Success Is In the Details

Attention to details is vital to success, believes Michael J. Funderburk, founder and president of Funderburk Roofing Inc., Carol Stream, IL.

Wherever possible, this suburban Chicago contractor makes his flexible membrane roofing details seamless at perimeters, curbs and drains. Funderburk also puts a high premium on attractive looking jobs, insisting, for example, that any seams must be straight and flashings must be symmetrical. "To me and my installers," he reports, "the appearance of the finished roof is key; it's also a good indicator of the quality of workmanship. And my guys are very proud of what they do."

This topnotch work has been recognized for the past eight years by Funderburk Roofing's supplier through consistently high inspection ratings.

To its list of accomplishments, Funderburk Roofing can now add SPRI's 10th annual Contractor Achievement Award. SPRI, the association representing sheet membrane and component suppliers to the commercial roofing industry, sponsors this award each year to reward excellence among contractors who do at least 50% of their sales in flexible membrane roofing (including modified bitumen).

Funderburk Roofing's entry winningly addressed all of the contest's four required criteria: workmanship, health and safety programs, marketing activities, and installation and cost-saving innovations.

SPRI President Stan Choiniere praises Funderburk Roofing for its equally strong focus on safety. "This contractor seems to be genuinely trying to make a good environment for his workers."

"We're very safety-conscious," Funderburk agrees. "The most important thing I tell my guys," he says, "is that we can do great, profitable work but if we have just one accident, it can erase all that effort and success."

The company holds an on-site safety meeting every week, as well as every time it moves to a different job. In-house safety meetings supplement those sessions.

"I've been there--I know what it's like to work on a roof, in cold and in hot weather," Funderburk explains. "I know exactly what they're up against. And I encourage my installers to take a break if they need to warm up or get into the shade, depending on the season. It creates a safer work environment."

After working for two different contractors in the field and later as an estimator and salesman, Funderburk formed his own company in January 1991.

Organizational details Funderburk Roofing specializes in commercial/industrial/institutional roofing using EPDM and TPO flexible membranes from one supplier. He believes, "If you do too many different types of roofing, you can't do them all equally as well. We're very specialized, so our guys don't have to adjust to many different systems."

About 30% of the company's business is in new construction, with tear-off and replacement making up the majority of its work. As shown on its Web site, www.funderburkroofing.com, this contractor's services also include repairs and preventive maintenance, deck replacement, roof-related plumbing, and tuck pointing.

Funderburk credits his whole team for the company's success. To show his appreciation, he rewards employees with generous bonus checks at year-end. Plus, after every five years that an employee has been with the company, he and his/her significant other get an all-expense-paid, seven-day vacation to a destination of their choice.

Labor-saving techniques To clean existing dirty or aged membranes, Funderburk Roofing cleverly uses a floor buffing machine. He says this method produces a "like-new" membrane to adhere or weld to.For labor savings on roof removal, Funderburk rigged a horse tractor to pull several four-wheeled carts with dump bodies. Similar to pulling train cars, each wheeled cart is pulled up to a staging area and debris is dumped into dumpsters.

To quickly dry off morning dew and frost on Midwest rooftops, this contractor uses a blower with a propane heater attachment.

And in order to preserve a day's production in Windy City conditions, Funderburk puts up a four-foot-high wind screen. The crew uses ropes and safety flag stands to secure this wind wall made out of insulation boards.

Community outreach is accomplished in a number of ways. Funderburk Roofing has topped a number of concession stands for local teams, helped out churches and other charitable organizations with their roofing needs, and sponsored youth sports teams. As part of a career outreach program, it allowed a student to spend an informative day at the company.

For extra visibility, Funderburk Roofing also sponsored a stock car racer for several years.

Entries for SPRI's next Contractor Achievement Award will be due in the fall. In addition to the prestige of winning a national award, the prize also includes transportation and lodging to SPRI's annual January meeting, where the presentation is made. Application details can be obtained by contacting SPRI's headquarters at 781-444-0242.

This article originally appeared in the January 2002 issue of RSI Magazine.