Your company
How Sample Roofing & Repair works, in Ray's words.
Welcome aboard. You start on Darnell's repair crew. Nobody expects you to know our way yet, so ask. Nobody here ever gets in trouble for coming down off a roof to ask a question.
Ray, owner
Ray's rules
- The fall-protection setup goes in before anyone leaves the ladder. No exceptions, no 'just a minute'.
- Every stage photo goes in CompanyCam before the crew packs up. The permit needs them.
- Never quote a price, and never talk insurance with a homeowner. Prices come from Ray; insurance questions go to the office.
- Sweep the yard and the driveway for nails before you leave. Every house, every time.
- No smoking or vaping on a customer's property.
- Leave the gutters cleaner than you found them.
What we expect on every job
- Be at the truck ready to roll when the crew lead says, with your harness and gloves.
- Tell the homeowner who you are and what the crew is doing today, in plain words.
- Cover the bushes, the AC unit and anything under the drip line before tear-off starts.
- Photos and notes go in CompanyCam before you leave the driveway.
- Ask for the review on the final walk. Same ask, every customer.
- You go up on your own only when Darnell and Ray say you're ready, not before.
What to wear
- Company shirt, clean every morning. Tina orders more when you need them.
- Long pants and boots with soft, grippy soles for the roof; Ray shows you which ones work.
- Your harness, checked every morning before you get in the truck.
- Gloves and safety glasses in your pocket, not in the truck.
- A hat and sunscreen in summer, and water on you.
Your schedule
- Monday to Friday, plus Saturday mornings in busy season. Meet at the shop at 6:45; first job by 7:30.
- Rain days: Tina texts by 6:00 whether we're working.
- After a storm the schedule changes fast. Ray sets it, and nobody goes to a house he hasn't scheduled.
- Time off: ask Tina a week ahead, by text so it's written down.
Who to call
- Tina · Officea schedule change, a materials question, or a customer on the phone(504) 555-0160 · 8 to 1, Monday to Friday
- Darnell · Crew lead, repair crewa question on the job, or anything on the stop-and-call list(504) 555-0161 · any time you're on a job
- Ray · Owneran injury, damage at a customer's house, a power line near the work, or an upset customer(504) 555-0162 · any time
How a call gets booked
- A homeowner calls. Tina answers 8 to 1; after that it rings Ray's cell.
- A missed call gets a text back asking whether water is coming in now or it's for an estimate.
- Ray looks at every roof himself before anything is priced, and photographs it in CompanyCam.
- Ray writes the estimate; when the homeowner signs, Tina pulls the permit and orders materials.
- The crew lead gets the job, the address and the notes; read them before you drive.
- Stage photos go in CompanyCam as the job goes, before the crew packs up each day.
- Ray walks the yard with the homeowner at the end and asks for the review.
The truck checklist
Every morning before the first job. Ticks stay on this phone until you clear them.
Check yourself
Tap an answer to see the shop's answer. Nothing is saved or sent, and nobody sees what you picked. Talk any surprise through with your crew lead.
Meet the roof: an asphalt-shingle roof, layer by layer
Draft: waiting on an experienced roofing crew lead or licensed roofing contractor to check it for this shop
Tap a part to see what it does, what fails and what you look at. Look, don't climb: nobody goes up until the safety stops are done and the fall-protection setup is in place.
Rafters (or trusses)
- What it does
- The sloped framing that holds the roof up. Some houses have rafters cut on site, others have factory-built trusses; either way the deck is nailed to them, and a ridge board or the truss tops run along the peak.
- What fails
- Rot or dark water stains from an old leak, a cracked or sagging member, a rafter someone cut or notched after the fact.
- What you look at
- From the attic, only when your shop allows it: dark stains, wet wood, daylight, anything sagging. Never cut, notch or nail into the framing without your crew lead's say.
Roof deck (sheathing)
- What it does
- The plywood or OSB panels nailed over the rafters. Every layer above is fastened into it, so the roof is only as good as its deck.
- What fails
- Soft, rotten or delaminated panels from a long leak, panels that sag between rafters, nails that missed the rafters.
