In Denver, where the weather constantly challenges the integrity of our homes and businesses, having a reliable partner for the care of our roofs is of utmost importance. Sol Vista Roofing has established itself as a leader in the industry, and to learn more about its philosophy and experience, we sat down with Kyle Shirley, Owner of this roofing company and one of Sol Vista’s core pillars. Join us for this interview where we’ll discover the human side of the company and how Sol Vista Roofing goes beyond roof installation, focusing on customer satisfaction, innovation, and durability.
Experience and Challenges in Colorado
¿What is your experience working in Colorado and what unique challenges does this area present?
Working in Colorado in the roofing industry has some unique things that we always have to be prepared for. The extreme storms in the warm season bring hail to the Denver area that is very hard on roofs. Because of all the hail we receive, Sol Vista Roofing ONLY installs impact-resistant roofs (such as Malarkey Vista class 4). We also have high winds, monsoon rains, and in the winter, heavy snows.
What Sets Sol Vista Roofing Apart
What makes Sol Vista Roofing stand out from other roofing contractors in Denver?
We are proud to be an exceptional roofing team. Some of the things that make us stand out are:
- We only install impact resistant roofing materials (even if insurance is not paying for impact resistant, we upgrade the roof at no extra cost)
- We provide a lifetime workmanship warranty on our residential roofs.
- We prefer small roof repairs. We are not going to propose replacing a roof if it is not necessary, we’d rather repair it at a much smaller cost, and extend the life of the roof
- We treat our clients like VIPs. We provide inspection reports and share photos and videos with our roofing customers so they can see the work taking place on their property
Memorable Stories and Favorite Projects
Can you share a memorable story or favorite project you have completed in Denver?
We have completed so many projects with great customers, that it’s hard to choose. One that stands out was a townhouse HOA roof near downtown Denver that we replaced for the owners. The main property contact was an elderly woman that had had difficulty finding a roofing company she trusted. When she found us, the directness and honesty of our team made her feel such relief that she ended up selecting Sol Vista Roofing for the building’s roof replacement.
We increased the building’s ventilation to keep the attic breathing and make sure the new roof lasted as long as possible. When the project was complete, the same woman gave our crew treats she prepared since she was so thankful for our work. Soon after, she told us she could feel it being noticeably cooler in her unit thanks to the increased ventilation. She really made a lasting impression on our team!
Roofing Installation Process
How would you describe the typical roof installation process from initial consultation to completion?
Our end-to-end roofing process has many steps. To give a sense of what it’s like, here are the steps:
- Initial consultation: our roof inspector will review the roof in-person (sometimes with help from an HD drone). After our inspection, we’ll give you an instant opinion of what the condition of your roof is
- Written report and quote: following our roof inspection, we’ll provide a written report. If any repairs are recommended, we’ll provide a price for them to give you the option to have the roof fixed.
- Project agreement: if you choose to move ahead with our repairs, you sign our quote.
- Project planning: next, we order the building permit, we help you choose the new roof materials to install, and we schedule the project for a time that works for the homeowner.
- Perform repairs: our repair team will execute the scope of work like the trained professionals we are. And we’ll thoroughly clean up the job site.
- Confirm satisfaction: When we’re done, we’ll come review the work with you and make sure everything meets the homeowner’s expectations. This is typically when final payment is submitted 🙂
- Final city inspection: we will schedule the city or county to come inspect the final work to have the building permit finalized and closed out
- Warranty registration: finally, at the very end, our team will register your new roof warranty!
Quality Assurance
What steps do you take to ensure that each project meets Sol Vista Roofing’s quality standards?
Each roof is unique, so the only real way to make sure our quality standards are met every time is to inspect our work in-person. Our production team (they manage the construction schedule and team) will personally inspect the roof using our final roof checklist to make sure everything was completed and meets or exceeds our expectations.
For full roof installations, we also pull roof permits to ensure the city validates that our work meets building code requirements
Emergency Management
How do you handle roofing emergencies, such as sudden leaks or storm damage?
We have an emergency repair team that is ready to go at a moment’s notice. For emergency repairs, we don’t always have the ability to provide a quote beforehand, so our office team will let the client know what our regular rates are in advance to avoid any unpleasant roof repair invoice surprises later. Often times, emergency repairs fall under “Time and Materials” (“T&M”) roof pricing, which is based on labor rates and material costs instead of quotes provided in advance.
Innovation and Sustainability
What innovations or technologies are you using on your roofing projects?
Sol Vista Roofing is one of the most technologically advanced roofing companies in Colorado. Some of the tools we use to make life smoother for our customers and our employees are:
- Project management software (jobnimbus), which allows our customers and employees to get updates on their projects when work is being scheduled.
- Cloud photo sharing: we insist on taking dozens of photos and videos of all of our projects. We always share these with our customers so they know exactly what is happening on their property, and to have photos of their roof for their records. The photos are in a link and do not take up space on client phones or computers.
- Drone inspections: using HD drones, we can sometimes get a better visual of our roofs with them than by walking on the roof. This is especially true for tall and steep roofs, where our inspectors are not able to maneuver to all of the areas needed to see for a thorough roof inspection.
- Weather monitoring software: we use a cutting-edge software to track major storms and prepare our teams and our clients. This allows us to have instant information about where severe weather will strike (or already did strike) so we can provide tailored roofing solutions as soon as possible and keep our clients’ roofs dry.
