has been done, it could also signal the need for a simple roof repair.

First and foremost, Gulf Western Roofing does not recommend that any homeowner attempt to get on their roof. However, there are factors that can determine the need for a roof replacement and do not require stepping foot on the roof.

How old is your roof?
Tile roofs could last over 100 years, but if you can see broken or cracked tiles, it may be time for an inspection and repair. Although shingle roofs are supposed to last 20-30 years, the Florida weather patterns only allow around 10-15 years of life. If your roof was installed in that time frame, chances are you will need to have it replaced.

Damaged Shingles
If you can see physical signs of shingle damage such as curled or buckling shingles, or even missing shingles all together, these could be signs that the roof is beginning to fail. If shingles are especially damaged or missing in the roof valley, consider it a definite sign that you need a new roof. Because rainwater flows through the valley and into the gutters, damage to this area means that you are much more susceptible to roof leaks.

Gutters
Always make sure your gutters and downspouts are securely attached and that all drains are open in order to allow water to exit. Be sure to call in the professionals if you notice an increase in shingle granules in your gutters. These granules are a sign of increased wear and could signal that your roof is at the end of its lifespan.

Depending on the weather, Gulf Western Roofing recommends getting a professional roof inspection done every 1-3 years. Nevertheless, you should always make sure to have your roof inspected before and after a severe storm.

Some storm damage cannot always be seen from the ground but remember, roofing is one of the top ten most dangerous careers, which is why we strongly discourage homeowners from attempting a proper inspection themselves. Gulf Western Roofing has demonstrated industry professionalism for over 17 years. Whether you need a simple roof repair, or a full roof replacement, we’ll always tell you the truth about your roof!

We’ll Tell You the Truth About Your Roof

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With El Niño causing multiple tornados and severe storms, this winter proved to be a turbulent one for Florida residents. Not to mention, the state kicked off the spring season with a string of storms that brought hail to some parts of Central Florida.

After a severe storm, it is always important to have your roof inspected for damage. In addition, homeowners need to be on the look out for roofing scammers, most often known as storm chasers. Storm chasers are notorious for following the path of a storm looking for homeowners to exploit. Because they’ll be leaving the area soon after putting on your roof, there is no incentive for these “contractors” to do the job the right way. By the time you notice that there’s a problem, they will be long gone!

In order to avoid being caught in a storm chaser situation, or even an insurance scam, Gulf Western Roofing suggests that every homeowner take the following steps:

  1. Do the Proper Research
    Go online and look through the reviews on the contractor. Be immediately wary of anyone with multiple complaints. Don’t be afraid to ask around either. At times, word of mouth can be the best source of information. Seek recommendations from friends, neighbors, or relatives.
  1. Get Everything in Writing
    Make sure to have a detailed list of the work that is to be done. Always read the fine print and never sign the contract unless you understand all of the details. A good roofing contractor should be able to explain the entire process without leaving any holes.
  1. Beware of Red Flags
    If a contractor is not affiliated with any recognized trade association, such as the Florida Association of Roofing Professionals (FRSA) and the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), you cannot be absolutely sure that will have high standards for business practice. Also look out for contractors that are asking you to pay in full before doing the job or making any repairs. Finally, NEVER, under any circumstances, should you hire a contractor whose license or insurance information cannot be verified nor can they provide any references for similar jobs.

Gulf Western Roofing understands how stressful it can be to have to file an insurance claim. Yet the unfortunate circumstance is that there are roofing contractors who will use scare tactics to pressure homeowners into signing a contract with them. All too often have we been called out to a residence with minimal damages, only needing a small repair, yet another roofing company has told the homeowner that their entire roof needs replacement.

In addition to being licensed and insured, Gulf Western Roofing is locally owned and operated, doing business for over 17 years. We are also NRCA and FRSA affiliated and Better Business Bureau accredited. We’re in this for the life of your roof. At Gulf Western Roofing, we value our customer loyalty as well as our integrity. We’ll always tell you the truth about your roof!

Children Come First

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When it comes to company holiday parties, a solid rule of thumb is to plan on spending an average of $75 per person. But what if companies decided to nix the holiday party and instead opted to put the money towards a charitable cause? That’s exactly what Gulf Western Roofing decided to do last December.

Edgewood Children’s Ranch, originally founded in 1966, is a residential program for youth-at-risk. Their mission has been to house, educate, love, counsel and care for an average of 63 children, ages 8-17, by working closely with their parents in an effort to reunite the family in a healthy, loving, productive unit that functions well in the context of the family and community.

The funding for these programs is made possible by having staff that live on property. Edgewood has cottages for these employees and their families to live in. One of the larger cottages was not being utilized, due to roof issues. Contributions from Roofing Supply Group in Orlando made it possible for Gulf Western Roofing to provide a roof for the building, at no cost to Edgewood.

