Roofers
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The comments and recommendations on this page were made by members of the Framingham Community e-mail list or other Framingham residents. The comments on these pages represents the opinions and experiences of the individuals who made them, not necessarily the person composing the page or the people maintaining the Wiki. Add a recommendation or comment.
Metrowest Property Management and Roof System
All Weather Tite Roofing
17 Meadow Street Marlborough, MA 01752
I am going to recommend J. Kelly Shepard, who was recommended to me by Lisa Shapiro on this list. As background I will say that I have not used them yet but I have been very impressed to date with their responsiveness, honesty, helpfulness and concern = customer service.
I had a concern that I would have issues with my roof this winter. It endsup that it was not an issue but because of this concern Kelly came out that day to take a look - got up on my roof himself and checked it out. Ends up that when the roof was installed back when the roofing materials had a kink in them which made them not flush with the roof and so water was traveling under the roofing material. He corrected it and told me that the roof looked fine - just some caulking material stuck in the wrong place.
He gave me a reasonable price as an estimate for re-roofing my house, but said that I wouldn't need to do it for a few years. I do intend to call him when I do the work. The peace of mind this winter cannot be measured!
Michele D Matties 1/15/07
Francis Harvey Roofing
My other reason for contributing to this blog is to recommend that you NOT use Francis Harvey Roofing out of the Worcester/Westborough area. They replaced the roof on my first house in Westborough - the job was grossly overpriced and two years after the installation, days before my wife and I were to close on the sale of the house, the roof failed - with massive leaks in the family room. Francis Harvey danced around the issue and did not fix it - almost resulting in the sale falling through (another roofer fixed the problem). They'll pull out fancy brochures and tell you that they're an established company that will stand by its work. My experience was that I paid twice as much as a competing bid and had buckets catching drops on my floor two years after the installation. I'll let you be the judge...
Mike Noonan 3/29/07
JC Roofing
I found this site while looking for a contractor to do non roofing-related work. I came across Jim Michaels' name and it turns out that I worked with Jim many years ago at St Patrick's Manor in Framingham. Jim's company has never done work for me, but when the time comes for a new roof (which, for me, will be in the next few years), I'll be calling Jim Michaels. My experience with Jim was that he was a hard-working, conscientious, all-around great guy - and I have no doubt that extends into his roofing business today.
My other reason for contributing to this blog is to recommend that you NOT use Francis Harvey Roofing out of the Worcester/Westborough area. They replaced the roof on my first house in Westborough - the job was grossly overpriced and two years after the installation, days before my wife and I were to close on the sale of the house, the roof failed - with massive leaks in the family room. Francis Harvey danced around the issue and did not fix it - almost resulting in the sale falling through (another roofer fixed the problem). They'll pull out fancy brochures and tell you that they're an established company that will stand by its work. My experience was that I paid twice as much as a competing bid and had buckets catching drops on my floor two years after the installation. I'll let you be the judge...
Mike Noonan 3/29/07
Having lived in our home in Framingham since 1974, we have had many experiences with a number of contractors. Jim Michaels of JC Roofing rates very high on our list . We found him professional in his communication and follow through and very skillful in putting on our new roof and the cleanup thereafter.
We know of his extreme generosity in volunteering, without charge, to replace the roof at the Baypath Humane Society in Hopkinton, a homeless shelter for cats and dogs.
Jim Michaels is a good craftsman with high standards, and we would highly recommend him.
Elaine and Peter Brem 3/1/07
Sorry to answer this late, but if you are still looking I give my highest reference to Jim Michaels of JC roofing of Framingham. I have dealt with many home improvement contractors and none has been as good as this.
I solicited 10 bids -- all the competition sent sale people and took an hour of my time, leaving 15 page proposals. Jim examined the house while I was out and simply left the one page bid at my door.
All the others stressed the manufacturers warranty, and how long the manufacturer had been in business -- Jim stressed his personal warranty and how long he had personally been in business.
Since Jim's bid was more than 25% lower than any other I asked him to compare it line for line with the competitors -- to make sure we were comparing similar items. He promptly did this and I asked him to add one discretionary item from the competitors list -- he added this at minimal cost and was still over 25% lower than the pack.
Jim's bid asked for a down payment, but he never got around to asking for it, so he did the entire job on trust. He showed up when he said he would -- he himself showed up and worked with his crew -- he was done in 2 days, cleaned everything up, left no damage, and asked for the exact amount agreed on.
A few months later I left him a phone message asking if he could adjust a small item. When I began to wonder why he had not called back I checked and found that he had simply taken care of it.
The roof is in place and is a noticeable improvement.
Vic Rosenberg 11/29/06
Due to the strong positive recommendations I got here, I investigated using Jim Michaels of JC Roofing for my roof, which I need to have replaced this spring. He came and gave me an estimate. As part of the estimate, he suggested that I should replace my skylights.
