Tuesday 24 December 2013

XL Roofing asks, Why is it important to dump excess snow off your roof?

XL Roofing asks, Why is it important to dump excess snow off your roof?

Getting snow off your roof is one of the services offered by one of the best Edmonton roofing companies. Getting excess snow removed is one way of making sure that you will not have to repair your roof once winter is gone. Generally snow should be removed once it forms a layer of about 6 inches on the roof. The reason why this method works is that it prevents excessive build up of ice on the roof and also prevents the formation of ice dams. Less snow means that less stress is applied on the roof and this helps prevent roof damage. Some salient reasons that advocate for the removal are discussed below.

To prevent blocked vents and formation of ice dams 

Snow does not flow like water hence it will settle on the roof. If the snow fall is consistent, it means that it will completely cover the roof surface. Edmonton roofing companies say that if this continues to happen every time it snows and if you fail to have it removed, you will end up with blocked vents. This will affect the ventilation of your ceiling space (or attic) and using the furnace to heat your home will help create condensation above your ceiling. As roofing contractors Edmonton will tell you, accumulation of snow leads to formation of ice dams and these make the blocking of the vents more serious hence another reason why snow should not be allowed to accumulate.

To prevent damaged to Eaves troughs

Eaves troughs play a functional role during the rainy weather as they provide a channel for water to drain off your roof to the main drainage system. If snow is allowed to accumulate during winter, it ends filling the eaves troughs making them heavy and in some cases, breaking them. This then means that during the rainy season, water will not be channeled to the main drainage system. The water that the roof sheds off falls along the foundation of your house and as it gets absorbed, it leads to basement leaking. Where the intensity of the rain is high, the leaking may develop and cause basement flooding. In addition, damaged eaves troughs ruin the appearance of the house and this is another reason why one of the best Edmonton roofing companies should be called to get rid of the snow before it accumulates to a level that will cause these complications.

To keep excess weight off your roof

Science teaches that anything that has mass has weight and this means that as snow accumulates on the roof, more weight is added to the roof structure. The structure is designed in such a way that it has the ideal amount of weight that it can hold comfortably. Any excess of the ideal weight stresses the roof and increases the chances of the structure of the roof getting damaged. Very heavy snow weights can cause so much pressure to the roof that it caves in. This ruins the structure of your home not to mention the fact that your household items will be damaged. In the worst case scenario, the caving can cause injury to your family and you; this is why leading Edmonton roofing contractors advise that you get the snow removed from your roof after every 6 inches of snow fall.

Call Chris Fraser at XL Roofing who will advise you  on what to do if you think you have too much snow on your roof.


Chris Fraser founder and owner of XL Roofing Edmonton

 780-466-1601

Friday 22 November 2013

Top 7 Things to Consider when Hiring an Edmonton Roofing Contractor


Installing a new roof or undertaking a major repair is a great investment. Therefore, before giving the job to any one of many Edmonton roofing contractors, you need to carry out your homework. You need to study the credentials of potential roofing contractors Edmonton and check for any given complaints from the disgruntled clients. You should be skeptical of the bids, which sound too good to be true. According to Edmonton roofing companies, getting the right contractor at the first time requires investment in both money and time. This is because there are many companies claiming to be the best. The following are 7 things to consider when hiring an Edmonton roofing contractor.

Permits and License

Alberta laws demand that roofing contractors have licenses in order to carry out roofing jobs. Therefore, before hiring one you must check his roofing license. A license is a basic certification that indicates competence of a contractor. This is because for one to acquire the license there is a procedure set out that shows experience and skills.

Insurance Coverage

Good roofing contractors found under Edmonton roofing companies have a comprehensive workers’ compensation and liability insurance. Before starting the job you should see a copy of their insurance certificate. It is necessary in case a mishap or accident occurs on the job. If an accident happens and the contractor does not have insurance, then you as homeowner may be liable for all the costs.

Experience

You need to know how many years they have been in the roofing repairs Edmonton business. Ask for references and examples of their recent completed projects. After getting this information, you should call their customers to find out whether they were satisfied with their work. If you find a given contractor is unwilling to provide such information that should be a warning for you.

Warranties and Guarantees 

A good roofing contractor should offer a warranty in addition to the manufacturer’s warranty. Check out its duration and coverage. A five-year or more is a good warranty. You should get a copy of the warranty from the Edmonton Roofing Contractor. This is important in case you want to make a claim any time in the future.

Check Local Better Business Bureau (BBB)

From the BBB, you will be able to gather information about a particular roofing contractor. Check if there are any complaints that have been filed against the contractor before and the nature of the complaint.