- What you look at
- On a tear-off, look at every panel before anything goes over it, and stay off anything soft or dark: tell your crew lead. Replacing decking is Shop rule: the crew lead marks it and photographs it; Ray decides..
Drip edge
- What it does
- The metal edge along the eaves and the rakes. It carries water off the roof edge and into the gutter instead of letting it wick back onto the fascia and the deck.
- What fails
- Missing, bent or loose, or put on in the wrong order with the underlayment so water runs behind it.
- What you look at
- Is it on every edge, straight and nailed? At the eaves it hangs over into the gutter. Which goes on first at the eaves and at the rakes, drip edge or underlayment, is the order in the shingle maker's instructions, as Darnell shows you.
Leak barrier (self-adhered membrane)
- What it does
- A sticky-backed membrane that seals to the deck and around the nails driven through it. It goes where water backs up or runs heaviest: along the eaves and down the valleys, and often around chimneys and pipes.
- What fails
- Wrinkled or not bonded to the deck, stopped short of the edge, or left out where it's required.
- What you look at
- Where it's required and how far up it runs come from the manufacturer's instructions and the local code: Ray's rule: the shingle maker's instructions and the city's code, checked by the crew lead before the underlayment goes on. It's slick underfoot before it's covered.
Underlayment (synthetic)
- What it does
- A woven synthetic sheet over the rest of the deck. It's the second line of defense: it sheds water that gets past the shingles and keeps the deck dry while the job is open.
- What fails
- Torn or wrinkled, laps that let water run under the sheet above, too few fasteners so it lifts in the wind.
- What you look at
- Laps run shingle-fashion: the upper sheet over the lower one. Fasteners and lap widths follow the manufacturer's label: the label on the roll, as Darnell shows you. Don't stand on a loose sheet; it slides.
Starter strip
- What it does
- A row of starter shingles along the eave, under the first course (often along the rakes too). Its sealant holds the first course down, and it fills the gaps under that course.
- What fails
- Left out, or put on so its sealant isn't at the edge: the first course lifts in the first strong wind.
- What you look at
- Is it there, straight, and set over the drip edge the way your shop sets it? the crew lead sets the first run; you hand up and hold
Field shingles
- What it does
- The asphalt shingles that cover the roof, laid in courses from the eave up. Each course laps the one below it, so water always runs over a seam, never into one.
- What fails
- Missing or creased after wind, edges that lifted and never sealed, granules worn off (bare black patches), cracking and curling with age, nail heads showing.
- What you look at
- From the ground: missing pieces, creases, lifted edges, bare patches, granules piling up in the gutters. Exposure and nailing come from the bundle wrapper: the wrapper on the bundle, checked by the crew lead.
Nails
- What it does
- Roofing nails fasten every layer: the deck to the rafters, the drip edge, the underlayment (often with plastic caps) and each shingle.
- What fails
- Too high or too low on the shingle, crooked, driven through the shingle, or left standing proud so they push up the course above; deck nails that missed the framing.
- What you look at
- Where nails go and how many come from the shingle maker and the wrapper on the bundle; the crew lead checks your first rows. On a tear-off, loose nails are a hazard on the roof, in the yard and in the driveway: sweep for them.
Valley
- What it does
- Where two roof slopes meet in a trough. More water runs down a valley than anywhere else on the roof. This one is an open valley: a metal liner over the leak barrier, with the shingles trimmed back on each side. Many roofs use a closed-cut or woven valley instead, where the shingles cover it.
- What fails
- Shingles cut wrong or nailed too close to the center, leaves and debris that dam the water, rusted or holed metal, no barrier underneath.
- What you look at
- From the ground: is the valley clear, are shingles lifted or missing along it? A stain under a valley is a common leak call. Which valley the shop builds is closed-cut on most of our roofs; open metal when Ray writes it on the work order.
Step and counter flashing
- What it does
- Where the roof meets a chimney or a wall, a bent metal piece goes in with each course (step flashing), and a second piece set into the brick or behind the siding laps over its top (counter flashing). An apron does the same job across the chimney's low face.