I asked a couple of more-experienced friends, including a handyman I know, about the recommendation to change the skylights, and it was suggested that I inquire why the skylights need to be replaced, as they are not currently leaking. I called him up to ask this question, and asked it in a very polite way, I thought. He seemed to be highly offended that I would question his advice, and that I had consulted a HANDYMAN of all things! He told me that skylights are only expected to last five years (!). I found this very confusing, and it seemed unlikely to me, since these skylights are 15 or 20 years old. When I questioned this, he started ranting at me about how I should use another roofer, interrupted me several times and then HUNG UP ON ME!
I have NEVER experienced such rudeness in my life! I had actually been planning on using his services up until this conversation. I'm really in shock, but I wanted to warn people about him. He may be a good roofer, but he was sure a jerk to me!
My advice is to avoid Jim Michaels of JC Roofing, .
Best, Lisa Wolf 1/15/07
PS After reading Mr. Michaels's comments, below, I want to reiterate that I stand by my version of the story. I never said that my handyman friend disagreed, only that he suggested that I *inquire* about this recommendation to change the skylights, which is what I tried to do. When Mr. Michaels mentioned "five years" (not "five years longer"), I only attempted to get clarification. Finally, I am neither attacking his integrity nor trying to hurt him. I am simply reporting on my experience in attempting to discuss my roofing needs with him, and giving exactly the sort of information that would have been helpful to me to have before calling a tradesman. That is the purpose of this forum, as I understand it. 3/13/07
Rebuttal of negative posts by contractors is permitted under list rules. Wiki Tech Support
This note is in response to Lisa Wolf who felt it necessary to attack my integrity about an estimate I provided for her awhile back. I told her that since she had an old skylight that it would be a good idea to replace it since skylights are not lifetime items. I have been roofing for over 27 years and have been fixing leaky skylights long enough to know that they are not a permanent fixture. Lisa Wolf told me that the unit had been there for 20 years and never leaked and didn't feel it necessary to replace the skylight.I tried to reason with her that it didn't make sense to rip off a roof and not replace a 20 year old skylight as the new skylights have better flashing kits and new gasket materials that make them desirable. My fear was that if we didn't replace the unit and it leaked at a later date that the cost would be more to replace after a new roof was put on. Skylights leak from many places, especially the gaskets, which dry up and crack over a period of years, causing leakage. I try to treat every house I work on as my own home..not replacing old skylights is cutting corners. I never said that skylights last five years..I did say that HER skylight may not get another five years without a problem due to age.She insisted that her handyman said it wasn't necessary, so I told her that I couldn't guarantee the roof if I couldn't replace the skylight, and since she couldn't see the logic in this, I did not want to work for her. Her line of questioning was offensive and I got exasperated and hung up on her. I am disappointed that she has gone out of her way to hurt my reputation. I have been installing roofs for over 27 years, I do not hire other people to do the work for me. To insure a quality job, I do the installation. I would never go out of my way to hurt someone as she has done to me. It is my sincere hope that those who read her assessment of me will realize that only a JERK would do a roof and not replace a 20 year old skylight! I always do my absolute best for everyone and for those who were kind enough to come to my defense over this ugly incident, please accept my heartfelt thanks.
Jim Michaels... JC Roofing Co.
I am writing in response to Lisa Wolf's criticism of Jim Michaels of JC Roofing. Jim was referred to me by my neighbor who highly recommended him for his professionalism, his excellent work and integrity. I hired Jim approximately two years ago for a new roof and, having dealt with many contractors in my 30 years at my home, I put Jim at the top of my list. He was responsive, courteous and a real gentleman His work is definitely of the highest quality and he was absolutely meticulous in every aspect of his work. I have since referred him to other people in my neighborhood.
Jim also reached out to help the animal shelter at which I volunteer. His love of animals and his awareness of how animal shelters sometimes struggle financially, he donated his time and materials to replace the roof on the shelter. We have had a lot of contractors perform work at the shelter but Jim was one of the very few who gave of his time to help us and the animals.
I cannot imagine that Lisa has been critical of this fine person - there are very few out there like Jim.
Cheryl Townsend 3/5/07
In my experience dealing with him about my roof, roof cables, skylight, etc., I have found him to be a very competent, honest and conscientious person/contractor, as far as I can tell from checking prices and recommendations of others. So I was very surprised to read the negative report on framcom a couple of days ago. He did a very good job on my roof, and has come back whenever I needed to ask a question, consult on any related issue, and to follow up on his own work, making sure that it continued to be up to snuff.
Although I would not expect Jim to be short-tempered or rude, it is my view that anyone can have a bad day now and then. It does not excuse rude behavior. But it does seem uncharacteristic of Jim from what I know of him for over 15 years now. Anyone who hires him or even just calls for an estimate should/can certainly use my name as a reference.
Art Finstein 1/18/07
I had a great experience with this company 12 years ago. My experience so closely mirrors Vic's I'm not going to repeat in detail how satisfied I was with his promptness, thoroughness, and ability to explain and justify his bid that was definitely the lowest of the bunch. I highly recommend him.
I have an ordinary asphalt-shingled roof, but during energy audits, chimney service, and gutter replacements, professionals have made a point about complimenting the workmanship on the roof. The guys who have done the energy audit specifically commented on the importance of the ridge and soffet vents, which all the other contractors dismissed the need for.
