Every Northeast Ohio home should have a roof inspection and here’s why you should consider Roofsmith Restoration

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Roofsmith Restoration founder Mike Farist is passionate about excellence—from using the highest quality materials and offering a lifetime warranty, to recruiting top talent into the trades. (Photography: Benjamin Margalit)

By Mitch Allen

When you speak with Roofsmith Restoration founder Mike Farist about the dignity of work, he sounds a lot like Mike Rowe from the hit television series “Dirty Jobs.” He’s passionate, professional and determined.

“A lot of kids head off to college because they think that’s what they’re supposed to do,” he says. “Then they graduate with a load of student debt and can’t find a decent-paying job. Meanwhile, if they had gone into the trades, they could already be making six figures and own a home.”

Mike says he knows young attorneys and young tradespeople. “The tradespeople are making more money than the lawyers,” he says.

Roofsmith attracts top-quality employees precisely because of its founder’s work ethic. Mike pays his employees well, trains them relentlessly, and maintains a culture of growth and respect.

And it’s paying off.

According to the independent research firm GuildQuality, which has surveyed Roofsmith customers over the past eight years, Mike’s company has a 94% referral rate—the best in the country. But let’s put that in perspective. In an industry where Roofing Magazine says 62% of homeowners would NOT recommend their roofer, 94% of Mike’s customers would.

Mike Farist, who founded Northeast Ohio’s Roofsmith Restoration in 2010, employs Haag-certified inspectors and uses top-ranked materials. But that’s just the beginning of his insistence on excellence.

In addition, Roofsmith is a regular Angie’s List Super Service Award winner, including in 2016-2020, maintains an A+ BBB rating, and has twice been named Northeast Ohio’s Best Roofer. Plus, the company is an Owens Corning Roofing Platinum Preferred Contractor, which means they can offer their customers an enviable lifetime warranty.

And because Roofsmith employees are salaried project managers instead of commissioned salespeople, you won’t feel pressure to “sign today.”

The Wind Storm of March 26, 2021
On Friday morning, March 26, Northeast Ohio experienced damaging winds with gusts up to 63 miles an hour, plenty enough to topple trees and tear shingles from roofs.

That’s why it’s a good idea to have your roof inspected.

“Keep in mind that winds of 74 miles an hour are classified as a hurricane,” Mike says. “So virtually all of Northeast Ohio experienced near-hurricane force winds back in March. In like a lamb, out like a lion, as they say. Unfortunately, you cannot always assess the damage from the ground. You have to get up on the roof and inspect the shingles and only a qualified professional should do that.”

Mike and his team are Haag-certified inspectors, which means they know precisely how wind, rain, hail and sunlight affect shingles—and insurance companies trust their judgement.

During Replacement: The Roofsmith team is made up of Haag-certified inspectors, which means they know precisely how wind, rain, hail and sunlight affect shingles—and insurance companies trust their judgement.

Even if you don’t see significant damage from the ground, you should call Roofsmith to inspect your roof, especially if you see a leak or have found shingles in your flowerbeds. That’s never a good thing.

If you do have damage, the folks at Roofsmith are absolute bulldogs when it comes to getting your new roof covered by your insurance company. Daily, they are on the phone arguing with insurance adjusters or at the post office mailing another damaged shingle to another industry laboratory.

“They’re going to deny you,” Mike says. “Or they’re going to offer you $300 to replace a few shingles that don’t match the rest of your roof. It’s unconscionable. That won’t even cover your deductible.”

Mike says you have only 6-12 months to file a storm-damage claim with your insurance company, so it’s a good idea to get the process started.

Continuous Improvement
Mike and his team regularly attend national and international roofing expositions and other training—in person when they can and via Zoom this past year—and work with other elite roofing companies around the nation to develop best practices. For example, instead of their job estimates reading “replace roof,” Mike’s customers receive a multi-page, detailed quote explaining exactly what his company is going to do.

After Completion: According to the independent research firm GuildQuality, which has surveyed Roofsmith customers over the past eight years, Mike’s company has a 94% referral rate—the best in the country.

“Like almost every business, roofing is all about the customer experience,” Mike says. “And a large part of an excellent customer experience is clarifying expectations up front then meeting or exceeding those expectations. There should never be any unfortunate surprises.”

Mike is also meticulous about the materials he uses, including synthetic underlayment instead of flimsy tar paper, and hot-dipped, ring-shank nails that hold better than smooth-shank nails and will never rust.

“World-class roofing only results from hiring the best people, giving them the best training, and using the best materials. And that’s exactly what we do.”

Roofsmith Restoration is headquartered in West Akron at 122 Western Avenue (near Ken Stewart’s Grille), but the company serves all of Northeast Ohio. For a free estimate or roof inspection, visit Roof-Smith.com and complete an easy online estimate form or call 330-822-4245.