Storm Damage, Insurance & Roof Maintenance: What Homeowners Need to Know

In this episode of Voices of Real Estate, Jamie with Blanchard and Calhoun sits down with Dustin from Southpaw Roofing to talk about what homeowners, buyers, and sellers need to know about roofing in the Augusta and CSRA area.
Dustin shares the story behind Southpaw Roofing, how the company has grown over the years, and what makes working with a trusted local roofing company so important — especially after major storms like Hurricane Helene. They also discuss roof inspections, insurance changes, storm-chasing companies, maintenance tips, gutters, commercial roofing, and simple warning signs homeowners should watch for.

Transcript

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It's Jamie, the marketing director here at Blanchard Calhoun for another episode of Voices of Real Estate. Today we've got Dustin from Southpaw Roofing. How are you? Good. Good. Doing well. Well, I appreciate you joining us today. Thanks for having me. Okay, so we're gonna talk all about roofing, Southpaw, and just kind of all the things. Sounds good. Okay. Perfect. So let's start off with tell us a little bit about Southpaw. How the name came up, how it was created. Tell us all the things. Yeah, so um me and my business partner, David, um we uh both played baseball and uh after high school and we're both left-handed. So many moons ago, uh after I graduated, so let's go back a little further, my junior year uh sophomore summer of college, I ran uh ran into him and he trained me uh while I was still playing, and uh he was here rehabbing um from he had playing, I think double A or AAA somewhere. Anyways, uh his wife's from North Augusta, so he was here rehabbing, and uh so he trained me for the whole summer, lost connection for two years because I was still you know gone, and uh came back. I transferred, ran into him after I graduated at the Augusta Mall. Said, hey, you want to come work with me? And uh, I mean, I literally it was that summer when I graduated, so I was still trying to figure out my way and um and the rest is history. So he was building and then I started roofing, and well, I don't know how many years later we changed the name to South Paul to kind of reflect us a little bit more, and um rest is history. Here we are now, 17 years later. That's wild. So he was already building. Yeah, so him and it he went and worked with his father-in-law. Gotcha. Um they were building and kind of roofing at the same time, and uh so that's when I came on, I went straight to roofing and he stayed building because that was kind of the way things were back then, and and we stopped building, I don't know, maybe eight, nine years ago, and um strictly went roofing, and it's been great since. So okay, so I guess the advantage of someone working with you guys is you've done it. Yeah, you've been up there, you know what it takes, you guys have the like education and experience too. Yeah, it's come a long way since we started it. It was just me like actually roofing, and um we had like one crew and we did one roof of two roofs a week, and you know, now we're trying to do 20, 25 a week. So it's crazy how times have changed. So that's wild. I mean, thanks to you guys. Well, we try, right? So you guys started um and it was just you two kind of doing it. Yeah. And then now how many people do you have working? Uh I think we have 16. 16. So we got you know, we got the place here, and then we have um we opened about four years ago in Charleston. Um, we have a really good staff there. Um, it's grown tremendously and it's continuing to grow. So it's a lot bigger market than it is here, obviously, but um, it's been great. So speaking of the markets, how different are they as far as like product, um, needs, all of that? Um it's it's different because each city's kind of different in Charleston versus Augusta. Um, Augusta, we you know, I'm from here, I know a lot of people. Um, so you know, I've been, you know, I guess when I started uh all the networking and stuff I did with the real estate world, and it's just been a continued growth. But down in Charleston, we're still trying to touch new faces, and um there's just so many more people there. So uh it's a lot harder. Um, and the logistics is a lot harder, the traffic, so it makes things a lot tougher. So um, you know, we've had to try to go through those things, you know, yearly. So try to figure out new ways of making it work. So um, but it's been good. So and I would assume that I mean, I know nothing about roofs, right? But I would assume like environmental changes are also playing a you know a part in kind of what you guys have to do there with it being close to the water and so the hurricane stuff is obviously the big deal there and how we roof, uh especially coaster closer to the coastal side. Um, you gotta do it the the price of roofs are a lot more expensive. So um, because you gotta do a lot more things underneath it um just from a code standpoint. So here it's not too difficult. We can get in and get out in a day, you know, so um, which is nice, but down there it might take a little bit longer. So it's a little different. It's