Our Blog

Tampa Bay Tweets Big Time

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Matthew Housh

Twitter seems to be the great equalizer of society. Anyone and any business can use it. Then, you can follow anybody you choose to, including celebrities. At any given time, you can read the thoughts of @piersmorgan (he tweets constantly), @charliesheen (almost 7 million followers despite less than 1000 tweets), and @WilliamShatner (Captain Kirk is currently on tour). You don’t even need their permission to follow them, and you can mention them in a tweet if you want. They may or may not respond.

@WilliamShatner, tell you Tampa Bay friends to call @ArrysRoofing.

Yes, Arry’s Roofing is on Twitter. It’s likely that Bill Shatner isn’t following us yet. We still have fewer than 200 followers right now. But we know Tampa Bay is using the social media site so we’re aiming to increase our numbers, with your help of course.

For Arry’s Roofing customers who consider themselves Twitterers or Tweeters (we won’t judge you for picking one over the other), we invite you to follow us and share your comments about the roofing work we did at your Tampa Bay home. Feel free to throw in an acronym or two, if you like. LOL. For homeowners who are shopping around for a roofing contractor, follow us and let us know how you found us initially. Whether it was word of mouth or a Google search, we’d love to hear what moved you in our direction.

We’ll collect the best comments and roll them into a future blog post. If you have pics to share, posting them on Twitter is a great opportunity to illustrate whatever points you make in your comment. Just be safe taking those pics; there’s no reason to attempt an aerial shot of your roof if it’s potentially dangerous.

For the 90% of you reading this blog who only found us because of our mentions of Piers Morgan, Charlie Sheen and William Shatner, tell you Tampa Bay friends to check out the rest of the site. Arry’s Roofing has been satisfying customers for more than 25 years and we’re among a small fraction of contractors in the nation who have earned the status of GAF MasterElite Roofer. One call to 727-938-9565 is all it takes to set up a free inspection. Shatner, use the phone; your Star Trek communicator won’t get a signal in 2012.

Cyberloafing Monday in Tampa Bay

Posted on March 11, 2012 by Matthew Housh

Some say the day after the Super Bowl should be a national holiday. Football fans won’t argue against that idea. But apparently Tampa Bay residents, and anyone else affected by the switch to Daylight Saving Time should be more concerned about the Monday after we Spring Forward. Experts say the change in our sleep times can leave us more tired as the workweek begins if we go to bed at our normal bedtime instead of an hour earlier to match the change.

The exhaustion that you may feel on Monday could lead you to spend more time “cyberloafing”, a term that is pretty self explanatory. Apparently, the more tired an employee is, the more time he or she spends browsing the web. It’s supposed to be a big deal on Monday so don’t be surprised if productivity is down in your workplace.

Certainly lost sleep is a serious issue in any workplace, but especially in one that demands strict adherence to safety procedures. A warehouse where employees work on and around forklifts, for example, is a place where exhaustion can be not only counterproductive but also hazardous. Even driving to and from work, or driving for work, can be lead to increased risks with more sleepy people on the streets and highways of Tampa Bay.

Keeping yourself and others safe on Cyberloafing Monday is important. Sure, there’s not much damage you can do inside a cubicle, but even office jobs come with their share of risks anytime equipment is involved or you’re having to climb to reach top-shelf supplies. The goal is to make any work environment a safe one that day and every day.

As a GAF MasterElite Roofer with 25+ years in the business here in Tampa Bay, Arry’s Roofing understands the need for safety at all levels of the project. Our crews adhere to the highest standards of safety to protect themselves, the residents of that home and the home itself. Without safety standards in place 100% of the time—and only licensed roofers on the job—we’d be just another contractor. Give that some thought while you’re browsing the web on Cyberloafing Monday.

Everyone Knows It’s Windy

Posted on March 5, 2012 by Matthew Housh

March 4 Tampa Bay wind damage_Wayne Staples — Photo from TBO.com/Courtesy of Wayne Staples

The 1967 pop song by The Association may have been on your mind on Sunday as windy conditions swept through Tampa Bay. But this “windy” wasn’t the carefree kind described in the Oldies classic. This one came with the straight-line wind variety and downed power lines, toppled trees and created a mess for residents all over the area, including occupants at the Armenia Village condominiums who lost a roof.

