Ross Roofing & Construction, Inc. provides a variety of residential and commercial roofing services, as well as solar installation, for clients in Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties, including new construction roofing, repairs, reroofing, waterproofing and real estate roof inspections. The family-owned and operated company has experience working with all types of high-quality roofing materials, from single-ply Duro-Last membranes to asphalt shingles, metal, wood and two-piece clay tile roofing. It’s also Monterey County’s only certified Owens Corning Platinum Level Shingle Installer and it employs certified Tile Roofing Industry Alliance Applicators.
President Mike Ross is the third-generation proprietor of Ross Roofing & Construction—his grandfather founded the company in 1950. “I’m proud to continue the legacy of such a respected, long-standing firm,” says Mr. Ross. “This company has delivered value and professionalism with fair prices over the years. Both my grandfather and father cared deeply for their clients’ roofing needs, and I take that same approach on every project.”
“We provide maximum peace of mind for our customers’ roofing projects. Our seven decades of industry experience have helped us shape the perfect roofing systems that leave our clients satisfied and ready to refer us to their friends and families.”
When you’re hiring a roofing company, you want one person in charge.
For the highest level of quality control, you want a roofing crew with a single foreman who manages every aspect of the project, recommends Mike Ross of Ross Roofing and Construction. Oversight leads to continuity, which in turn improves results.
“If you have one guy doing the tear off, one guy doing the installation and then another guy finishing it up, how can you be assured some detail isn’t going to be overlooked when they change over?” says Mr. Ross. “You want the person who takes it apart to put it back together.”
Mr. Ross also recommends checking whether a prospective roofer has a strong Better Bureau Business rating, especially if the roofer offers you deep discounts. “Many of these people have several complaints, with a D or D-minus rating. There’s a reason they’re $1,500 cheaper,” he says.
He also recommends using a company with A-plus rated liability insurance that you can verify with a certificate. The industry, he says, is plagued with contractors using inexpensive overseas insurance rife with loopholes. “It’s super-cheap, but there’s little to no coverage,” says Mr. Ross. “Sure, it’s a great way for a contractor to save $50,000 in their bottom line, but is it really the coverage you want to have?”
Also, remember that manufacturers won’t honor warranties on products that were installed improperly, so make sure your roofing contractor is certified by the manufacturers of the products it sells and installs.
Finally, says Mr. Ross, get references. Every company should be willing—eager, in fact—to show off its portfolio of finished projects and refer you to the addresses of houses currently undergoing work.
When buying or repairing a roof, many people know to insist on a warranty, but they often discover that getting repairs covered can be deeply frustrating and, in some cases, nearly impossible.
Ross Roofing and Construction offers a workmanship warranty lasting up to 25 years–and the peace of mind that goes with it, says Mike Ross, the company's president. The reason, in part, is Ross Roofing typically installs a complete roof system made by a single manufacturer, so customers don't experience the "finger-pointing" that's common when different parts of a roof are warrantied by different companies, says Ross. Moreover, reimbursement from Ross Roofing doesn't decrease over the course of the warranty, unlike "pro-rated" warranties that reimburse less with each passing year.
Mr. Ross also notes the alarming frequency with which warranties are voided because roofing companies have performed poor attic ventilation, "a problem you'll never encounter with Ross Roofing," he says. The company's warranties also cover disposal and removal of discarded materials.
Several years ago, Ross Roofing discovered the companies supplying its gutters didn't meet its exacting standards, so it established its own gutter and sheet metal division. As a result, it's now firmly in control of its own quality, production and scheduling. Mr. Ross believes attention to detail takes a bit more time, and refuses to give installers an incentive to rush their work. Instead, they're "paid to actually care about the end result," he says.
According to Mr. Ross, because its specifications and warranties are superior, Ross Roofing can "provide a roof that lasts a decade longer than the competition's." He also states that 98 percent of customers surveyed report they'd use Ross Roofing again.