not crazy, but it is a little different. So it's just trying to break the mold. Are there more like or different products down there versus here? We usually sell the same like product, but we just gotta um I don't know, build it up a little bit more strength-wise. Gotcha. Um a little more protection, stuff like that, just from wind water, you know, wind resistance and stuff like that. Sure. So but you don't see like more tin tin roofs or something down there. Obviously, just from you know, sheer fact of uh uh uh the wind and downtown. Like downtown is not there's not many shingles compared to metal. We do a lot of metal and a lot of flat roofs down there. So um there's a different, you know, what we do here versus there. So I'm trying to get into more of that as we speak. So um been good. Yeah, that sounds great. I mean, that's awesome that you're in two different cities. I mean, that's also got to be tough for you guys. I mean, especially with it being you and David, do you guys spend a lot of time back and forth? Spending more time there. Um, at least try to go once a month, um, maybe a little bit more. Probably the summer we'll go down there a lot more, but um just putting our faces, trying to meet and greet and same thing we do here, but um, you know, try to just try to get in more in front of more people. You know, we have a really good uh GM down there, Robbie Watman, who's you know, he just picked up his family from Augusta, started it down there by himself. Wow. Um, you know, with with our help, and he's been fantastic. And you know, we got, I don't know, four or five, six employees down there with him. So it's been good, good growth, and um they love it, and it's been good. That's awesome. So let's talk a little bit about Helene. Like obviously, that even though we're a year and a half later, we're still seeing a lot of like the effects of it. Like, I've got Carrie Bridges from Georgia Power, he's gonna be coming and talking to us about, you know, just kind of their efforts during Helene. I would assume having a roofing business, you know, take us through kind of that journey of when it hit and like your operations afterwards, the the timing of everything, kind of go into a little bit of that for us. Yeah, so kind of way back when we started this thing together, you know, we built a huge network with, you know, yourselves, real estate, world, um, insurance, you know, anybody and everybody that were we knew that if something ever happened one day, we could be the first one to be called. And I remember that day, uh, or that night actually when it happened, you know, I was texting, which I think I lost power very shortly after, but you know, all hands on deck. We brought in all our Charleston staff. Wow. Um, it was absolutely insane as you all as everybody knows. But um hopefully that will never happen again. Right, right. Knock on wood. Well, yeah, I don't that's a that's a lifetime thing, I think, but um it was absolutely insane, and it took us probably a full year to actually get done with actual hurricane roofs. Wow. I mean, we were doing 30, 40 a week, and um, you know, now you look at it and it's you can see that what happened. I mean, there's still some people out there that are fighting it, but that's from an insurance world. Right. So um trying to stay out of that part of it. But uh it was insane. It was insane. So we had we got it done. Um, I know there was some people that we couldn't get it, but um, I know they needed it done faster, but we did all we could. And um, thanks to everybody and their great efforts, we were able to make it work. So can you take us through a little bit about what that kind of looked like, right? So somebody obviously your phones were ringing off the hook and they're like, hey, we need a new roof. I mean, did you guys go, all right, we're gonna send somebody out there, try to tarp what you could tarp? Like, what was that like? Yeah, I mean, we were actually posted up in a garage um with a Starlink. I mean, that was our only phone service. We didn't have anything, so we were all stacked up over there at David's house, um, just all hands on deck, tarps in the back of trucks, rolling. And obviously there was a lot more tree damage as well, sure, besides just blowing shingles. So, you know, we actually really did try to get them all tarped up and protect the people and their investments. So um we tarped, I don't know how many houses. It was, I mean, uh over a thousand short, just from you know, just to be protective of the trees, um and working with the tree companies, trying to be time timed up with them. Um, so it was crazy. I mean, there's no question about it that you know we had to go through a lot to to get it done. And we the our biggest battle was shortages of that material. Immediately when that happened, um the the distribution saw it. Now we have a great rapport, we do a lot of business with who we buy from. Right. So they stacked and provided us with what they could. Um, so we never really felt that too much, but the tarps, stuff like that, that was gone in no time. Just from sheer fact of customers buying them too, you know, for clothes and all the