Gulf Western Roofing made the call, had someone come out right away to see what needed to be done, scheduled a time when it could be done and then came out to see that it had been taken care of. Upon inspection, Gulf Western Roofing found that the shingles were deteriorating and that roof was leaking in several areas. We removed the existing shingle roof as well as the felt underlayment, taking the project down to bare deck. We then re-nailed the deck per the Florida building code and installed a double layer of felt over the entire project. The project was finished with the installation of Owen’s Corning shingles.

Gulf Western Roofing cares strongly about supporting the children in our local community, which is why the decision to support The Ranch was an easy one for Joseph K. Lamb Jr., President of Gulf Western Roofing. In a letter to Mr. Lamb, Stuart Eldridge, Executive Director of The Ranch stated, “You managed to make this happen in a very short time. We are now able to use this home for housing our newest staff member and her family. This is a blessing beyond belief!”

After the project’s completion, Gulf Western Roofing paid a visit to The Ranch where we were given a tour by two young gentlemen. The boys, who had been residents of The Ranch for a little over a year, treated us with the utmost respect as we were given some insight into their daily lives. We were amazed by the quality of life that Edgewood Ranch is providing for these children and found ourselves appreciating the opportunity to lend a helping hand to such a giving organization. As stated by Orlando Division manager, Keith Reece, “It’s always an honor to help anyone in need. Our team looks forward to future opportunities to help Edgewood.”

2015 Golf Magazine National Dream House

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Imagine waking up in your luxurious home, situated on the 14th hole on the Talis Park golf course in beautiful Southwest Florida. That is exactly what Golf Magazine had in mind when they teamed up with Talis Park and developer Kitson & Partners to create the 2015 Golf Magazine National Dream House, located in Naples, Florida.

Gulf Western Roofing & Sheet Metal in Bonita Springs was honored to be chosen as the Roofing Contractor for the house, which is a dream home for any golfer enjoying the Florida lifestyle.

The two story home has four bedrooms, four full baths, a formal living room, large island kitchen, study with dual-sided fireplace, wine room, upstairs game room, two radial wet bars, an outdoor kitchen and a three-car garage, including a separate golf cart garage.  The luxurious home was fit with a flat cement tile roof, perfect for the homes upscale exterior and recommended for long lasting protection from Florida’s blazing sun.

The 2015 Ultimate Golf House was revealed during the Lucas Cup, a popular charity pro-am that takes place in Talis Park. The Lucas Cup, hosted by former PGA Tour professional and Golf Channel analyst Mark Lye, raises funds and awareness for Juvenile Diabetes in honor of Lye’s son Lucas who has Type 1 diabetes.

The Talis Park golf course is regarded as a local legend, being continuously ranked as one of the top residential courses. Opportunities to enjoy the lavish lifestyle offered at Talis Park are hard to come by. All home sites, including the dream home, have been sold. And it’s no wonder; Talis Park is just minutes from the beach and the shopping, dining, and entertainment venues at Mercato, Coconut Point Mall, and Gulf Coast Town Center.

Gulf Western Roofing in Bonita Springs is grateful for the opportunity to undertake such a spectacular project. We pride ourselves on our superior workmanship and eye for detail. We are certain that this new construction project is sure to provide the owners with a lifetime of relaxed comfort and amenities!

Gulf Western Roofing Providing a Safe and Healthy Workplace

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Gulf Western Roofing is committed to conducting routine training to ensure proper compliance and to uphold our mission for providing a safe and healthy work environment. We value all of our employees both on and off the job as we are committed to providing the necessary training for a healthy workplace. This is why, at Gulf Western Roofing, we are dedicated to providing OSHA compliance training. Continue reading “Gulf Western Roofing Providing a Safe and Healthy Workplace” →

Can You Put a Price on Integrity?

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It is always important to know the financial stability of any contractor you are hiring. Roofing is no exception. Your roof is like the tires on your car. You never think about it until something goes wrong! A roofing contractor’s job is not complete once the roof is on. If your contractor goes out of business, they won’t be able to fix your roof. Various problems may occur with your roofing system and it is important to be able to have them addressed quickly and efficiently.

In the Great Recession, many roofing contractors were forced to close their doors. But Gulf Western Roofing weathered the storm. Sure, we had to tighten our belts like everyone else as the economy soured, but we never made a cost cutting measure that affected our customer service. Not to mention, we never had to close down for budgetary reasons. Not even for a single day. We’re very proud of that.

