Residential Metal Roofing Executive Report Marketing, Lead Generation, In-Home Sales, Installation, Referral Maximization

Attic Inspection

Issue #29 | June 8, 2015 | Seth Heckaman


I hope this finds you well! Our dealers have been extremely busy the last few weeks; consumer interest is up and many are making the decision to invest in a specialty, lifetime metal roof. I hope you are finding the same!

We have been discussing the in-home sales presentation and how to articulate the key benefits of metal roofing. In this issue of the Residential Metal Roofing Executive Report, I would like to review another critical element of the sales presentation: a thorough and scientific attic inspection. Homeowners will not expect the need for an attic inspection, so they must be prepared during the appointment setting process, but it is an essential component of any presentation.

We are firm believers that no roof, regardless of material, should be sold without the contractor at least looking in the attic. First and foremost, to be aware of any existing mold, condensation, or leak issues that the homeowners did not disclose or were not aware of.

Most homeowners associate any portion of the home above the ceilings as the roof; so if there are any future issues, you, the roofer, will be called. If we are to take this responsibility and liability, we need to be fully aware of the attic’s current condition and how our work will affect it. Though the issues could be caused by uninsulated ductwork or an improperly exhausted bathroom vent, we will be held responsible. In the age of social media and “consumer advocacy,” we can never be too careful.

Just as a formal presentation establishes ourselves as experts and separates us from the competition, so does an attic inspection. Your competition is not taking the time to inspect and analyze the attic. So by simply poking our head through the hatch, we set ourselves in stark contrast to the rest of the industry and have increased the homeowner’s expectations of any company they consider doing business with.

Once in the attic, we have the opportunity to expose existing issues, increasing the urgency of making a roofing decision, and build additional value into our proposal. We don’t fabricate or embellish ventilation, moisture, or mold issues. We don’t have to. Few homes across the country are adequately ventilated and insulated and even fewer homeowners understand the importance of a properly performing and healthy attic. Those of our dealers performing attic inspections on a regular basis rarely find attics where there are not existing issues that must be addressed.

We can find many of these issues with just a flashlight – mold, rusted nails, rotted decking, inadequate insulation, animal nests, etc. Many metal roofing contractors are taking it to the next level, using sophisticated tools to generate quantitative data measuring the health and performance of the attic. Moisture meters, temperature guns, and more, can all be used while only being waist-deep into the attic and increasing the legitimacy of the inspection – further establishing yourself as the expert. These tools also provide the perfect opportunity to engage the curiosity of the homeowner and involve them in the inspection; they will be more than willing to take notes while you are in the attic performing your tests, anxiously awaiting the results.

We at Isaiah Industries have put together an Attic Inspection Kit with the necessary tools and instructions to perform a proper inspection. Please reach out if you would be interested in learning more.

Once we perform our inspection and compile our results, we are then able to generate a unique and specific proposal to meet the needs of the homeowner – needs we have outlined through our presentation and unearthed in the inspection. We have now effectively eliminated our competition – no competitor will match our thorough and tailored proposal – and dramatically increased the value in working with our company.

Thank you once again for allowing me to share with you. If you would enjoy continuing our discussion on attic inspections, or any element of the in-home sales process, please reach out through the information below.

And, as always, please let me know if we could ever be of service.

todd Miller

has spent his entire career in the metal building products manufacturing industry. He is president of Isaiah Industries, an organization recognized as one of the world’s leading metal roofing manufacturers. Todd is currently Vice President of the MRA (Metal Roofing Association) and a Past Chair of MCA (Metal Construction Association). Through his website, he strives to raise the bar on standards and practices to provide property owners with the best possible products for successful roofing projects.

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