If your home didn’t escape the damaging winds, hopefully you’ve been able to get through to a reliable contractor to get the repair process started. We’re fortunate to have many reputable roofers in Tampa Bay. Choosing one of them is preferable to randomly picking a name out of the Yellow Pages or Googling “Tampa Bay Roof Repair.”

It’s also a good time to remind residents from Tampa to St. Pete to Clearwater and beyond that weather events, like the one yesterday that knocked out power in places such as Lakeland and Apollo Beach, tend to draw out those undesirable types of home improvement contractors. These are the ones who often go door-to-door, come equipped with no references and no license, and may ask to get paid up front and never return.

Let’s be vigilant in these times as friends and neighbors and make sure that those so-called roofing and other home improvement contractors don’t profit off of our hard work. If someone like that shows up at your home, politely ask them to leave and then let your neighbors know what’s going on. If you have an elderly person or couple living nearby, take the time to make sure they didn’t get a visit from someone posing as a contractor.

As a veteran of Florida’s wild weather, Arry’s Roofing is here and plans to stay here to mend roof damage quickly and professionally and guide homeowners through the roof replacement process when that becomes necessary. Get acquainted with our services anytime online at www.arrysroofing.com. For immediate attention, call us now at 727-938-9565 to schedule a free roof inspection.

Get House-Fit in Tampa

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Matthew Housh

The news that Men’s Fitness ranked Tampa as the fifth fattest city in America may startle you. You would think the comfortable climate year round and surplus of fitness centers around here would make indoor and outdoor exercise easy to get, but so many factors go into these types of surveys. The amount of fast food restaurants has something to do with it, but we’re not judging your dietary habits. Blog-reading with a glazed donut in hand is sort of a national pastime.

Fitness seems to get a lot of attention these days. Whether it’s about personal fitness or financial fitness, someone is telling you how to improve your health, your wealth or your life every day. So we might as well jump in and talk about getting house-fit. Don’t sweat it if you haven’t heard that term. It might be made up.

On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your home’s fitness? 10 means your home is in top physical condition. If it’s closer to 1, you might want to put on a hard hat before continuing to read.

You might think a new home is instantly a 10. Not true. Maybe you haven’t heard the stories about the failures of new construction, including roof replacement that became necessary less than a year after installation. That can happen to a homeowner who relied on a less-than-adequate contractor who lacked a) experience b) expertise c) quality materials d) all of the above.

Just like it takes time to get in shape, returning your home to a high level of fitness won’t be accomplished overnight. Beginning a regimen of maintenance of all areas, including your roof, will help. By keeping an eye on the exterior and interior components of your home, you can avoid the financial burden of having to face multiple repair or replacement projects simultaneously. Not only will your bank account be better protected, so will you by a more secure home.

As for Tampa’s place among heftiest cities, maybe we could all agree to avoid fast food restaurants for a month. Or a week. Or how about just for today?

Champions Find Ways to Succeed

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Matthew Housh

The story of Derek Jeter’s early arrival in Tampa may have caught your attention this week. The Yankees captain showed up long before position players are scheduled to report on February 25. For a player already destined for a spot in the Hall of Fame, he’s not resting on his laurels. Even after achieving the rare feat of collecting 3,000 hits in 2011, the former Gulf Coast League player knows nothing in baseball (or life) is guaranteed.

Like Jeter, champions in every profession find ways to succeed. They don’t sit back and wait. They don’t make excuses. They don’t shift responsibility to others. They commit themselves to excellence each day, every day. When solutions for a particular problem don’t exist, they invent new ones.

Jeter’s love of the game hasn’t diminished nearly 20 years after his first spring training. On occasion, you’ll find a business owner whose love of his or her work matches that of the Yankee great. It’s recognizable in small ways: courtesy during phone calls and other communication, timely scheduling of appointments, and clarity in explanation of pricing. In an age when customer service in many industries seems inadequate at best, a champion never forgets about remaining a crowd pleaser, regardless of what tools and equipment he relies on to do it.

At Arry’s Roofing, we fill our roster with champions like Jeter. You won’t see them in Cooperstown someday, but the workmanship and expertise provided by these licensed roofing professionals could earn them a spot on any All-Star team. Also, our status as a GAF MasterElite Roofing Contractor is one more testament to our dedication to maintaining the highest standards in the industry.