- What fails
- Pieces missing, or smeared over with caulk instead of lapped; counter flashing pulled out of the mortar; rust; one long piece where steps belong.
- What you look at
- From the ground: gaps, rust, loose metal or caulk patches at the chimney or wall. A stain beside a chimney inside often starts here. Brick and mortar work is Shop rule: we don't do brick work; Ray calls the mason..
Pipe boot (vent flashing)
- What it does
- The flashing around a plumbing vent pipe: a flat base that goes under the shingles above it and over the shingles below it, and a rubber collar that seals around the pipe.
- What fails
- The rubber cracks and splits in the sun, the base lifts, nails at the base back out. A cracked boot lets water run straight down the pipe into the house.
- What you look at
- From the ground: cracked or split rubber, a gap around the pipe, a lifted base. Note which pipe it is and where, with a photo.
Ridge vent and ridge cap
- What it does
- A low vent along the peak, over a slot cut in the deck, that lets hot, damp attic air out. Ridge cap shingles cover it and finish the peak.
- What fails
- Cap pieces blown off, a vent crushed or plugged, a slot that was never cut, nails in the wrong place on the vent.
- What you look at
- From the ground: missing or lifted cap pieces, a vent that sags. It works with the intake vents at the soffit: if either is blocked, the attic runs hot and holds moisture.
Fascia, soffit and intake vent
- What it does
- The fascia is the trim board across the rafter ends that the gutter hangs on; the soffit closes the underside of the overhang. Vents in the soffit let outside air into the attic, to leave through the ridge vent.
- What fails
- Rotted fascia behind a gutter that overflows, soffit vents painted over or blocked by insulation from inside, holes where animals get in.
- What you look at
- Look up from the ground: stains or rot behind the gutter, a sagging soffit, vents covered over.
Gutter and downspout
- What it does
- The gutter catches the water off the drip edge and carries it to a downspout that takes it down and away from the house.
- What fails
- Clogged with leaves and shingle granules, sagging or pulled away from the fascia, leaking at the seams, a downspout that dumps water at the foundation.
- What you look at
- Overflow marks, sagging, a downspout that's blocked or disconnected, granules piling up in the gutter (worn shingles shed them).
Ladder
- What it does
- How everyone and everything gets on and off the roof. It stands on firm footing, reaches past the roof edge so there's something to hold stepping on and off, and is tied off at the top.
- What fails
- Set on soft or uneven ground, too short to reach past the edge, not tied off, a cracked rail or a bent rung, a metal ladder near power lines.
- What you look at
- Before you climb: feet, rails, rungs and locks; the tie-off in place; power lines overhead. Setting and tying off is Shop rule: Darnell sets and ties off every ladder; you foot it while he does..
Roof anchor
- What it does
- A bracket fastened through the roof into the framing near the peak, for the fall-arrest line to clip to. It's one piece of the shop's fall-protection plan, with the harness and the lanyard or rope grab.
- What fails
- Fastened into the deck only, bent after a fall, fasteners missing, an old anchor left from another job that nobody has checked.
- What you look at
- You don't install one, or clip to one, until you've been trained on Sample Roofing's fall-protection plan (the binder in every truck; Darnell walks you through it before your first climb). Before you clip: fasteners in, nothing bent or rusted. Removing or sealing it at the end of the job is part of the plan.
Check yourself
Tap an answer to see the shop's answer. Nothing is saved or sent, and nobody sees what you picked. Talk any surprise through with your crew lead.
Safety stops
Draft: waiting on an experienced roofing crew lead or licensed roofing contractor to check it for this shop
In this order, every time. The drawing shows each stop; tap a step to see it.
Falls are the biggest danger on a roof. Nobody steps onto a roof until fall protection is set up per Sample Roofing's fall-protection plan (the binder in every truck; Darnell walks you through it before your first climb): anchors where the plan puts them, harness on and checked, and your line clipped to an anchor before you leave the ladder. Never unclip to reach. If the setup looks wrong to you, stay on the ground and ask.
Firm, level footing; the ladder reaching past the roof edge; tied off at the top before anyone climbs, per Shop rule: Darnell sets and ties off every ladder; you foot it while he does.. Face the ladder and keep three points of contact. Tools and bundles go up on a hoist, a line or in a bag, not in your hands.
