One of the unique experiences I’ve encountered being the president of a voluntary HOA is the opportunity to meet so many neighbors, especially those who have a complaint or problem. I never planned on my tenure being life without parole, but now that I’m in my fifth year in this exalted position, I’ve had a lot of “unique experiences.”
The saddest was in 2011 when I was newly elected and we had a huge hail storm sweep through our area. Roofers, predominately unscrupulous ones, came by the droves knocking on doors promising homeowners to save them their deductible, as well as all sorts of other pie-in-the-sky deals that dazzled several neighbors to sign on the dotted line.
Without going into detail, it is illegal in Texas to not require people to pay their deductible. It’s fraud. There are all sorts of other “tricks” these guys use and none of it works out well for the homeowner. If you want to know more, look it up or email me.
These neighbors found out the hard way.
Not us! My beloved, being the top-notch realtor that he is, has an extensive list of excellent contractors who can be trusted for almost any home repair situation. We called one of those. We will call him Bubba.
Since this was our fourth house in this hail magnet area of the country, it was our fourth roof installation. Using Bubba was by far our best experience and a couple of neighbors who saw the quality work we were getting also hired him. They were equally as pleased.
But woe to many of the others. This is where I started earning my chops as HOA Prez. I answered the phone. Some of the people who had been ripped off called to ask me if the HOA could help in any way.
Answer: No. For dues that were $50 a year, our social association didn’t provide legal services.
Dennis has recommended Bubba on several real estate deals and as the years have gone by everyone has stayed happy with his work. Fast forward to 2016.
In March, we had one of the shortest hail storms in our area of Dallas although it really wiped out neighborhoods north and east of us. In my public service presidential mode, I posted on our HOA Facebook page that people needed to beware now because they would be getting a lot of phone calls and door knocks from these fly-by-night roofers and I could give them a good recommendation if they wanted to have their roofs checked for damage.
I’ve learned a lot in five years, and being proactive is key among the lessons.
Thirty-five roofs later, Bubba did find several that were totaled and is working with the homeowner’s insurance company to get them a full replacement — minus the deductible. He has scruples, as well as an aversion to going to jail.
Like everything else in life, even the roofing business has become technology-driven and while Bubba can see a totaled roof from two blocks away, his computer skills are not, to be charitable, current.
And now you can see how I’ve started down a new career path. I’ve brought Bubba’s Guaranteed Roofing into the 21st Century in a dozen or more ways and can enter his prospects, photos, and shingle orders into a nifty little construction program made for contractors like him.
It was a Sunday afternoon conversation that turned out to be a win/win. Gotta’ love those.
I’ll admit it’s an odd career move for an old lady who knows nothing about a roof but how to spell it. And despite my great success of being able to tutor third and fourth-grade math, I couldn’t figure a “square” if you gave me a calculator and all day.
Nevertheless, I have become a valuable work from home, part-time employee at Bubba’s Guaranteed Roofing. Actually, I’m the only employee which has really aided my access to the company president as well as the impressive title of SWIC.
For all your roofing needs, please call us. You can even ask for me directly since I’m the
Senior Woman In Charge
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