Home/Rants/🏠 Roofing/hit my 10 year milestone in roofing and damn near quit last week
hit my 10 year milestone in roofing and damn near quit last week
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DoorJammer
·3mo·130 replies·124 participants
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DoorJammer⭐ ExpertOP3mo
198
Hey folks, just wrapped up 10 years slinging shingles and tearing off old crap, and i gotta say, im feeling the burnout bad. Been doing mostly asphalt installs with GAF materials, and last job had me up on a steep pitch with a leaky valley that turned into a full replacement nobody saw coming. I mentioned to the homeowner id bring my own underlayment to speed things up, but she insisted on using hers, thinking shed save a few bucks, and now the crews hanging up on callbacks like im the problem. Saw a similar rant in the Roofing Contractors facebook group where guys were venting about picky clients derailing the whole schedule. Watched that Tommy Mello video on handling difficult jobs, but man, it doesnt make the sore back any better. Anyone else hit a milestone and questioned if its worth the hassle? Edit: thanks for the stories, guess its just part of the game.
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ColorChaos2⚒️ Journeyman3mo
29
those homeowners who buy their own crap always turn into the biggest headaches, total BS.
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ScrewLooseLarry🔧 Apprentice3mo
56
yep, they think theyre smart but end up with mismatched shingles and blame you. FML.
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SparkPlugSue4⚒️ Journeyman3mo
42
man i feel that, 8 years in and every milestone feels like a grind.
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PickAndGrin⚒️ Journeyman3mo
75
same here, the physical toll adds up quick.
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CircuitSnake2⚒️ Journeyman3mo
41
knees are shot already, dont know how much longer.
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BoxHauler4⚒️ Journeyman3mo
7
right? but the quiet moments on the roof make it sorta worth it sometimes.
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RollerRandy⭐ Expert3mo
70
nah, mostly just sore and pissed.
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WrenchWiz2⚒️ Journeyman3mo
26
congrats on 10, but yeah the client drama sucks.
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DirtDiggerDan2⚒️ Journeyman3mo
48
appreciate it, but feels hollow right now.
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ColorChaos3⚒️ Journeyman3mo
39
screw the homeowners pushing their cheap materials, they ruin good jobs.
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RatRanger⚒️ Journeyman3mo
39
never take a job where they supply anything, seen too many lawsuits from bad installs.
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DrainDragon8⚒️ Journeyman3mo
20
controversial take: sometimes ill use their stuff if its decent, but only for small repairs.
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ChillMaster8⚒️ Journeyman3mo
30
bold move, but yeah if its Owens Corning ice and water, maybe.
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RoofRider2🔧 Apprentice3mo
34
customer thought his Home Depot tarp would hold, ended up with a flooded attic, hilarious fail.
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FittingFool⚒️ Journeyman3mo
24
walked off a job yesterday cuz the guy wanted us to nail over his garbage plywood, no way.
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WattTheHeck20⚒️ Journeyman3mo
37
smart call, better safe than sorry.
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SparkChaser⚒️ Journeyman3mo
41
proud of you for sticking it out 10 years, not many do.
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NailGunNinja2⚒️ Journeyman3mo
43
beer on the roof after a long day with the crew, thats the real milestone.
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BrushStrokePro5⚒️ Journeyman3mo
26
hell yeah, nothing beats that.
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JoistJuggler⚒️ Journeyman3mo
39
we're all in this crap together, hang in there.
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FixItFelix10⭐ Expert3mo
26
those clients screening themselves out is a blessing in disguise.
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LiftLad2⚒️ Journeyman3mo
44
insurance nightmare waiting to happen with homeowner materials.
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JunctionJunkie⚒️ Journeyman3mo
28
sucks man, but 10 years means youre doing something right.
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PalletPro⚒️ Journeyman3mo
35
true, most quit by year 5.
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DustBunnyBoss2⚒️ Journeyman3mo
38
facts, the turnover is brutal.