Payment Terms and Estimates

For instance, Edmonton roofing companies provide their customers with written estimates. Estimates should include materials needed, nature of work, estimated completion date and total cost. This will protect you from any erroneous charges.

Physical Location

You need to know the physical location of the contractor or company and all other contact information. This will make it possible to get in touch in case there is a problem for any Edmonton roof repairs.


Installing a roof is an important job and you should not allow anyone to mislead you. This is because a roof is an important home structure. Hiring an expert contractor or a reputable roofing company will ensure your job is done well the first time.


For any help regarding your roof call Chris at XL Roofing Edmonton who will be happy to discuss any matter related to your roof.  You will be under no obligation to contract XL roofing to do your work.


Chris Fraser founder and owner of XL Roofing Edmonton








Friday 9 August 2013

How long XL Roofing in a roof business


How long has XL Roofing been in the roof business?


My name is Chris Fraser and I own and operate XL Roofing Inc. Here's a little blog on how I got to roof a roof. It was determined that I would have to work for the Summer holiday's, either Vancouver or Edmonton. My Uncle was a supervisor working for a well established Roofing Company in Edmonton, so that's where I started roofing.

           Working a real construction job for the first time was not easy. The lifting of heavy materials wasn't that hard as I was I was a big lad anyways. What I found hard, was the incredible Summer heat in Alberta, and working with fibreglass insulation. To be quite honest I didn't like it at first. When School was all finished up, there was a recession everywhere. The only chance I had for work was traveling back to Alberta from Vancouver.

           I went back to the same company I had roofed with in the Summer holidays. I had worked here and there for so many low paying jobs, so when the same roofing company called in the spring I jumped at it. Work was harder than ever. All the men worked hard as the economy was not in good shape. When my adult muscles kicked in, I started to really enjoy roofing. I saw it as a work out. I didn't have much of a father figure growing up, so somehow it became a goal to please the cranky foremans and try and make them proud. This Company I worked for demanded perfection almost to a point where in our roofing career we had better not have to re roof the same roof ever in our life time. Seems a far stretch but it seemed the truth to me at the time. We roofed perfect and extremely hard at the same time. I did my whole apprenticeship at the same metal roof company.

          My Uncle decided one year to break off and start his own how to roof Company, which was eventually a given that I joined him a little later to start running my first how to roofing crew. Running a crew for a small company was way different than the big roof it company. I watched as my Uncle would change up roofing how to specifications to make it affordable for some of the home owners. It is very expensive to do a whole roof replacement in one shot. So we would do many repairs to stretch out the lives of the insulation roofs. Then this roofing roofing company grew and my family grew. But there was no room for me to work in the office in how to roof sales or shingles roofing estimating. I became restless. I worked at and volunteered on weekends at our local church. I quickly discovered that I may just be good at the a roofing gab. Many friends and family (wife's side of course) encouraged me and my wife Jackie to start our own roof metal company.

 Having a large Family proved financially difficult. I started out Shingling like most Roofers, then eventually the roof it flat repairs started to trickle in. I soon did not have to shingle any more (feelings weren't hurt) as shingling is (in my opinion) one of the hardest jobs in construction. Starting a business for us, we don't take how to roofing lightly, we are in it for the long haul. Early in the business I happened to run into my old Boss/owner of the first how to roof company I had worked for. I had said to him that finding good help to hire was hard to do. He advised me to hire young roof roof and train within, and that would be my core of the roofing how to company.  He was right, I just had to be patient and I did just that.

I now have such an awesome bunch of roof roofing guys that work for me now. It didn't come without growing pains, but they known what is expected of them now. Together we have built a Company that can put a roof on just as well or better than any a roofing Company in Northern Alberta, but keeping a small company/family type attitude at the same time. To be successful in business one has to listen to his men as well. A while back they stated that it would sure be nice to have benefits, so...... I agreed. My accountant set out to get the best affordable package we all could afford. Such a good feeling for all of us. We are a strong growing how to roof Company that aims to please its customers.

We all look forward to doing business with you all. You won’t be disappointed!

Chris Fraser founder and owner of XL Roofing Edmonton

Friday 2 August 2013

XL Roofing Edmonton asks for no roof roof money down to start the job

More and more roofing contractors are asking for a down payment before starting their roofing work. The deposit amount can be anywhere from 10 to 50 percentage of the total roofing cost.

XL Roofing in Edmonton does not require start-up money!

When hiring a roofing contractor for any types of roofing job then they should be a roofing company that has been around long enough and solvent enough to have good credit standing with the suppliers.