When you need roof repair, roof replacement or roof cleaning in Tampa Bay, choose a champion who’s been satisfying customers for more than 25 years—without having to sign a single autograph. Learn more at www.arrysroofing.com. Then call us toll-free at 727-938-9565.

ROOFS FOR TROOPS

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Matthew Housh

Our military servicemen and women have seen sights that most civilians can’t even imagine. They’ve been to countries torn apart by war, endured climates that feel unbearable at times, and faced the harshest of conditions while far from the comforts of home. When they return to their families and homes, they deserve in be in a safe, comfortable environment, and that’s why we want to introduce the Roofs For Troops program from GAF.

The program is intended for active military, veterans and retirees anywhere in the country, and provides a $300 rebate for a Lifetime Roofing System when installed by a GAF Factory-Certified Contractor. Each qualifying individual is entitled to one rebate between now and the end of 2012 for use on homes in the United States only.

As a GAF Factory-Certified Contractor, Arry’s Roofing is ready to help our Gulf Coast homeowners who qualify for the rebate. There are a few steps necessary once your new Lifetime Roofing System is installed, and they all involve the usual paperwork for these kinds of rebates. You’ll need:

The rebate form
Contractor’s invoice
4 UPCs from the products installed

The rebate form is available for downloading on the GAF website. If you want to mention Roofs for Troops to a qualifying friend in outside of the Gulf Coast, go ahead. The site makes it simple for your friend to find an approved contractor in his or her area.

You can get acquainted with the Lifetime Roofing System on the GAF website, then call Arry’s Roofing at (727) 938-9565 for a free, in-home consultation. Our team of licensed roofers will install your new roof with the same high standards for workmanship that earned us the privilege of being called a GAF MasterElite Contractor.

The Super Bowl Makes TV Viewing Active

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Matthew Housh

You may not remember what you did last Sunday, but it’s likely you’ve got a rock solid plan for this weekend. Super Bowl Sunday is kind of like a national holiday. In fact, 111 million watched last year’s big game, making it the most watched television event in history. Thanks to the launch of new TV commercials, we can certainly expect to see some memorable moments, even if the game between the Giants and Patriots turns out to be a dud.

One ad for a certain automotive company that will feature Matthew Broderick reprising his role as Ferris Bueller has been generating a lot of buzz during the week. Others may be less impressive, but each 30-second spot cost $3.5 million just for the air time. Paying actors like Broderick (or lesser known talent) costs a big chunk of change too and the production costs aren’t cheap either.

It’s one of the rare times you actually look for the commercials rather than ignoring them. As you watch the broadcast on Sunday evening—at home, at a friend’s house or your favorite Tampa Bay gathering place—you’ll know the hits and misses pretty quickly. You may even be surprised by a few of them.

The active way we approach ads on the day of this enormous television event can be a reminder to look more carefully at the messages we receive daily from advertisers. Often when we’re buying goods and services, we may become singularly focused on one aspect of the “sell”, such as the price of a product. That narrow focus can cause us to overlook key elements of the transaction, the so-called “fine print” we’re often warned about.

When you’re watching the big game on Sunday and evaluating the messages from major advertisers, try giving some thought to more than humor or surprise elements. Did the ad tease you but leave out vital information? Was the ad too creative that you forgot what was actually being advertised?

Consciously evaluating these multi-million dollar commercials can help you more effectively assess the messages you receive daily from Tampa Bay’s local stores and service providers. When you become an actively engaged consumer, you’ll ask more informed questions and make better decisions. Just be careful not to spill the nachos on your lap while you’re in “consumer training” on Sunday night.

For Improvement in Tampa, Find a Leader

Posted on January 28, 2012 by Matthew Housh

The Bucs did it. After a dismal 4-12 season, which saw them allow more points than any other team in the NFL, they went out and found a new leader. Former Rutgers coach Greg Schiano takes over as head coach in Tampa Bay, and the front office staff and fans are hoping he can turn things around here in the same way he did for the Scarlet Knights.

Ten straight losses to end a season must feel like a never-ending path of punishment. But mercifully, the NFL limits the number of games to 16 before the playoffs begin. It makes you wonder how much longer the team could have lost before changing the man in charge on the sidelines.