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PrimerPal2⚒️ Journeyman3mo
33
notan electrician but even i know bad materials lead to callbacks from hell.
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NotAnElectrician29⚒️ Journeyman3mo
33
we all feel the burnout, take a breather.
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TenYearVet23⚒️ Journeyman3mo
21
hit 15 last month, still questioning it daily.
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PaintSplatPro⚒️ Journeyman3mo
27
group in Roofing Pros is full of these stories, makes you feel less alone.
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SawdustSavant24⚒️ Journeyman3mo
46
yeah, solidarity in the vents.
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TenYearVet8⚒️ Journeyman3mo
25
screw the PE firms buying up roofing companies, theyll ruin it for everyone.
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SlateMaster⚒️ Journeyman3mo
38
watched a Dmitry Lipinskiy clip on tiktok about pushing through, kinda helped.
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BugBlaster3⚒️ Journeyman3mo
33
frustrated as hell with the industry changes.
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GarageGuruGary⚒️ Journeyman3mo
20
get a good helper, changes everything for milestones like that.
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TenYearVet2⚒️ Journeyman3mo
44
tried, but good ones are unicorns.
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LiftMaster2⚒️ Journeyman3mo
87
we all been there, the doubt hits hard.
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LiftMaster⚒️ Journeyman3mo
36
corporate roofing gigs are the worst, all rules no sense.
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BasinBoss🔧 Apprentice3mo
27
walked into a mess last week from a diy roof patch, total disaster.
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CanvasCowboy2⚒️ Journeyman3mo
39
warn everyone, dont let homeowners touch it.
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TenYearVet7⚒️ Journeyman3mo
45
proud moment for me was training my first apprentice successfully.
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FloorFitterFred⚒️ Journeyman3mo
30
screw these bargain hunters, theyre the death of good work.
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SparkJockey2⭐ Expert3mo
45
yeah, man, the shared pain is real.
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LeakHunter7⚒️ Journeyman3mo
49
screw the cheapos, they get what they deserve.
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MopAndGloGuy⚒️ Journeyman3mo
36
exactly, filtered out the trash.
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CircuitSnafu⚒️ Journeyman3mo
44
homeowner supplied ridge vents that were all warped, job took twice as long.
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EaveEnforcer⚒️ Journeyman3mo
20
disagree, sometimes you gotta adapt to their stuff for the reference.
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NotAnElectrician6⚒️ Journeyman3mo
46
we all question it at some point, normal.
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JunctionJunkie3⚒️ Journeyman3mo
49
screw the liability, walk away early.
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ShingleShuffler2⚒️ Journeyman3mo
46
group chat in Contractors Network lit up with similar gripes yesterday.
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PipeLord42030⚒️ Journeyman3mo
33
yeah, its epidemic.
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HandyDandyDude⚒️ Journeyman3mo
24
proud of my 10 year mark too, but the bodys paying the price.
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PipeLord4208⚒️ Journeyman3mo
42
screw these clients thinking they know better.
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TileTamer5⚒️ Journeyman3mo
46
use their materials only if you document everything.
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FlushForce⚒️ Journeyman3mo
35
we all feel that milestone blues.
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JoistJuggler⚒️ Journeyman3mo
33
yep, hits different.
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SawdustSavant4⭐ Expert3mo
31
screw the industry pushing us to burnout.
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HueHustler⭐ Expert3mo
20
guy in the facebook group said take a vacation, best advice.
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PackRatMover⚒️ Journeyman3mo
25
did that, came back refreshed.
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DoorJamDud⚒️ Journeyman3mo
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frustrated with the constant callbacks.
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PrunePro⚒️ Journeyman3mo
43
screw em, focus on good clients.
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VentMaster30002🔧 Apprentice3mo
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wanna know, how do you celebrate your years?
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SpotlessSteve8⚒️ Journeyman3mo
22
screw the PE rollups eating small shops.
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SawdustSavant10⚒️ Journeyman3mo
101
lighten up, remember the funny fails like the guy who fell in tar.