How do you integrate sustainable practices into your roofing projects?
One of the best ways any roofing company can incorporate more sustainability is to extend the life of roofs they come across instead of replacing them. At Sol Vista Roofing, we try to repair and maintain roofs, and will only recommend replacing a roof if it is truly needed. Construction materials take up close to 30% of landfill space in the USA and we want to do our part to limit that – so focusing on maintaining and repairing roofs is critical.
We also are proud to be one of the largest installers of Malarkey roofing shingles in Colorado. Malarkey is known as the toughest of the asphalt shingle manufacturers, and is also the only one to use recycled tire material in their shingles. An average roof we install helps keep FIVE discarded tires out of landfills, which is a huge point of pride for our team at Sol Vista.
Team Dynamics and Company Culture
Can you talk about your team dynamics and how you work together to complete projects?
We have a great company culture and a fun group that enjoys working together. We value teamwork immensely, and it’s common to find project managers helping each other with their projects for the sake of keeping our quality high and our customers happy.
We have weekly team meetings that each have a new product or installation training. We love doing this because it’s a way for us to get together and catch up, and also get new training information about the latest and greatest information in the roofing industry. And not to mention our owner usually buys us lunch for the meetings 🙂
What do you like most about working for Sol Vista Roofing and in the Denver community?
There is a lot that we do well at Sol Vista Roofing. I think the biggest thing is we have developed such a good reputation that I feel proud going around town in a Sol Vista Roofing truck and wearing a Sol Vista Roofing shirt. Not only do we have 120+ 5-star Google reviews, so our clients love our work, but we also sponsor lots of local schools, sports leagues, and charities, so we get a lot of smiles when we arrive on-site.
Customer Satisfaction
How do you ensure that clients are satisfied with the final job?
It can sometimes be tricky to make sure our clients are satisfied because the roof is an area of a home that is not always visible. We perform a project close-out at the end of every job to make sure our clients are satisfied with our work. And if they can’t get onto the roof, we urge them not to try due to the safety risk. In those cases, we show the client dozens of photos from different areas of the roof so they understand exactly what happened when our team installed their new roof. This process lets us review all our work with all our customers.
Can you share any positive testimonials or comments from a customer that have made an impact on you?
It is hard to choose only one. We have had so many great clients and meaningful projects.
One that comes to mind is a roof leak we fixed at a commercial building in Denver. The roof was a TPO membrane roof, and it was leaking really bad. I climbed onto the roof and found the area that was leaking, but the roof seemed OK. I went inside again, then onto the roof again, and eventually was able to find that the roof was not the cause of the leak, but rather a plumbing drain had gotten disconnected and caused the water to flow into the building.
I found a way to cap off the pipe to stop the leak until they could hire a plumber, and the client did not have to pay for any roofing services. They were so happy to have the leak fixed at their commercial roof that the building owner left a glowing Google review. The text of his Google review is below:
“I just have to share a one in a million positive experience with Kyle Shirley from Sol Vista Roofing. While observing his kids’ swim lessons at Goldfish Swim School he noticed leaks coming through the ceiling from our roof. Unprompted, he took pics and found a way to contact me. He had ideas about how to remedy the situation and had his team on our roof within hours. A faulty roof drain was identified and we are in the midst of repairs now. What kind of guy takes it upon himself to offer unsolicited assistance while spending time with his family? Kyle does! I would wholeheartedly recommend Sol Vista for going the extra mile and really caring about people. Thanks!!!”
Original and Fun Questions😜
If you could describe your typical workday in three words, what would they be?
- Driving
- Ladders
- Jokes
Do you have any traditions or rituals that you perform before starting a new roofing project in Denver?
Maybe not quite a “ritual”, but we do have a process before each project. We always have a pre-job meeting to discuss all the details of each project. This is a meeting where the project manager that has inspected the roof and met with the customer meets with our production manager. The production manager orders the materials needed for the project, and schedules our installation team. The meeting between the project manager and production manager lets them discuss any jobsite details that need extra attention to make sure the project goes extra smooth for us, and for our clients.
Tips for Homeowners
What advice would you give to a homeowner who is considering replacing their roof for the first time?
Some things that come up a lot that we would suggest for roof replacement clients in Colorado:
- Make sure to walk around your home with your project manager before the work begins to point out anything you have questions or concerns about. For example, if you have a special flower plant that needs to be protected, this is a chance to discuss it with your project manager so we can make sure to provide extra landscaping protection
- Roofing projects can be very noisy. If possible, you may want to schedule the project for a time that you will not be home. The inside of your home will be loud all day during the roof installation, and unfortunately there is not a good way to prevent this. Along the same lines, if you have pets that get upset by noise, consider finding another place for them to be during the roofing project (if you are able to)
- Make sure to ask your project manager what the jobsite clean up process will be. Roofing projects are messy, and you’ll want to make sure you hire a company that is going to be respectful of your property enough to clean it up like it was their own.
Sol Vista Roofing’s passion and commitment to quality and customer satisfaction are evident in Kyle’s every word. Whether weathering Denver’s unpredictable storms or providing customized solutions, his team proves that a roof is much more than just a structure; it’s an investment in safety and peace of mind. If you’re looking for a trusted partner for your roof care in Denver, Sol Vista Roofing offers the experience, innovation, and commitment you need. Contact them today and experience the difference!