Big Box is Convenient but Roofing Suppliers are Vital to Our Businesses

RCS Influencer Marty Stout says big box stores are great for small items when you aren’t near your traditional roofing supplier.  

Big box stores do a great job when you need small quantities of sundry items that you did not anticipate needing e.g. a tube of mastic, a can of paint, package of moss kill, a handful of concrete nails or a 2x4. We do a lot of repair and roof cleans in a number of markets and often our roofing crews are a fair distance from a traditional roofing supply yard.  

Big box stores are consistent in their product and fair in their prices. They provide special service to contractors to get you out quickly and are very good at providing detailed invoicing for job costing. A quick phone call and your credit card is charged and your team is out the door.  

There is one on about every other corner in most every city in the country, maybe in the whole world, just down the block between the Starbucks and McDonalds. Recently I was out of town and needed to meet someone to handoff some materials. He told me to meet him at the Home Depot just off the interstate on Main Street so I got on my phone and got directions. I pulled into the parking lot and parked, when the appointed time came, he called and said, "where are you?" I said, "I am in the Home Depot parking lot." He said, "so am I." I said, "I don't see you." He said, "I am on the side of the lot by McDonalds." I said, "I don't see you" and I asked "what are you driving?" He said, "a white Chevy pickup." I saw a white pickup and did not see him so I went over to it and I started to put the materials in the back of his truck thinking he must be inside the McDonalds. He called, "where are you?" I said, "I am at your truck." He said, "no you are not." I said, "white Chevy truck in Home Depot on Main Street in the parking lot by McDonalds?" He said, "yes." I said, "I am here." Turns out there are TWO Home Depots on Main Street just off the Interstate and both have a McDonalds in the parking lot. They are everywhere.   

Outside of these types of small items we work with regular roofing suppliers in all of our markets. We respect what they do for us day in and day out. Providing what we need when we need it. Getting material delivered on time and correctly is important to the success of our business and we work hard to support what our roofing supply partners do for us. They have the correct materials, e.g. metal flashings, we need and the access to manufactures that can provide technical support and details on new innovative products and installation guidelines.  

Roofing suppliers are a vital part of our business model and we will always do all we can to support them because they support us.    

Marty Stout is the president of Go Roof Tune Up Inc. See his full bio here.