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LockPickLarry7⚒️ Journeyman3mo
22
warn ya, dont ignore the back pain, i did and surgery sucked.
helpful tip: always quote assuming your materials.
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AntAnnihilator2⚒️ Journeyman3mo
45
controversial: ill hang up too if they mention their own stuff.
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BoxHauler2🔧 Apprentice3mo
33
we feel you on the milestone doubt.
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FurnitureFlipper2⚒️ Journeyman3mo
25
screw the cheap material pushers.
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FloorFixer⚒️ Journeyman3mo
32
yeah, theyre nightmares.
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TarheelTiler5⚒️ Journeyman3mo
38
screw these bargain basement expectations.
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SawdustSavant24⚒️ Journeyman3mo
29
get a solid crew, makes milestones bearable.
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WireWhisperer3⭐ Expert3mo
45
saw a post on r/Roofing about this exact issue.
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SawdustSavant17⚒️ Journeyman3mo
43
we all share the frustration.
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NailGunNinja10⚒️ Journeyman3mo
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screw the industry standards dropping.
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SawdustSavant15⚒️ Journeyman3mo
34
proud of sticking it 10 years myself.
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KeyTwister2⚒️ Journeyman3mo
47
we get it, the grind is real.
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SawdustSavant28⚒️ Journeyman3mo
28
screw the clients who undervalue the work.
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BrushStrokePro10⚒️ Journeyman3mo
32
totally.
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GarageGuru11⚒️ Journeyman3mo
23
burnout hits, but push through for the wins.
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ACWhisperer🏆 Master3mo
26
we all feel that after years on the roof.
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SpotlessSteve5⚒️ Journeyman3mo
45
screw these pe backed companies jacking prices.
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ChillMaster8⚒️ Journeyman3mo
24
classic.
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GutterGuru2⚒️ Journeyman3mo
23
screw the homeowner supplied junk.
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GarageGuru2⭐ Expert3mo
88
we all been there with the doubts.
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BoltBoss2⭐ Expert3mo
42
yep.
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BrushStrokePro12⭐ Expert3mo
47
screw em all, focus on your profit.
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BoltBoss2⭐ Expert3mo
37
garage full of tools from bad jobs.
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GarageGuruGary2⚒️ Journeyman3mo
47
screw the liability traps.
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DrainDragon8⚒️ Journeyman3mo
28
we feel the commiseration.
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BrushStrokePro8⚒️ Journeyman3mo
28
helpful: document refusals in writing.
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LaminateLegend2⚒️ Journeyman3mo
28
screw these difficult ones.
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MulchMan⚒️ Journeyman3mo
31
screw the whole client screening process.
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ACWizard⚒️ Journeyman3mo
41
we all hit that wall.
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WattTheHeck30⚒️ Journeyman3mo
37
screw pe firms ruining local roofing.
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GroundFaultGus⚒️ Journeyman3mo
21
yeah, its a plague.
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CircuitSnake⭐ Expert3mo
22
frustrated with the constant pushback.
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NotAnElectrician28⚒️ Journeyman3mo
30
screw the bargain hunters.
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PipeLord4207⚒️ Journeyman3mo
38
we all share this pain.
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ArcFlashAl⭐ Expert3mo
32
screw em, walk away.
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DoorJammer3🔧 Apprentice3mo
38
we get the milestone blues.
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BrushStrokeBoss6⚒️ Journeyman3mo
25
screw the industry burnout culture.
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FrostFighter⚒️ Journeyman3mo
42
facts.
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SweepSquad2⚒️ Journeyman3mo
0
the insurance companies are straight up killing us with these BS rate hikes, cant even catch a break on materials anymore. roofing industry is a damn joke right now.
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NotAnElectrician26⭐ Expert3mo
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congrats on hittin that 10 year mark, i pushed through my own insurance nightmare and built up to 8 crews doin $2m a year now. feels damn good to stick it out and come out on top.
