Roof Raiser: How Dior Construction Is Giving Back to the Roofing Industry

When communities come together, incredible things happen. That's exactly the case in the city of Seattle, Washington, where the GAF Community Contractor Program has made lasting impacts on those in need through partnerships with Habitat for Humanity and ReBuilding Together. Both nonprofit organizations focus on working with homeowners to build new homes and revitalize communities in need of rebuilding, respectively.GAF's partnership with Habitat for Humanity began in 2011. From the start, it felt like a natural pairing. Habitat for Humanity's vision of "building strength, stability and self-reliance in partnership with families in need of decent and affordable housing" aligns perfectly with GAF's commitment to building resiliency in communities across the U.S.GAF recently became involved in ReBuilding Together in the Pacific Northwest through GAF Territory Manager Donovan Gladstone, whose involvement with the board of Roofing Contractors Association of Washington created an opportunity for community partnership. ReBuilding Together's mission of "repairing homes, revitalizing communities, rebuilding lives" is an excellent fit with GAF's commitment to helping neighbors.Helping Contractors Support their CommunitiesGAF invests in the areas where it has manufacturing operations, aiming to lift up the communities where team members live and work. This ideal extends to the GAF Community Contractor Program, where GAF certified contractors can partner with GAF and give back through the following initiatives:GAF Habitat for Humanity Program. With over 1,500 local Habitat for Humanity affiliates in the U.S., GAF-certified contractors can partner with their local chapter to provide the labor to install fully-donated GAF roofing systems. Volunteers don't work alone. Homeowners invest hundreds of hours of their own labor into building their Habitat house.GAF Affordable Housing Reroof Program. This initiative encourages contractors to partner with any 501c3 nonprofit organization in their community for a reroof project, for which GAF will donate the shingles.GAF Roofs for Heroes. GAF-certified contractors can partner with a local 501c3 to perform roof repairs or replacements for local heroes. These heroes include healthcare workers, first responders, veterans, police, fire, and EMTs.As part of the Community Contractor Program's progress in Washington state, more than 20 GAF certified contractors were able to provide over 100 new roofs to those in need of a new roof in the Seattle region, working with Habitat for Humanity and ReBuilding Together. "Giving back is at the core of what GAF does, but bringing in and partnering with our contractors is something that makes us unique," explains GAF Director of Corporate Social Responsibility Arlene Marks.Celebrating Giving Back While Giving Back AgainMarks and Gladstone wanted to host an event to thank the contractors who donated their time and labor to install those roofs and came up with a unique and fun way to extend the spirit of giving through Welcome Home Toolkits. "This was Arlene's idea, and it was such a great one," Gladstone notes.Marks shares, "We try to make all of our events meaningful, so what was the best way that we could reach back out to these homeowners that we've already helped? The Welcome Home Kits were the answer."The contractors attending the event assembled toolkits containing basic items like screwdrivers, nut drivers, adjustable wrenches, pliers, hammers, safety glasses, and more. The kits also include a video message of encouragement from the program participants.Most of the individuals who are helped through the roof donations are first-time homeowners. Accordingly, many don't have the basic tools needed to maintain their homes. The gift of a Welcome Home Toolkit provides so much more than drivers and wrenches, it offers confidence, resilience, and peace of mind.Building Community Among ContractorsIncredible things happen when communities come together—not only for the recipients of the donations, but for the participants as well. GAF-certified contractors in the Seattle region came together to give back to the community while building new professional relationships and friendships at the same time."You're bringing together like-minded people," Marks notes. "While they are competitors in the field, they already have the compassion to help their communities. It was an opportunity to work together toward a common goal to meet, share ideas, and talk about the market in a very safe and non-competitive environment."Impacting the CommunityA representative from Habitat for Humanity attended the appreciation event in Seattle to say thank you and share how much of an impact ReBuilding Together and the contractors' work have had on the community. The Welcome Home Toolkits were provided to both organizations and have gone a long way toward welcoming and inspiring the new homeowners.Looking to get involved in giving back to your community? Visit the GAF Community Matters page to explore different opportunities and get started.

