Business: Happy Roofing
Address: 1155 S. Washington St., Naperville
Phone/website: 630-234-8331, www.happyroofing.com
Owner: Pedro Toledano, 40, of Lisle
Years in business: Four
What does your business do? “We do residential roofing. That’s our niche. We help homeowners,” Toledano said.
Why residential only? “I enjoy interacting with homeowners. … If you want to go after industrial or commercial properties, you are talking to property managers. Not as personal. There’s a different dynamic there.”
What sets you apart? “We use top-of-the-line products from Malarkey Roofing. These guys are not new, just getting into the Midwest, excellent products. We don’t use staples. We use weatherproof plastic caps on the nails. … Malarkey shingles are rubberized, which makes them superior. In hail storms, they are highly rated for impact resistance. … We use metal in the valleys. Metal is not going to erode like shingles.”
How did you find Malarkey? “I did some research. I fell in love with the shingles because I want to provide the best products we can for the customers.”
Any challenges? “There are variables. Steepness is a big one. Height is another. Most of the homes we work on are one story, but there are two and even three stories. … It’s a different game. You need special equipment to complete the job safely. It takes more time.”
Why did you start this business? “My background is in landscaping. I did that for quite a long time. … I had the idea to do something different. My landscaping business did provide for us — I’m grateful for that — but I was getting bored. … I had friends, acquaintances in the roofing industry. … It took me probably about two years of research. I had to get educated.”
What’s your business philosophy? “We do all kinds of jobs. A tiny repair to a big roof replacement. We do it all. Every job I take seriously. My customers deserve the best. … The roofing industry is notorious for contractors cutting corners. That’s one thing that attracted me as well. … You should see what we see on a daily basis on the roofs. There’s a lot of bad work, shoddy work.”
Any horror stories? “Chimney flashings. Where the chimney meets the roof, that’s an intersection that needs to be protected from water. If you just butt the shingles against the brick, that’s going to leak. You have to do step flashing, which you do not see but it’s there. The part that goes on the outside, the part that you do see, that’s called counter flashing. Sometimes, it was never installed. It’s absurd.”
What happens when you do an estimate? “It all starts with a thorough inspection of the whole roof. I get up there. There’s no substitute for getting on the roof. You can use drones, but it’s not quite the same. … Our inspection involves 29 things. Anything on the outside as well as inside the attic space. … If you don’t go into the attic, you could miss issues.”
Issues? “One of the main things we see a lot is the lack of ventilation or improper ventilation in the attic. It has to be 50% in, 50% out. … When the problem is severe, I have seen attics with so much mold, it’s crazy.”
How do you find clients? “Word spreads. That’s how I built my landscaping company, by word of mouth. Quality work never gets old.”
Your landscaping company is still around? “It is, but it’s downsized. It’s called 1st Cut Landscape.”
How many roofers work for you? “We use subcontractors. Most roofing companies do. … I go out to a job site where they are working and see how they operate before I consider hiring them.”
Why Happy Roofing? “We knew it had to be memorable. Happy conveys the idea we are friendly, approachable, easy to work with.”
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When are you busy? “Spring is very busy. Summer, too. Late summer it slows down, then it picks up in the fall.”
Ever fall off a roof? “No, knock on wood. Nobody on my team has. We hope to keep it that way.”
What do you like best? “Meeting people.”
Any negatives? “It takes a lot of time. It is dangerous. I’m at risk every time I climb a roof.”
Any future plans? “We want to be the obvious choice for homeowners.”
What’s your advice for someone starting a business? “It’s important to do your homework. … It’s wise to be very conscious of how you spend your money in the beginning.”
If you know of a business you’d like to see to profiled in Down to Business, contact Steve Metsch at [email protected].
Steve Metsch is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.