depot and all that stuff. So um, you know, it is what it is, but we made it work. So and then being a local company, you know, obviously you're a local name, people know you, like you said, you know, you can go around a room at the chamber or whatever, and people know who you guys are. Sure. Um, you guys have great representation in the area, and obviously, like we always hear great things about you. But I mean, tell us a little bit about when other companies from you know, out of town come in. What you know, what does that just do for you guys? Well, it makes it a lot harder. Right. Um, especially now, because now we're cleaning up a lot of the mess, and you know, they already spent the money, the homeowner or the insurance company, and now they're not gonna get it back, and they're having to come out more money um based on what they spent or what they did. So, you know, I always stress obviously to stay local. And I know there was a lot of emergencies with that big of a storm, but um, you know, if you were able to be patient, being patient was key because now we're seeing the the effects of it and you know people not showing back up, their their warranty is gone immediately. When they do the roof, it's over with. Right. Um, obviously that wouldn't happen with us, but um, so you know, there's a lot of storm chasing companies, that's what they live and die by, and it's a hard business model. Yeah, we never entertained it um because of that reason, how could we be loyal to the homeowner? Um, so it you know, it was tough. It was tough, and it still is. I mean, we're I mean, we we get a lot of upset customers and not necessarily at us, but just sure fact they made a bad decision or or whatever it is, you know, and you feel bad for them, you know, we you know, we care about it, and that's what we've built our business on. And so it was tough and still is. So well, and I'm sure it's also difficult and frustrating for them, right? They they're thinking, okay, I'm going with this company who's offering this product, they can get it done quickly, and they're trusting this company. Um, whereas we kind of know if we call you, if something goes wrong with whatever you guys are doing, you're gonna come back and because you're gonna have to see us, you know, day in and day out. Um, which is to an advantage, I guess, to us all locally. Um, was it the ice storm of like where we had a big rush of out of town people? That's right. So that one was on the east side of Augusta. But yeah, that was what, four or five years ago, right after COVID, maybe. Yes. Um that's right. And another one that that one's still lingering, actually, because that wasn't so much damage from trees, that was just actual shingle work. So those guys just come in, come and left. And um, so it's a it's it's a battle. We we we try to do things like this with you and then other announcements, you know, across the local area, and then just try to make sure everybody knows, you know, look, look for these things. Guys that knocking on your doors aren't necessarily in the best interest of you for you, they're in the better sense for themselves. So um, you know, those are the things, those are the kind of talking points that we kind of deal with on a daily basis. So well, that's part of why we wanted to have you on, right? To just kind of protect. Obviously, I think the CSRA, Greater Augusta area, our community's so unique because we are very we're like a close-knit big town, right? Absolutely. And so we always try to protect our own and make sure like people who are moving here or live here kind of have the best, best of the best, or that they're working with people that they can trust. That's right. And you know, we like me being from here, like it hurts, you know, when you you know people made a decision and didn't go our way. Um and it's not because they had to or whatever, but when you get that call back, I should have gone with you or whatever. You know, it means a lot to us, but we we care, we really do care about our customers and sure and and taking care of them. And and the same thing with Charleston, you know, we're we're growing very much there, um, very fast, excuse me. Um, and you know, we try to keep that same model as we have here, there. So it means a lot to us. Um, we would never try to go another way with it. And you know, uh we try to stress that to them when we're in their homes talking to them and having a rapport with them. And so yeah, I mean it's very important. And I know people have a hard time with it, but yeah, it matters. Well, hopefully from you know, when they hear this, see this, you know, they'll kind of reconsider if they're thinking about using a company that they haven't heard of before, someone who's not local and kind of invested in our community. Um, so let's talk a little bit about insurance changes, right? I know last time you came to one of our business meetings, we we just talked about, and I know you guys have no control over that, but just the in the industry as a whole, um having trouble insuring roofs that are like under 10 years old. Right. Um, for you guys, obviously there's a misconception. I don't know if you