This is Onsite’s inaugural interview series, Talking Shop, where we get an industry insider to come in and just talk through challenges or potential pitfalls that could land you in bracelets. We thought there is no better way to kick things off than by jumping into the deep end of the roofing world! It’s a trade as essential as prostitution or gambling, yet often overlooked until the living-room is flooded. We sat down with long time industry vet, Jake Johnson, to pull back the curtain on the unfiltered reality of the roofing business
What to Expect
Roofing holds a special place in my heart and life. My father was a roofer, and I worked in the field for the better part of a decade. Growing up the roofer types were in and out of our house. Some of my earliest memories are of a hot tar kettle sitting in front of our house, and a drunk in our kitchen drinking soy sauce from the bottle, tune in to learn more about hot tar or maybe the drunk. Let’s be real, the work is brutal, sometimes dangerous, and most certainly attracts a specific type of person, which is usually one part artist, one part outlaw, and two parts madman.
Some background on “I’ll burn your goddamn house down” subtitle. During our warmup chat with Jake Johnson, we found some common themes when we started meshing up our field experiences. The one that stuck out as the most absurd and comical, was a threat oftentimes used when someone tries to skimp on the final payment. Maybe it doesn’t land on those exact words, but the sentiment is clear. Final payment is not a negotiation, and if you think otherwise there’s a can of gas and some matches.
Talking Shop Rundown
Port-a-potty Poll – Ryan asks the guys on how far they will go in the port-a-potty.
Job Accounting – We unveil some of the mystery behind change orders, and how one patch becomes one roll and one bucket.
Banking & Investing – Uncover paycheck cashing 101 and what it takes to survive. See how some guys “invest” in their future or their chemistry set.
Daily Grind – A day in the life of superintendents and discover how they juggle unruly crews, clueless architects, and union rivalries that spark both laughter and disbelief.
Love on the Job Site – Stories of unexpected romance and absurd moments, including risqué encounters that may or may not have happened in port-a-johns.
Technology Insights – Learn about the shift in roofing technology over the last 20 years, which starts from dangerous hot asphalt to innovative cold fluid membranes that is reshaping the trade in unexpected positive ways.
The Undeniable Appeal
For all its insanity, roofing is also one of the most consistent trades that can become a lucrative cash cow. A city like New York, with its aging buildings and brutal weather, you’ll never be short on work. Something is always leaking, always falling apart, and there is always a developer who cheaped out, oh that’s right “value engineered” the roof.
Hopefully this didn’t dredge up any unwelcome experience. If you didn’t know the rules of the game, now you know a few, and most importantly always think twice before stiffing the guy holding the torch.
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