You may have experienced a long “losing” streak of your own recently. It might have involved the malfunctioning of an appliance, broken windows or a leaky roof, one at a time or all at once. The cost of covering multiple projects, even if you work on them yourself, can add up quickly.

Many property owners often are focused on a quick fix and saving a buck, which is understandable. But cutting corners can cause them to overlook the lasting value of quality materials and superb workmanship. That’s the difference between and fix-it-and-forget-it philosophy and truly investing in your home maintenance and repair needs.

A home improvement leader will look at your home as a place that needs to be safe and comfortable. Also, a leader will understand the importance of protecting the value of a home. In addition, a leader will always conduct business in a professional manner, demonstrating both an expertise in the field and the courtesy a customer always deserves.

When you’re hiring a home improvement contractor in Tampa Bay, don’t settle for anything less than a true leader. For roof repair and roof replacement, Arry’s Roofing is that leader. As a GAF MasterElite Roofing Contractor, we’ve bring the highest standards to every project. Find out more at www.arrysroofing.com or call us at 727-938-9565 to schedule a visit and free estimate.

Arry’s Roofing Earns Coveted Award Once Again

Posted on January 21, 2012 by Matthew Housh

For the seventh consecutive year, Arry’s Roofing has earned a highly coveted national award for its exceptional service. The 2011 “Super Service Award”, given by Angie’s List, is bestowed upon service contractors and doctors whose commitment to customer service consistently meets or exceeds expectations. Of all the businesses appearing on Angie’s List in more than 500 service categories, only a mere five percent of them will be named “Super Service Award” recipients.

As the nation’s leading provider of consumer reviews, Angie’s List maintains high standards for its annual service award. Recipients of the Super Service Award have met “strict eligibility requirements including earning a minimum number of reports, an exemplary rating from their clients and abiding by Angie’s List operational guidelines.” Reports include comments related to a project as well as a grade for price, quality, responsiveness, punctuality and professionalism.

Unlike websites that offer a “pay-for-play” mention to businesses, companies cannot pay to be on Angie’s List. Also, its users are not anonymous; they come from real people who review the contractors and doctors featured on the site. In fact, members submit more than 40,000 new reviews each month. At the moment, more than two million consumers turn to Angie’s List to take advantage of reviews from real people that can lead to more informed buying decisions.

This prestigious award is one more way that Arry’s Roofing demonstrates an unwavering dedication to serving residential and commercial property owners in and around Tampa Bay. With more than 25 years in business, and a production team consisting of only licensed roofers, we’re like no other home improvement company along the Gulf Coast. When you’re looking for excellence in roof repair or roof replacement in Tampa, St. Pete and beyond, discover why more and more of your neighbors trust Arry’s Roofing to get the job done right.

Floridians Deserve a Factory-Certified Roofer

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Matthew Housh

If you’re one of those people who researches everything, it’s likely that you’ve visited the website of each manufacturer who created a product that you bought. Nothing gets by you. But there a great many people who bypass these kinds of details, and in doing so, may miss some bits of critical information. One detail that would serve a property owner well is learning whether or not his or her roofer of choice is factory certified.

The GAF website makes it easy to determine if a contractor in your area has been certified by North America’s largest roofing manufacturer. You simply enter your Zip Code and the results in your area will appear. Enter a Tampa Bay area Zip Code and you’ll see Arry’s Roofing as one of your results.

Not only does this site help you better determine the certification status of a particular roofing contractor, it provides many more ways to get a clearer sense of the value of each contractor. One way that’s possible is by checking out a kind of roofer report card based on reviews by real homeowners. The reviews are used to “score” a business based on both sales and installation experience. Another aspect of this ScoreCard is related to the overall results, asking a customer if the project met all expectations and would that customer recommend the contractor to others.

As of this writing, Arry’s Roofing has received 122 reviews with scores close to or at the maximum level in every single category. The decision to hire a contractor based on these scores can be further bolstered by examining GAF Awards and Certifications, listed nearby. On our page, you’ll notice an Installation Excellence Award among the five featured icons.

So as you’re preparing for an upcoming roof repair or replacement project at your Gulf Coast property, take a few minutes to visit the GAF website. There’s no need to memorize large amounts of technical information about roofing. Just look for a contractor that’s factory certified and that alone will narrow your search while raising your expectations of what a genuinely qualified roofer can do for you.

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