want to call it a misconception, that when you have these like lifetime warranties or yeah, um, tell us kind of a little bit about that. Yeah, so that just kind of changed within the past four or five years as well after the storm, the first storm, but obviously now with the way insurance has changed um and the money that's been lost, you know, they're I'm sure they're trying to figure out ways to make it, you know. So um the 10-year deal is if if your roof is 10 years or older, they want you to replace it. And it's been a real big topic of conversation this past year. Um, it's a lot of battle from us because we try to help the homeowners that we've done that we kept records of. And uh and we try to work with the insurance companies to make sure that you know look, they don't really need to uh need a new roof. Um and so that's that's it's been it's been tough because you know you spend twenty-thirty thousand dollars, whatever, you know, on a new roof, and you're gonna expect the shingles to last more than 20 years, 25 years, which they do, uh, unless a storm, of course, they don't need a new roof. But the insurance world is that's just the insurance world, it changes so much. It's volatile, and we we try to work with the the adjusters and um we got some good rapport with a bunch of them, especially your local ones. Right. And um, you know, we try to work with them, write letters, do all we can to help help the homeowner, but you never know, it's out of our control. So would you recommend that if a let's say a seller or a buyer who or somebody who just kind of gets this letter from their insurance company that says, hey, you got to replace your roof, um, for them to call you or someone like you guys to come out and inspect. Let us inspect it and let us try to fight. I mean, we just had a I had a call the other day about it. So it's it's you know, we got it worked out. But writing a letter from a local roofer, you know, someone professional, getting it um, you know, getting it back to them and discussing, hey lady, you don't need a new roof, that's the best way to start with it, and then see what happens from there. I mean, you gotta prove it and we don't mind doing it. Sure. Pictures, all the things we do. So um, we we'll definitely fight for you on that part because I mean, I wouldn't want to do it, so I get it, you know. Right. Right. And and you're in the business. So I mean, you, you know, you understand it. Tell me a little bit about how people can, I guess, prolong their roof life or just make it the best possibility that when it is time for them to have somebody come inspect it, that you guys can go, you know what, this looks good. Let me get you a letter, blah, blah, blah, blah. Yeah, so we, you know, we do offer like a maintenance program. Okay. Um, annually. So we come and do all the 12-point check is what I call it. And kind of like what the uh automotive world does. So we come in and check everything, penetrations, nails, all the things uh to the pine straw, the built-up in the valleys, the gutters, all those things that help prolong it. Because if you don't do that, then you know that's when water can breach, whatever the case may be. So uh we do do we do offer that and you know, free inspections for uh a lot of the market. So we you know, we just try to help them out as much as we can. So um that's the best way to do it. Um that's uh that eliminates issues, especially if you're trying to sell, um, or if you have an insurance company. You know, another thing we touched on a while ago, but the you know, insurance companies are actually coming to homes now. Um, they're actually inspecting them without us knowing it, or the homeowner noticing. So it's that's been a big world with the drones and all that. They they don't have to get on the property. So um we've noticed that a lot in the past year. Um, and I'm sure that's because of the hurricane, but um we've got to figure out the money somehow. So that's right, that's what happens. Well, and that's interesting that you bring up like a maintenance plan, but you said yearly, correct? Like so yearly, I mean you know, we live in in Augusta, so we have uh the weather here is so and changes so much. Right. Um pine straw, obviously with the Georgia Pines, uh the leaves and all that built up and all the other things that backs up in the roofs. So, you know, those are one of the things you got to get rid of. So we we do that all the time, especially from property management. Um, or if you're selling or reselling, we'll go in and knock it out real quick um to help out. So, you know, those things are important. That's so interesting. I mean, and it makes sense when you talk about it, right? Like we get our HVAC units and all all the other stuff. Yeah, I actually pay like I think it's $21 a month, and I get two checkups throughout the year, but you know it's in their system, I don't have to worry about it. Um, so it kind of works for us as well. And then the homeowners have just got peace of mind knowing that they don't have to worry about the roof. I mean, the roof's the most important thing on the house to me. Right. So I mean it's it's the investment on the inside. So um if it leaks and starts going inside, then okay, you got more problems. So just keeps you from having to worry about it. And I guess you just don't think about it. I mean, what you what you said makes sense. Yeah, you don't think about it because you're just like, oh, it's up there, yeah. It's not something, you know. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know many. No. So um if you don't, if you're not gonna pay for one, at least take care of it, you know, and you know, prevent it from being a bigger expense. I mean, when I first started, I think the average roof was like four or five grand. Right. And now I'm 10 to 12. Wow. So it's just that much, you know, inflation and all the things. So it just kind of helps. Well, and I and I feel like back in the day too, it was like really popular for like people didn't replace their roofs unless there was storm damage or they were always trying to get or they assumed the insurance company would pay for them. Right. Now that the insurance games change so much, that's a bigger deal. So, um, and it is, and it ain't nothing we can do about it. All we can do is help fight it. Um, but it I mean, if I didn't install it, then it's definitely out of my hands. Right. You know, for the most part. So uh that that's a game changer. So you're right, no one they waited on a storm. And I mean, I get it. Right. But it's still your your house. So well, and I think Robbie Moore from Lantern Calhoun Insurance, I think, or he or Jamie Felder, also from our insurance company, I think they even mentioned that insurance companies weren't just cutting a check anymore, like, oh, here's 15 grand for you to go replace your roof. It's like, okay, well, this roof is 15 years old, so we're only gonna give you X amount. Depreciate it, yeah. Right. And so then that person has to figure out how to come up with it. Come up with it. It's prorated now a lot more than ever. Um, you know, the deductibles are a lot higher. I mean, we've even heard from the insurance world, um, not your side yet, but a couple of others that there's gonna be just policies for roofs only. Oh wow, and that's that's been in that's been in conversation. Georgia and and itself is looking into us. A lot of people left us last year, um, the insurance side of things. So you start. Paying for another policy just for a roof, that's that's wild. Another expense. So yeah, I I can't believe that one. But I guess we'll see. Right, right. No, that makes sense. And so what would you say to people who I mean, if they run into an issue and they don't have $20,000 saved up, what are their options? Well, you know, if you call us, we have financing options. Um, we'll work with you as much as we can, um, you know, inspect it, see if you even actually need it. So um we'll do everything we can, come out there and help you and uh provide the best price we can to get you through it. Right. What would you I mean, do you have any advice for people just in general, things to look for, um, just some tips and tricks for our public? Yeah, I mean, obviously leaks are the number one thing. That's when you notice the most, you got blown up shingles, um, nails, a lot of granule loss coming off the roof in your gutters. Obviously, no one knows this. Everybody thinks it's a problem, but every rainfall you're gonna have granules fall off. That's just nature of the beast. Um, but when you start seeing it heavily and you start seeing a nice shine on your roof from afar, you know you're getting fight to the fiberglass, um, which obviously will leak at some point. So uh those are the things I look for when I eat when I pull up into the driveway. So um you see those things, call Southpaw. Okay. See if we can help you. Okay. And um for just people in general who maybe don't know anything about roofs, or maybe they're a new homeowner first time. Um, what are some things that or misconceptions you guys run across or people call you about? I mean, yes, everybody likes to make money, right? Um, but we really do care about the homeowner and their property. We go out all the time, give out inspections, and we tell you whether or not you need a new roof or not. I mean, there's no we have no reason to tell you you need a roof every single time we go out there. Sure. Um a lot of roofing companies do. I mean, especially, let's say, for instance, after a hurricane when the inventory of Augusta is down heavily, um, a lot of people have left. A lot of people are now trying to figure out what we got to do to make money. We still grind, we still try to make it right. Um, we know that something else will come down the road for us. Um, and that's that's the whole point of being honest and keeping it local, so to speak. So, you know, we just try to take care of them. I mean, I we got no reason to tell them otherwise uh otherwise. So I mean, that's how I look at it. So that's how we built this thing. That's how we've been here for 17, 18, whatever it is now. That's why we've been here that long, and that's the way I want to keep it. Well, yeah, and you guys are definitely a trusted name, you know, and you guys have a lot of people who work with you um who've