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CanvasCowboy⚒️ Journeyman2mo
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stick with it, set up a routine service contract with carriers like owens corning for steady work instead of chasin hail storms all the time.
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V3714🌱 Newcomer2mo
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man ive only been at this a year and im already feelin that burnout from chasin storms, hang in there dude
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ShingleShuffler5⚒️ Journeyman2mo
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yeah man, insurance rates are BS and they're squeezin us dry out here too, nearly hung up my harness last month from the same crap.
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TenYearVet⭐ Expert2mo
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insurance is straight up robbing us blind, jacked my premiums 40% last year and i barely broke even on jobs. damn near threw my tools in the dumpster over it.
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HammerTimeHero3⚒️ Journeyman2mo
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those insurance bastards are jacking up premiums faster than we can lay shingles, nearly lost a good crew to the competition last month over this crap.
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LockoutLila⭐ Expert3mo
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what was the last straw that almost made you quit roofing?
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BumpKeyBandit2⚒️ Journeyman2mo
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fuckin insurance companies jacking up our premiums 40% this year while we bust our asses in the rain, its enough to make any roofer want to chuck the tools and walk.
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LeakHunter4🔧 Apprentice2mo
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last straw was chasin a leak in a 100 degree attic, fell through the insulation and came out lookin like the damn abominable snowman, wife almost didnt let me back in the house 😂
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PanelPuncher⚒️ Journeyman3mo
31
get better contracts to protect yourself.
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FloorFiasco⚒️ Journeyman3mo
26
frustrated as hell with callbacks.
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ThermostatTamer⚒️ Journeyman3mo
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man, callbacks are the worst, i hit 8 years and almost threw my tools in the truck over one last summer.
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RustyNailBob2⚒️ Journeyman2mo
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callbacks suck but i cut mine down 40% by switching to GAF's lifetime warranty program on all installs. now homeowners think twice before calling over a loose shingle after a storm. makes the paperwork easier too, and i sleep better at night. been roofing 12 years and that tweak saved my sanity.
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WattTheHeck26⚒️ Journeyman3mo
38
screw these pe rollups.
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CircuitSmasher3⚒️ Journeyman3mo
27
we all been frustrated like that.
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SpringSpecialist7⚒️ Journeyman3mo
54
screw the cheap material crowd.
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FittingFiend⚒️ Journeyman3mo
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those cheapskates nickel and diming us on every shingle while they DIY disasters and expect pro work for free pisses me off to no end.
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BrushStrokeBandit🌱 Newcomer3mo
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man those DIY clowns think they can slap on some home depot asphalt shingles and call it a day, then bitch when it leaks after the first rain... makes me wanna chuck my nail gun.
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DirtBagLandscaper6⭐ Expert2mo
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what kinda DIY disasters are you dealing with most these days?
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WireWizard7⚒️ Journeyman3mo
47
we feel ya on the 10 years.
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DoorJamDud⚒️ Journeyman3mo
7
don't let one bad week push you out after 10 solid years, i seen too many good roofers burn out early from ignoring the warning signs like knee pain or crew drama. stick it out and diversify into repairs if the full replacements are killing ya.
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FrameFreak5⚒️ Journeyman2mo
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ten years in and i nearly quit when a crew guy stapled my thumb to a shingle... turns out beer fixes most roofing woes.
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ColorSplashSam⚒️ Journeyman3mo
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congrats on the 10 years, but yeah those weeks can make you question everything. switched to using acculynx for tracking jobs and it cut my admin bullshit in half, giving me more time on the roof where i belong. if you're not already, get some milwaukee m18 packs with the right bits, they hold up way better in the rain than the cheapos. stick with it, the good jobs make it worth the crap.
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SawdustSavant12⚒️ Journeyman2mo
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last week had me on a tear-off in pouring rain with a crew that couldnt nail straight, damn near threw my tools in the truck and called it quits. those admin headaches are the real killer, even with software.