XL Roofing is successful and financially stable enough that we don’t depend on money up front for new roof work to be done. I have enough cash (and credit) available to buy supplies and pay my employees to get started.

Paying deposits and paying chunks of money in advance as the how to roof contractor goes along means you are giving up a lot of leverage if problems develop.

At least this way if the contractor walks off the job, goes under etc. then you are the rightful owner of all new roof materials on site.

We make sure no how to roof problems occur, and if one should happen (let’s be realistic it could) then we will immediately take corrective action!

We want your roof roofing job to be as comfortable as possible for you. The last thing you need to worry about is someone running away with you money.

XL Roofing Edmonton completes many large a roofing jobs and stealing one customer’s money is simply ridiculous, not to mention that it will totally destroy my company’s reputation.  I have spent many years building a strong company and the last thing on my mind is to throw it all away being unethical . . . never!

I ensure complete customer new roof satisfaction.


Chris Fraser founder and owner of XL Roofing Edmonton

Wednesday 10 July 2013

XL Roofing covered by WCB?


XL Roofing company in Edmonton Alberta definitely is covered by the WCB. 

It is unlawful in the province of Alberta to do contract roofing work without a WCB account. WCB actually protects the home owner or building owner so in case of an accidental injury as a result of your roof work, the injured roofing worker cannot hold the home owner accountable.

The information below is as provided by WCB Alberta is listed here for your convenience for when we show you how to roof; you can also find it on their website.

You can Request clearances or monitor a roofing subcontractor , you have two options:

Sign up for my WCB 
Request a clearance without signing in 

Your responsibility for contractors is as follows:

If you hire companies (for example to put on a new roof) you are responsible for their workers’ compensation insurance unless they:

have their own valid WCB account,
are operating as a limited or incorporated company, or
are performing the work as:
an employer in that industry,

What is a clearance?

A clearance is a letter from WCB that states that a roof contractor’s account is in good standing, clearing you of liability should the contractor default on premiums. A clearance letter also authorizes you to release final payment on a specified contract.

Who needs a clearance?

If the companies you hire for the roof have their own WCB accounts it is your responsibility to ensure that the accounts are in good standing. A clearance fulfills this responsibility, relieving you of liability for your contractor’s premiums.

When is a clearance required?

A clearance is required when a company you hire for the roof has a WCB account. You should obtain a clearance prior to releasing any payments to the companies you hire.

Why am I responsible for my contractor’s unpaid premiums?

Holding you responsible for unpaid premiums ensures WCB’s insurance fund is maintained at a sufficient level to pay worker benefits. Using clearances ensures that each employer contributes their fair share.


Chris Fraser founder and owner of XL Roofing Edmonton



Thursday 9 May 2013

XL Roofing to the Rescue in Edmonton


People are curious and sometimes ask when and how XL Roofing in Edmonton Alberta started, so I thought it a good idea to note it down and offer another way to tell my story . . . it   begins here how I help my clients with their roofing needs ~ tar and gravel, SBS membranes, flat roofs, torch on, rubber roofs, rolled roofing and sheet metal roofing.

My name is Chris Fraser and I started XL Roofing 12 years ago. My wife Jackie and I have a large family by today’s standards (five children). So our goal was and is, is to build a future for the possibility of growing a company to a point of maybe passing down or employees wanting to buy in. Back in the days when our children were starting to get expensive and competing for mom’s love, we made a decision to keep their mom at home . . . the day we decided to start our company . . . the year was 1998 and we have never looked back!

My Early Experience
I started roofing at the age of sixteen during my summer breaks. Once high school was finished I started my 3 year roofing apprenticeship. A recession followed. I must share a unique typical Canadian experience. The Company which I apprenticed under was a very multi cultured. My Foremen consisted; an Italian (WWII Vet), a Ukrainian (WWII Vet), a German (WWII VET), a French Canadian, and a Native American. There was a recession in 1981 & 82 when I started. The competition was fierce between foremen, as ones job seemed to always be on the line. If a worker/roofer did not cut it, quite simply you were gone. They all demanded absolute perfection, which I am proud to have went through. It has made me who I am today and what I expect of my men. I gained all my experience through large established companies, and it wasn’t uncommon for a roofing inspector to be looking over our shoulder most of the time, so doing excellent work became habit. At the age of 21 I was running my own crew. Today I have 33 solid years experience and I know that I bring a lot of knowhow to the roofing trade and my clients - tar and gravel, SBS membranes, flat roofs, torch on, rubber roofs, rolled roofing, sheet metal.

In short that is how it all started!