Michael Russo

Family Businesses and
Big. Flat. Roofs.

[Michael Russo @flatroofguy]

@Fish_wid_a_V Hey man, resi is gonna kill it this year. curious why you have so much on the books for February? We get killed up here Jan-March it’s not good for resi installs.

Temps can cause the shingles to curl, they won’t cure and seal right in the cold.

I’m a commercial guy in Boston.

[Michael Russo @flatroofguy]

@thegeneralmills This is where the unions kill me in my market.

We thrive with the hard logistics and strict standards as well. The municipality, school, university work almost always has a union requirement.

Caveat* I have no investors breathing down my neck demanding rev growth.

[Michael Russo @flatroofguy]

@SahilBloom I love it. Unbundling the HOA/condo property management. Homeowners are such tough clients though.

I'm in Dedham I know all the good contractors. Hit me up if you need a rec.

[Michael Russo @flatroofguy]

@tweetellington @brianbeers Maybe a little clunky of a metaphor but my point is you cannot underestimate the infrastructure you need in place to do this work. This isn’t a bathroom sink. It’s the building’s primary defense against the elements.

The value professional commercial roofers provide is crucial

[Michael Russo @flatroofguy]

@JFW5 @brianbeers These are residential numbers for shingles. Not commercial products

[Michael Russo @flatroofguy]

@thegeneralmills knows what I mean.

Commercial roofing is having a guy no call no show, say his phone broke and that he didn’t know your number…while wearing a sweatshirt and driving a truck with your number on it.

[Michael Russo @flatroofguy]

@thegeneralmills Your guys vs mine

[Michael Russo @flatroofguy]

@thegeneralmills @HunterLapeyre It’s a full time job just to educate. Curious what your guys’ workflows are for it?

I find it so hard to get an in person meeting to present a proposal. Difficult to get your point across in an email where the eye is drawn to price.

[Michael Russo @flatroofguy]

@thegeneralmills It’s horrible, people don’t know the difference between fiberboard and coverboard. Mechanically fastened vs fully adhered.

We have ISO code requirements in MA and you have no idea how often I need to spec R-30 and go up against someone using 1” with no high density board.

[Michael Russo @flatroofguy]

@thegeneralmills @shawngorham @moseskagan You guys know you need me in there for the historical roofing!

[Michael Russo @flatroofguy]

@meetmikehiggins If the low guy underpriced himself he may split halfway through

[Michael Russo @flatroofguy]

@meetmikehiggins Are you 10000% sure the scope is absolutely the same?

[Michael Russo @flatroofguy]

@thegeneralmills Definitely. I see a lot of myself running the crane when I should be running the business.

[Michael Russo @flatroofguy]

@DanielHCantwell @the_transit_guy Boston-Cambridge-Brookline-Somerville

[Michael Russo @flatroofguy]

@thegeneralmills @shawngorham No one goes home until you’re waterproof. Can’t count how many times a bad rip has left me on the roof past dark.

[Michael Russo @flatroofguy]

@thegeneralmills @shawngorham Scalable? Not really. But very cool to be able to install 100 year systems

[Michael Russo @flatroofguy]

@thegeneralmills @shawngorham @shawngorham you’re the only person I know who talks about different crew tear offs. This has got to be really strictly California

[Michael Russo @flatroofguy]

@shawngorham @thegeneralmills The only houses we rip are slate