been with you for a while. Yeah, we yeah, we definitely don't have turnover. We've had great employees. Um, Heather, a marketing general manager of Augusta, actually, and she's she does a great job. She's helped us build this thing as well. So earlier you talked about the maintenance that you guys come out, y'all do, and and I feel like you mentioned gutters. Is that correct? Okay, so had no idea you guys even dealt with gutters. Can you tell me a little bit more about that? Yeah, absolutely. So, you know, we obviously just roofing, we do a lot of it, but we do gutters as well. Um they're kind of tied into each other. Sure. So cleaning them and taking them down, replacing them, doing whatever, you know, providing gutter guards, whatever it is, make you know that goes with a gutter, we'll do it. Um it's it's been a big thing for us, and um it kind of helps the homeowner go one-stop shop and get it all done. So um, windows and siding, it's all tied into each other. So we we we can do it all. Um, you know, uh the commercial world really love doing commercial TPO, um, stuff like that. So we we love doing that, especially downtown. We do a lot of it down here. So uh and in Charleston, that's a big, big deal there as well. So just from because that's what they build. But um had no idea you guys did commercial work. Yep, love it, love it. It's easy. We got great guys that do it at Vietnam. Um been doing it a long time, but uh really, really making a push on it. So we like it. That's awesome. Well, one thing I was also gonna mention is um, you know, obviously I'm super involved in the community. Yeah, I don't think I've been to a single event that I haven't seen somebody from Southpaw roofing there. So you guys are heavily represented. Can you talk a little bit more about what your involvement in the community is? Um, you know, our general manager Heather is a um big time player in that. Um, everybody has some sort of networking that we uh work on on a weekly basis. Right. I think everyone has to have five. So uh it's just something to get us out there, um, work with the community. Obviously, that's our biggest thing. We support all the baseball teams around town. Um, you know, like youth or youth, yep, youth. And we even like the high school teams, you know, I went to Lakeside, so um like support all those guys uh throughout the throughout the city or the county, I should say. Um, but we do a lot of the youth stuff for sure because all of our kids are heavily involved in that right now. Um, but yeah, the uh back to the community thing, you know, we um all the networks, you know, from all the chamber events, Kawanis, um I I know there's like 30. Right. All the B and I's or a lot of the B and I's um we we try to be heavily involved in it so everybody knows who we are and all of our guys get to meet somebody new, you know, weekly. So um it's been very, very valuable to us when I first started doing this. Um my very first networking group, um, uh Mr. Larry Miller, who passed away a few years ago, uh he was one of a really good mentor to me. Um and he always he always called me. We always just had small talks. Um uh we uh we did a lot of things together, but they were very supportive of South Paul, and then after that it just kind of went everywhere because everybody was tied into somebody, whether it's Blanchard, Calhoun, anybody like that. It was it was awesome. So um he was great. And then uh another thing, another key point I forgot to mention to you is like your inspection companies. We work with them a lot. Oh good. Um, we do uh classes for them and we you know kind of help them because they always if you look at the real estate paperwork, it always says find a professional roofer. Yeah. Um so we we go back and talk to them as well and um do classes with them and train them on what we see on a daily basis. So um it's been good. Okay, great. Well, why don't you tell everybody how to get in touch with you guys? Um, and then maybe the most important thing you want them to know. Also, you can obviously find us on uh southpawroofing.com. Um you can call our office um 706-860-6650. Um all of our Instagram, Facebook stuff. We're heavily involved in that. Um we do a lot of that stuff on a daily basis. Uh the most important is honest, honestly, just we we believe in the community, we believe in staying local, we believe in taking care of our people. All my staff knows that. Um, we we want everyone to know that when we walk in your home, you're gonna get our best. Um, we're gonna take care of you. And when we're done, we want you to be 100% satisfied. So um that's our biggest goal is to take care of everybody. And uh if we're not, we'll make sure we do by the end. So that's awesome. Well, it's always great, I know, for us to partner with local companies who we know, trust. Um, because being that we're from here too, we want to feel the same way. We want people to, you know, know that we're local and we believe in quality, just like you guys do. So we really appreciate your time today. I know you're super busy going between two cities, but um, thank you so much for being with us today. You, Jamie. All right. Yeah, no problem.