Before you raise a ladder or carry drip edge, gutter or anything long, look up for power lines, including the line to the house. Keep the ladder, the metal and yourself well clear. If a line is near the work, stop and call per Shop rule: a line anywhere near the ladder or the roof edge, stop and call Ray before anything goes up.. Never touch a downed line.
Nobody goes up in rain, strong wind or lightning, and everyone comes down when any of it starts, per Shop rule: Darnell calls it; at the first thunder everyone comes down and waits in the truck.. Wind catches open sheets and bundles; an open roof gets covered before you leave it.
Morning dew, frost and wet underlayment are slippery, and so is leak barrier before it's covered. In the afternoon sun, shingles get hot enough to scuff and tear and to burn your hands. Water and shade breaks per Shop rule: water on the truck all day, shade breaks on Darnell's call, and you can always ask for one; tell your crew lead if you feel dizzy or sick.
A deck that gives underfoot, looks dark and wet, or sags between rafters can break under you. Don't step there. Mark it, keep others off it, and tell your crew lead.
Old shingles, flashing and nails go down the chute or into the dumpster per Darnell's setup (chute or tarp to the dumpster, the drop zone roped off), never thrown blind. Keep people, pets and cars out from under the work. Gloves, eye protection and stiff-soled boots on; sweep for nails on the roof, in the yard and in the driveway before you leave.
Finger off the trigger unless you're nailing, never point it at anyone, keep your other hand clear, and disconnect the air before you clear a jam or hand it to someone. Who runs a nail gun at this shop: Shop rule: helpers don't run a nail gun until Darnell signs you off on it..
Check yourself
Tap an answer to see the shop's answer. Nothing is saved or sent, and nobody sees what you picked. Talk any surprise through with your crew lead.
Leak call: what to look at before you call the office
Draft: waiting on an experienced roofing crew lead or licensed roofing contractor to check it for this shop
Most calls that feel stuck end at one of these. Go in order, and stop at anything on the stop-and-call list.
Ask, then look inside: which room, which ceiling, how big the stain is, dripping now or only after rain? Photograph it. In the attic, only when Ray or Darnell says so and goes up with you: look with a light, walking only on the framing: wet decking, dark wood, daylight.
From the ground, find what's above the stain. A valley: lifted or missing shingles along it, leaves damming it. A chimney or a wall: gaps, rust, loose metal or old caulk at the flashing.
Find the vent pipes near the stain. A cracked or split rubber collar lets water run straight down the pipe; the stain often shows on the ceiling around the pipe or on the wall below it.
After wind, walk around the house: missing or creased shingles, bare patches, missing ridge cap, shingle pieces in the yard. Photograph them from the ground, the same angle from each side.
A clogged gutter or downspout can push water behind the fascia and into the soffit and the wall. Look for overflow stains, sagging, and water pooling at the foundation.
Stop and call: don't fix these yourself
- A sagging roof, deck or ceiling
- Water dripping near lights, outlets, the electrical panel or wiring
- Storm damage over a large part of the roof
- Anything that needs someone to walk a steep roof
- A homeowner asking about insurance or a claim: don't answer, pass it to the office
- Anything outside your training
How to reach the office
Have the address, what you checked and your photos ready.
- Tina · Officea schedule change, a materials question, or a customer on the phone(504) 555-0160 · 8 to 1, Monday to Friday
- Darnell · Crew lead, repair crewa question on the job, or anything on the stop-and-call list(504) 555-0161 · any time you're on a job
- Ray · Owneran injury, damage at a customer's house, a power line near the work, or an upset customer(504) 555-0162 · any time
Check yourself
Tap an answer to see the shop's answer. Nothing is saved or sent, and nobody sees what you picked. Talk any surprise through with your crew lead.
Sign-off
The owner or crew lead ticks each section after going through it with the new roofer: watched, understood, signed off by a name on a date. It stays on this device; print it for the file.
Nobody is scored or ranked. The sign-off is a person's judgment after a conversation, not a test result.