Element Roofing Systems

Nicholas Bailey

Jan 27, 2016

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I'm reviewing from a worker of Element Roofing's point of view. The company is by far the most unorganized, unprofessional company I have ever worked for. I have only been at two other companies the whole 12 years of my career. One for 11 years as their foreman, and 6 months in the union as a leadman. I started working for Chad on the weekends every now and then for a year while I worked at my main company during the week. He paid extremely well when this was going on, but it was a mission sometimes getting paid. I'd wait on average 2-3 weeks. When I came on board full time at the end of August we set an agreement of salary base, plus 30% commission on all work I did. Also I was able to use a company truck and gas paid for. Payment would be due every Friday. The first couple weeks went ok with payment. Then it was hit and miss, sometimes I'd wait up to three weeks to get paid. 85% of the time I was shorted on cash. I had to break it down exactly what I did, because most of the time it was a few weeks pay at once and he would "forget" things I did. Luckily I kept a journal of everything I did from the minute I left my house on his time to the minute I returned and was off his time. I was getting paid under the table cash. All cash continued until workman's comp came and took pictures of my crew and I on a job he pulled a permit on. Then Chad put my salary on the books because he was getting audited for not paying his workman's comp and owing the IRS money. The rest was cash. Half the time I could never get a hold of him when I called, as well as steady clients of Element's such as realtors. We always had calls not getting answered, appointments missed and forgotten due to lack of communication. I've also had Chad yell and lose his temper at a customer and I, when I was explaining extra procedures that needed to be done because he mis-bid the job. I corrected him to never talk and degrade me again in that manner and I was explaining what needs to be done because the homeowner was misinformed. Had a few owners that only wanted to deal with me and not him due to the disrespect. None of Element's workers are trained by him in his procedures or assessed the knowledge they have of roofing. He knew I was knowledgeable by what I said to him as well as the other 3 crews he useses. He has 3 main Mexicans he gives the jobs too, gives them set pay and they can bring in whoever they choose for the work. Many times I would go to a job to get the permit, or left over material and have to clean the grounds, or do some fixing up of some kind. My assessment of his workers is they work as fast as possible and are sloppy and lazy from the way I was trained. No pride in their work. The workers go through the same thing when it comes to pay and have threatened to not do any more jobs until he catches up on their cash. The way him and I parted ways was uncalled for too. He was having problems paying me, so he would act as if there was no work. Instead of saying "Hey man we got to figure some other arrangement out that we agree on because I can't afford the system we have." It had been a week since he last called me so I needed to make money. I had work lined out outside of Element. He called on a Wednesday night, I canceled the side work. He told me the job and I informed him I would need a hand to take down solar panels of a 2 story building, I need to bring someone in to assist. He said it is canceled for now due to price issues. Didn't hear anything by 8:15am the next morning, so I called back my side work to see if they could use me. He said yes. Chad calls me at 9am as I'm pulling up to the job and says I need you in Danville now. I told him I would after I got off but committed to something else because I've been off a week and hadn't heard anything by 8 am and needed to work. He lost his cool and said it was time to split ways due to him not making money. Already irritated with Element and felt it was completely disrespectful to do that to a family man 2 weeks before Christmas I let it go. I felt maybe if he hadn't been on 5 trips to Mexico the 3.5 months I been there, buying illegal Mack 10s in Arizona, not be in debt to workman's comp and the IRS, he'd have more money and be able to pay his workers on time. The boiling point for me to write this review is I texted him 3 weeks ago about my W-2s. I know they have until Jan 31st, but sometimes they are done earlier. He ignores me the first 3 or 4 days. After informing him I would write a review, he texts they'll be done at the end of the week within a few minutes. I text the following week and he said, she should be wrapping them up. He will have the secretary call me Monday as soon as she gets in. I didn't hear nothing so I texted 3 days later. She said she don't know when they will be done but they have until the 31st. My response was I understand but if the communication was better and that was said in the first place, I would never call again until the 31st. My vent is over. Anyone from Element please do not try to attack my character because I have every message saved from before I started working when we were discussing details of full time employment to now. I saved them in case I ever needed them due to the thought I would have problems getting paid for work done or our agreement.