Probably the number one question we hear most likely because the word subcontractor sometimes has negative connotations. The thought from some is that if you hire subcontractors then there is a lack of control over the job site. The reality is that nearly every residential roofing contractor in Michigan uses subcontractors. Why? Because we live in a state where roofing is very seasonal. Most companies cannot afford to pay for full time employees during the winter months when roofing is slow or non existent. The BETTER QUESTION to ask is? Do you have a good relationship with your subs? At TYCO we have known our subs for 10 years. We trust them and they trust us. We have accountability with each other which results in an excellent product. Some companies will hire any sub that wants a job for the day or week. This is where you lose control of quality. Watch out for companies that operate this way.

Yes, we will protect your plants to the best of our ability. Nearly every house that we install a roof on has landscaping that needs protected. Of course, it is a job site and accidents can happen but by and large we take care of your yard and landscaping as if it were our own.

We get this question a lot for various reasons. Most likely, our customers have had a quote from another roofing company that says they have “a better shingle than everyone else”. This is a common and “easy” sales pitch. At TYCO, we are known first and foremost for quality installation, quality craftsmanship and we are easy to do business with. We are contractors, not shingles sales people. There may be a few brands of shingles we prefer not to work with but overall we will install any shingle that you may have a preference for. That being said we do first recommend GAF brand shingles. They are made in Michigan City, IN and are the largest North American shingle manufacturer. If you can’t trust GAF to be around long enough to support your warranty there really isn’t anyone else you could trust. And we also value things that you won’t read about from shingle testing . . . how is the representation in W. Michigan? Will they take care of issues that may arise? Do the shingles look nice? Are the shingles readily available or are there wait times? GAF has proved to be a great partner and we really like the support and many products that GAF offers.

In most cases we will not. Pot vents were the common method for exhaust venting your attic space. Ridge venting has now replaced pot vents as a more efficient and cosmetically pleasing way to ventilate your roof. We will normally plug up your existing holes with something called EZ Plugs. These are simply a small piece of OSB that has a metal flange that allows for it to be nailed in place. When installed it is strong enough to walk on. Then we will cut in a small opening in your ridge to allow airflow to the ridge vent.

We can re-install. However, satellite dishes require precise calibration. We do not have the proper equipment to do this so your provider will need to be called. And while we will agree to install the dish on your roof our preference would be to have your provider install on the side of you house or on the ground if the location is suitable. This would have to be determined by your dish service provider.

Installation actually begins the day before the workers actually start their work. Typically, the day before install the shingles will get delivered by the distributions company. Most of the time, unless hindered by trees or electrical lines they will set the shingles directly on top of the roof. TYCO has no control over this aspect and we won’t know what time of day they will choose to deliver. It is best to keep driveway cleared all day to give them access to the roof. The following day the guys usually show up early (at sun up) to get started. This can be as early as 7:00 am. Also, a dump trailer to discard of the old shingles will be brought in around this time as well. This will be a dump trailer that belongs to the crew and in most residential cases will not be a commercial dumpster. Adam, or the sales person that sold the job, should be there to kick off things around 8:00 – 8:30. The crew and foreman have already been given a complete work order with full instructions but we still like to greet everyone and make sure everyone is on the same page for the day. The following day we will be there again to do a detail cleanup and a second magnet sweep. We will also have two other crew members stop by to do a third walk through and clean up. Many companies will clean up once but experience has taught us that the second and third cleanups (with emphasis on the magnet sweeps) can be the most important.

In the event that we experience a rain day we do our best to move your job to the next dry day. We do our best to accommodate scheduled days as we know some people take days off or make special plans but we do not operate on a “schedule”. We operate on a PIPELINE. So if a job gets pushed back we move the entire pipeline back one day. Most weeks we allow for an open day in case we experience a delay so as to not affect the schedule too badly. In all the years that we have been doing this, our customers have been very understanding of the nature of this type of work and have been extremely flexible. We, in turn, do our best to effectively communicate to the customer. Open communication is a top priority for us, understanding that it is the number one key to a smooth business transaction.

We rely heavily on accurate weather forecasting. And as anyone who has lived in Michigan for more than a month can tell you . . . the forecast is less than 100% accurate. What that can mean is that the forecast might call for scattered thunderstorms or rain and it might completely miss the job site. It can be easy to say, “oh, we should have done the job today”. But we would much rather say that than, “we should have never started today”. Roofing is not something that we can just start and then stop once it starts to rain. Roofing is not like mowing a yard or plowing a field. Starting a job and getting a heavy downpour in the middle can be a mess, even nightmare, as you might imagine. We do our best to error on the side of caution. If the chances are greater than 50% for rain there is a good chance that we will hold off.

Please do your best to remove cars from driveways and anywhere that is close to where the work is being done. Shingles are very abrasive and can blow off the roof easily with just the slightest breeze. We don’t want to be responsible for any damage that could occur. Also, clearing the driveway gives us space to move the dump trailer and / or work trailers.

In most cases, we DO NOT use commercial dumpsters for residential roofs. We use a dump trailer that is on wheels and is easier on driveways. This also allows us to remove trash from your property the same day. While most commercial dumpster companies are very accommodating it is common for dumpsters to be left on your property for days. We wish to avoid this.

Most average sized homes will be completed in ONE day. This might be a long day. Sometimes even until dusk. But most customers would rather us put in a long day’s work rather than have us come back a second day. Of course, we do more complex and large jobs where this might not be the case but this would be communicated ahead of time. It is also true that in some cases we have had large jobs where we have put multiple crews on at one time and still completed in one day. BUT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE . . . Speed is not the goal but rather quality. We will never sacrifice quality for the sake of convenience.

We install low slope membranes such as EPDM, TPO and PVC. We also have experience with quality roof coatings. TYCO is certified to install system warranties with Versico, GAF, DuroLast, and Sika. We are also one of just a few certified installers in Michigan for Duradek vinyl deck systems.

Roof install can be hard on pets, especially ones that struggle with anxiety or loud noises. Whether it be a dog or cat, if you believe that loud noises and lots of workers will frustrate your pet if might be best to take them elsewhere for the day or even have them stay at a pet daycare.

n most cases, the answer is, NO. Cold temperatures are not conducive to allowing the shingles to seal properly. Adhesive on the shingles is heat activated. The longer the shingles have to be in the sunlight and heat the quicker they will seal. Failure to seal could result in blowoffs, especially in the spring when we get many windstorms. However, in the cases of leaks or if a new house is being built installing shingles in the cold, while not optimal, still must be done. It is important to note that most of the spring work is actually contracted in the fall. If you desire to have your roof installed in the spring it is better to sign contract in the fall or winter rather than waiting until spring. Spring work deposits are not the standard 1/3 down. We usually just secure spring work with a $1,000 deposit.

TYCO is currently certified to offer NDL warranties with Versico, Duro-Last, GAF, Sika, and Duradek.

On the residential side, TYCO is certified with GAF to install 50 Yr Non-Prorated material warranties that are transferable one time. GAF’s shingle warranty is considered one of the best in the industry. Learn more at GAF.com

It is a common practice for roofing companies to offer 5 year or 10 year workmanship warranties. TYCO has decided to offer a Lifetime warranty for workmanship. A workmanship warranty protects against failure to install the product properly and according to manufacturer and local code specifications. While it is true, that most failures will show themselves in the first couple of years. . . It is important to us that craftsmanship and quality should not have a deadline. We have contracted to do the job properly and you have trusted us to do so. Any failure on our part will be fixed by us at no cost to the customer