On another note, he fixed a leak for free for an elderly client of mine with few resources to pay. He refused compensation, although I thought we might be able to get him reimbursed.
He was thoroughly professional in all of our interactions.
Linda Dunbrack 1/18/07
Art wrote "Jim Otowchits legally changed his name to Jim Michaels some years ago"
I stayed on the sidelines during the conversation because while I couldn't remember the name of the person from JC Roofing that did my roof, I knew it wasn't Michaels. However, now I'm positive it was Otowchits. Who could forget THAT name?!
Jim fixed a sky light in my previous residence and redid my current roof about 8.5 years ago. I couldn't be happier with my roof. Jim wanted to take the layer of shingles off instead of adding the second layer (I agreed prior to him mentioning it). He said he wanted to check all the plywood so he could replace any bad boards (I would pay for labor/materials). He picked a great architectural shingle that I was nervous about. He left the place spotless and informed me that my chimney needed a mason ASAP.
Knowing that a professional took all the shingles off the roof and checked the underlying wood is very comforting.
Yes he is brash, but that's just his personality. His price was very attractive and he had lots of references.
David Levinson 1/18/07
J.J.'s Roofing & Gutters
We can heartily recommend Joe Jones of J.J.'s Roofing & Gutters, . He replaced our roof last year and he and his crew were highly professional, very dependable, and did a meticulous clean-up every day - just as important, his price was very competitive (we got estimates from 4 roofers). He's also a BBB member and provides a written 5 year warranty on his work.
Frank Pilholski and Carolyn Gura 1/15/07
I highly recommend J.J's Roofing & Gutters. I have hired him twice. His estimates were accurate and reasonable and he does the work himself. He has a small team of people who work with him; they are all English speaking and hard working. He does what he says he is going to do. He is efficient and dependable. The roof looks great. He cleans up the mess. He is generally a nice guy and I sincerely recommend him.
Robin Kolnicki 1/4/08
I tried contacting this company using the phone number above () in April 2008 and got a message that the number had been disconnected. No amount of Googling brought up any recent contact information for them.
Jenn Forman Orth 4/7/08
Butch LePage
I want to highly recommend Butch LePage for all your roofing needs. He is prompt, responsive, highly competitive (gives an excellent price) and thoroughly a nice guy. He has been roofing for years and has a great team of roofers who work with him. They are incredibly fast, clean and courteous. Many friends and executives from my previous employer have hired him. I believe Butch also does outdoor decks and hard wood floors.
Please say that you heard about him from me.
Mattie Schadt 1/16/07
Metrowest Property Management & Roof System
My church has used Metrowest Property Management & Roof Systems. They're located on Edmunds Road in Framingham. I've used them for new windows and doors as well as repair of a pergo floor. They're fast and efficient. They're prices were great. It's owned by a father/son team, Joe & Andrew Trainor. It seems that the guys who work with them are all family. They're number is . They also have a relative who is an outstanding painter.
Susie Santone 04/07/2007
Morey Boys Roofing
53 Pond Street Billerica MA 01862 http://www.moreyboys.com
I can highly recommend Morey Boys Roofing. It's a father/sons business owned by Jeff Morey. They're listed on the BBB and carry $2 million in liability insurance. They were recommended to me by a local real estate firm. Here's my experience with them -
Replaced our entire roof last April - removed cedar shingles and installed architectural asphalt shingles with a lifetime warranty. We have a very large roof with many peaks that some roofers were hesitant to work on. Absolutely no problems - did everything on schedule and cleaned up thoroughly. Very sensitive to the weather conditions making sure not to leave anything exposed when not on the job.
A few months later, I was looking out the window and became concerned that a small patch of roof appeared to have been missed. I called Jeff Morey and he was willing to come out that day to inspect. Turns out it was a weathered piece of copper that looked like plywood, so nothing needed to be done. Another thing - we had copper stripping in some areas that other roofers may have insisted on removing and replacing even though nothing was wrong with it. I've heard since that some roofers have been known to remove old copper and sell it for a profit later.
Right before Christmas many of my neighbors were frantically calling roofing companies because of leaks caused by ice damns. My home was completely unaffected by that storm because of the extensive ice shield that had been installed by Morey Boys with the new roof.
Recently I recommended Morey Boys to a friend of mine who owns the building where Mighty Subs is operating right off 128 in Needham. One side of their roof is rubber and had been leaking for a while. Morey Boys replaced the rubber roof and installed an extensive ice shield there as well. No problems since. Landlord and tenant are very happy with the work.
They weren't the lowest price we received and they weren't the highest. After hearing so many horror stories of incompetent and/or unethical roofing companies, I'm very relieved that we hired Morey Boys. Hope this helps.
Christine DeNorscia 1/4/08
Watertite Co. Inc.
30 North Main St. Natick, MA 01760
ask for Mr. Arnie Milks
I want to advertise for Watertite Co. Inc. to anyone out there who is thinking about putting a new roof on their house. We had them replace a huge picture window earlier this year and they were phenomenal! They were the low bidders out of three and they completed the work on budget, and on time, and did just a wonderful job while they were working in our house. I know that anyone would be very pleased with their roofing work.
Carl Stewart