Gulf Western Roofing’s financial strength and stability are unmatched in our industry, thanks to a conservative and disciplined long-term approach to managing our business. We pride ourselves on our diligence and record keeping because we know how important it is for our customers to trust our finances. In fact, recently our accounting department found an error during our year end process in which a national builder had overpaid us by $121,000. GWR reached out to the builder and discovered they were completely unaware of the overpayment. We swiftly returned their funds in full. Our customers are important to us, which is why we strive to earn and keep their trust.

Unfortunately, there are instances when some contractors aren’t able to pay for the materials they’ve used, and they’re not able to pay those workers who have installed them. The fact of the matter is, no matter how good the craftsmanship, when a contractor falls behind on paying his bills, those to whom he owes money, such as suppliers and subcontractors, can place a lien on your property. At Gulf Western Roofing we always pay our bills! We even provide written lien waivers, which is our promise that we’ve paid our suppliers and subcontractors. Our written lien waivers are your legal guarantee that you won’t have to pay twice.

Gulf Western Roofing is fully licensed and insured, and has been in business for over 16 years. Since 1999, we have stood above other Florida roofing companies due to our skilled workmanship, fair business practices, superior customer service and professional project management. From repairs and re-roofs to new roof construction, we’ve got the experience, knowledge, and results you can rely on for your residential or commercial roof.

Values at the Core of Excellence

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“We believe a strong corporate culture inspires passion in employees in what they do.”
– Joseph K. Lamb Jr., Gulf Western Roofing President and Founder

Core Values

The core values at Gulf Western Roofing are the baseline and foundation where personal and professional greatness can be built. We are a company with a reputation for providing quality, professionalism, service, and support seldom seen anywhere else. From flat roof assessments to installations of virtually any type of roof, our commitment is to excellence, stellar customer service, and exceptional results. Continue reading “Values at the Core of Excellence” →

What it means to be a RISE Certified Solar Roofing Professional

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Roof Integrated Solar Energy (RISE) Inc. was founded by the Center for Environmental Innovation in Roofing (Center) and the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA). Their mission, as stated on their website, is to evaluate and certify solar energy installers for knowledge about critical roof system construction and maintenance practices necessary to support successful rooftop solar energy installations.

In order to qualify as a Certified Solar Roofing Professional (CSRP), candidates must pass a challenging examination and agree to remain current with changes in the field. Candidates must demonstrate basic knowledge about different PV system types and key components, benefits and risks applicable to building owners, PV systems’ integration with a building’s electrical system, installation guidelines, building codes, and any post-installation considerations.

Joseph K. Lamb Jr., President of Gulf Western Roofing, earned his RISE certification on March 1, 2014. As one of only four CSRPs in the state of Florida, and one of only ten in the entire Southeastern United States, Mr. Lamb is uniquely qualified to install and maintain rooftop solar energy systems without adversely affecting roof system performance and service life.

The RISE credential program has redefined the industry’s role in solar energy by providing a higher standard for all rooftop solar installations. Working with a qualified CSRP is sure guarantee that your rooftop solar project will be installed the right way, the ONLY way.

Tornado Hits Cape Coral

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Extreme weather can be unpredictable. This became especially clear in Saturday’s tornado, which touched down in Southwest Cape Coral. According to the National Storm Damage Center, there are 5 factors that determine storm damage:

  1. Wind Speed
  2. Wind Direction
  3. Wind Duration
  4. Flying Debris
  5. Strength of the Structure

The tornado that touched down in Cape Coral on Saturday evening was measured as an EF-2 on the Enhanced F-scale, creating winds that reached 132 mph. EF-2 tornado’s create winds between 111 and 135 mph, placing Saturday’s tornado at the top of the EF-2 classification.

Although the storm was only on the ground for seven minutes, it traveled 3.5 miles, spanned 182 yards at its widest point, and left considerable damage in its aftermath.

During a storm, your roof is one of the most vulnerable components of your home. Obvious signs of roof damage that can be seen from the ground include tree branches or other debris that have fallen on top of your roof, missing shingles that can be seen laying in your yard and bent, and missing or damaged rain gutters.

While you may think that any structural damage after a tornado would be obvious, unfortunately, that is not always the case. After a severe storm, roof damage may not be visible from the ground and such damage often only becomes noticeable once costly leaks have occurred.

Gulf Western Roofing does not recommend that any homeowner attempt to inspect their roof themselves, especially after a severe storm. To ensure your safety, we are offering free inspections for home and business owners who have been impacted by Saturday’s storm in Cape Coral. As a licensed general contractor, we are able to inspect the exterior of your home as well as your roof. Our experienced professionals specialize in inspecting your home and roof, documenting any weather related damage, and working with your insurance company to determine the best possible result for you.

If you are in the Cape Coral area and were impacted by Saturday’s tornado storm, contact us today to schedule a free inspection.