Most homeowners getting a roof replaced have no idea what they should be demanding from their contractor. After more than three decades in this business, I can tell you exactly what separates a roofer who genuinely cares from one who's just trying to close a job. Once you see what we put on every job site, I don't think you'll ever hire a roofer without insisting on the same.
I'm J Bretz. I founded Excel Roofing in 1993 to do roofing right. My son Henry is our Vice President, and together we run this company on the same principles I started with back then.
Our Founding Principle: You Don't Pay a Cent Until You're Content
This is the single most important sentence in this entire blog post: never prepay a roofer.
When you keep your money in your pocket until the work is finished and you're satisfied, you have leverage. You have the ability to make sure every detail is right. You have the power to hold your contractor accountable. The moment you hand over your money before the job is done, that leverage is gone.
We built Excel Roofing on the promise that You Don't Pay A Cent Until You're Content. That promise still stands today.
Why It Matters That We're Family-Owned
About 40% of our competition has sold out to private equity. Why should that matter to you?
When a roofing company sells to outside investors, the priorities shift. Customer service stops being the goal. Profit becomes the only thing that matters, because investors expect returns on their money. Crews change. Standards slip. And the homeowner is the one who pays for it.
Excel Roofing is a family legacy company, and we intend on keeping it that way. Henry and I are not going anywhere.
The Custom Trailer We Bring to Almost Every Job
Here's where I really want to show you what sets us apart. On almost every project we work, we bring one of our custom Excel Roofing trailers. It is not just for hauling materials. It is a tool that protects you, your home, and our workers.
Extra Materials, Always On Hand
Every trailer is stocked with the items roofers commonly run short of: extra underlayment, additional decking wood, and the components we need if we discover bad wood once we tear off your old roof. When something unexpected comes up on your house, our crew already has what they need to handle it. No delays. No trips back to the supply yard. No half-finished work sitting exposed to weather.
A Custom-Installed Porta Potty in Every Trailer
This is the part most people don't expect.
In the front of every one of our trailers, we have a custom-installed porta potty. I bring this up not because it's glamorous, but because it matters.
It shows a level of respect and dignity for our workers. They are on your property doing hard physical labor for hours, often in extreme Colorado heat or cold. They deserve a clean place to use the restroom.
But even more important, it shows the respect we have for you as the homeowner. We do not want our guys using the restroom in your bushes or anywhere on your property. This is especially important for the women who may be home, walking the dog, or in the neighborhood. It is a small detail that says everything about how a company treats the people around them.
I don't know of another residential roofing company that does this, and I think that ought to tell you something.
A Free Carbon Monoxide Detector for Every Customer
Here is another thing I don't know of any other residential roofer doing: we give every one of our customers a brand-new carbon monoxide detector.
This could save your life.
When we work up on your roof, we are working around the pipes that vent your furnace and your water heater. There is always a possibility, even with a careful crew, that one of those pipes could become disconnected during a tear-off. If carbon monoxide starts leaking into your home and you don't have a working detector, the consequences can be deadly.
So we install one on every project we complete. It costs us very little. It could cost you everything if we didn't.
We're not just replacing your roof. We are protecting you and your family.
What to Demand From Any Roofer
Before you sign a contract with any roofing contractor in Colorado, ask them four direct questions:
- Do I have to pay anything before the work is complete and I'm satisfied? If the answer is yes, walk away.
- Are you family-owned, or have you sold to private equity? You deserve to know who actually controls the company doing work on your home.
- What do your crews do when they need to use the restroom? The answer tells you a lot about how they treat your property.
- What protections do you put in place for my family while you're tearing off my roof? A free carbon monoxide detector should be the floor, not the ceiling.
If a contractor cannot answer these four questions in a way that protects you, keep looking.
Talk to Us Directly
If you'd like to talk to Henry or I, give our office a call at (303) 761-6400, or send us an email. We answer our own messages.
To see more of what we do, visit our Learning Center for videos covering every part of our work, from inspections to insurance claims to material choices.
We look forward to working with you on your project!
