April 2, 2018

Hey Houston, Mark Donaldson here — pardon the length of this post, but I wanted to talk a little about something I was thinking about over the Easter Weekend.

Every now and then when we’re out doing inspections, we’ll hear a comment from someone like, “We all know a Free Roof Inspection isn’t really, free, right? Wink wink.…”

And that’s because we’re all so used to the idea that ‘free’ is simply code for: “Give me an excuse to get on your roof, so I can present you with a laundry list of expensive repairs.” After all, that’s what we expect these days, right? That’s what we expect when we take our cars in for check-up, that’s what we expect when we see a restaurant sign that says, “Free Lunch,” etc….

But that’s simply not what RoofMD is all about. We don’t have a business model based on duping our friends, colleagues and neighbors into thinking they’re getting something for free when they’re not. We always talk about how we’re trying to change the perception of what a roofing company can actually be – and this is one of the ways we’re trying.

Are our Free Inspections really free? Of course not. First we create a schedule for the inspection, then we send a roofing professional out to your home, then we assess your home or business, then we determine the appropriate next steps, and only then will we make a recommendation. So there’s a cost associated with all that — for everything from human labor to vehicle wear and tear. But you don’t pay for that — we do. It costs US money but it doesn’t cost YOU anything.

You see, we call ourselves RoofMD for a few different reasons. Our tagline is “Your Prescription For a Healthy Roof” because we believe in the notion that preventative maintenance and care is crucial for getting the most out of your investment, especially long-term. Just like a human body. But we also admire the trust that most people have in their health care professionals. Why? Because if you went into your family doctor’s office for a yearly check-up, I’m willing to bet that none of you expect your doctor to invent issues and ailments just to squeeze more money out of you. Instead, you trust them to do what’s right: a clean bill of health when it’s appropriate, and the correct treatment when it’s appropriate.

That’s the kind of general contractor we strive to be every day, and if you ask around to any of our customers, they’ll tell you that when we do an inspection, we make an honest and professional recommendation.

So that’s why we happily pay the “cost” of a free inspection. Because we’ll gladly spend a couple of hundred bucks to build a lifetime of trust with a local Houston homeowner. We’re willing to bet it’s a sound business philosophy, and if we’re wrong, hey – enjoy the free inspection!