The roofing industry can provide a reliable and rewarding living with potential for growth. As the industry faces an unprecedented labor shortage, pay rates are increasing, and the industry has expanded offerings for training and certification programs to elevate roofing practices across the board.How Much Do Roofers Make?A roofer salary will vary based on a number of factors, including whether the work is residential or commercial. Residential roofing is more straightforward and can usually be completed in a short time.Commercial roofing, on the other hand, may require more specialized training. The jobs are also much larger—sometimes lasting weeks or months, depending on the size and complexity of the roof.The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in the top five states with the highest employment level in roofers, the average annual salary ranges from $42,000 to $63,000. Depending on where in the country you work as a roofer, the annual salary can be as high as $87,000 per year. In 2022, the median roofer salary was reported to be $51,910 annually or $24.96 per hour.What Makes Roofing a Rewarding Career?The roofing industry can deliver a rewarding career with plenty of opportunities for advancement. Being able to work outside every day with amazing views from the rooftop inspires many craftsmen to consider a career in roofing. Often, workers start as an installer and then advance their way up to roles with more responsibility such as project manager, superintendent, estimator, or sales. Some even go on to start their own roofing companies.Working in the roofing industry is typically stable. According to the US Census Bureau, there were roughly 144 million homes across the country as of July 2022. Every one of those homes has a roof that will need to be replaced at some point. On the commercial side, the Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey estimated in their most recent report from 2018 that there are 5.9 million commercial buildings in the US. These commercial buildings will require regular maintenance, repairs, and eventually a new or restored roofing system.What's Elevating the Modern Roofing Industry?Working in roofing was not always seen as a professional, reputable line of work, but organizations like the National Roofing Contractors Association have worked hard to elevate the reputation of the industry. They have established the Training for Roof Application Careers (TRAC) program to provide training for commercial and residential roofing installation as well as prepare workers to become successful foremen and managers.In addition to the TRAC training program, the NRCA has started a ProCertification® program that allows experienced roofing installers to demonstrate their knowledge and skills and become certified in the installation of specific roofing systems.How Can You Get into Roofing?If you think that a career in the roofing industry might be a good fit for you, there are plenty of opportunities. In the past, many installers could only learn on the job. Today manufacturers, including GAF, offer programs that prepare workers to enter the industry.The GAF Roofing Academy is held in locations across the country and offers one- or two-week hands-on training programs that arm you with the skills you need to start your career in the roofing industry. Learn about the experience from recent graduates, and explore upcoming courses in your area.

The GAF Roofing Academy is making a difference in the lives of its students and in local communities throughout the U.S. The program offers both classroom and on-the-roof training at no cost to participants, and whenever possible, the on-the-roof training portion helps provide roofs to those in need, working hand in hand with GAF's non-profit partners.As part of GAF Community Matters, GAF led a special initiative in the Gulf Coast region to help build resiliency following the devastating hurricanes that impacted families and communities. This was a perfect opportunity to offer a GAF Roofing Academy class in the area that would train community members, like Louisiana native Andre Henson, in essential roofing skills and contribute toward repairs and reroofs for affected homes. Additionally, the class was joined by acclaimed actor, and New Orleans native, Anthony Mackie to work alongside the students to help reroof a home in their communityWe had the chance to speak with Henson, who graduated with this special GAF Roofing Academy class, about his experience with the program, its impact on his life, and how giving back to a veteran in the Gulf Coast community affected him.Q&A with Andre HensonWhat was it like growing up in New Orleans?Growing up in New Orleans, everybody was close. All my family would stay right down the street from each other. I would see them every day, and we just had that relationship that was very tight-knit.I'm super blessed. My mom was in the military. We were down here probably a year before Katrina hit, and then we moved up to north Louisiana. She invested in real estate, so we were always just out at the houses cutting grass, fixing places, and we stayed active.What are some of the challenges you faced after being relocated by a storm?I'd say the biggest challenge was getting out there to meet new people and understanding different walks of life. People from Louisiana are different than people from Texas; people from Texas don't act like people from California. It's just getting used to different surroundings and interacting with different people.How did the storms that hit New Orleans affect your family?My mom's part of the family all came up to north Louisiana. It was just like a big family reunion. I had cousins that I didn't really know well, and now we were going to school together, so it was like the storms brought us closer together. That was the upside of the storms.They were out of their homes for about a year and a half. But my mom had real estate houses, so she put them in the houses and [told them] whenever you're ready to leave, you can leave.Why did you decide to take part in the GAF Roofing Academy?The reason why I decided to join the GAF Roofing Academy was because I wanted to find a new trade. I've done fitness, I've done construction, I've done demolition, but not roofing—roofing was new for me. I joined the class, and the instructors were very knowledgeable. I loved the course—he was very hands-on. That's what I really liked about the course.How does it feel to be able to give back to others affected by the storms through GAF Community Matters?It's an unforgettable feeling. [The homeowner is] a veteran, and my mom's a veteran, so I know the toll that takes on them. Having the community come out and reach out their hand—I know that he's going to sleep good at night knowing that his community cares about him.Were you surprised to see actor Anthony Mackie at the project?I was like, wow! He comes up, and I was thinking he's probably here for publicity, but he actually knows about roofing. His parents owned a roofing company, and he's been doing this since he was eight years old. He was up there teaching me some things I didn't know. I just got done with the class, and he's an expert. So, I'm just taking all the pointers he can give me.How do you think learning the skill of roofing will impact your future?I feel like it's a lifelong trade that I will forever know, and I'll be able to pass it down to my kids, my cousins, and my family members. My mom is in real estate, so if she has a roofing problem, I can go up there. I know how to [install] shingles. GAF has taught me a whole lot about everything I need to know.I am looking to start a career in roofing. I want to learn from the inside out how roofing works, and they are setting us up for interviews.Getting InvolvedWant to know more about how you can learn a new trade at the GAF Roofing Academy while supporting your community? Find training near you and sign up to take a class today.