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!