Mears Roofing

Cheers to Mears! First, we’d like to say to anyone needing their roof replaced to prepare themselves for a big project. Having your roof redone is daunting: the expense, the magnitude of the work that spans every square foot over your head, the intrusion of demolition and construction, it can all be pretty overwhelming. And once the cover is ripped off the top of your building, you realize you are completely at the mercy of the roofer you chose, the health and safety of your home is in their hands, and their ability and willingness to do a good job is the difference between a disaster and a dry, snug home. No other home improvement has ever made us feel so vulnerable during the project, because before you get a new protective cover, all the old must be torn down, to the very bones of your house. We sought to find a reputable roofer who could properly address any unusual things our 108 year old Craftsman home might have, so we got bids from a couple “A-list” companies, Achtens and Mears. We didn’t tell the salesmen what we wanted, we just let each one assess the situation and recommend a course of action. Our home has a steep pitched roof with three dormers plus a detached 2 car garage. To our surprise, each one bid a nearly identical job, same materials, by the same manufacturer, the two bids were nearly twins, except the thousands of dollars more the other guy wanted. We went with Mears, based on that bid experience, the good reviews they get, and the way they have solved problems that arise for others made us feel they were stand up folks. Turns out, they are. When the work was finished we noticed some damage to our property happened during the process. We prepared ourselves for a fight when the company said the owner would come out that same afternoon. Instead, Ben Mears showed up and put us at ease right away, saying he will bring in the tradesman who can make it right at his expense, and spending the rest of his visit making us laugh, which we really needed after stressing out through the roofing process. Before he drove off our property, he had contacted the tradesman. By the time we walked inside, his staff had a confirming email waiting for us to approve the repairs. Now that’s old fashioned service. We stayed home during the process to comfort our pets, but if we did it again, we would not. Board your pets, and don’t watch the sausage making. It is loud and messy. One big factor that affects the finished product is the integrity of the installation team. Sure, the salesman can sell you a watertight “system” and make all kinds of claims, but on the actual roofing day, are the guys that come out just day laborers who could care less, or even know what they’re doing? We appreciate that Mears’ Crew is permanent employees, tradesmen with skills who literally look you in the eye and say “We got this.” We so appreciate folks with integrity and found that at Mears in the Ownership, Sales and Service teams. Mears warranties their workmanship for 25 years, in addition to the manufacturer’s product warranty, so we know we’re covered. Literally. And that feels real good. Much of our anxiety around a job of this size is how accurate the bid was, and how much expense over the bid would be incurred. Mears bid was detailed regarding work to be performed and cost for that work, including a clear explanation of what rate additional work would cost, if needed. But, you never know until they open it up what they might find in these old homes. And there is always the concern that someone will pad their bill mid-project with additional work not originally contemplated in the bid, just as a matter of practice. When hiring Contractors, we are very concerned with how hard or soft their bidding is. In the end, the difference here between the bid amount and the final bill was $77. On a job over 15k, that is a rock solid bid and shows integrity on the part of their employees to not add to our bill unnecessarily. Quite the contrary, we feel we are receiving more service and value than we could have hoped for. They replaced wood as needed with like material, a plus in an old home built with real wood. They did additional carpentry work on my soffits and removed old problems like a satellite dish. The best thing they gave us is the peace of mind of knowing we have solid roofs, and a solid team of roofers behind us should we need them in future. Thanks guys, for making our roofs sleek and sturdy.

Back in 2014 we had Mears Roofing replace our roof. We did a competitive bidding where a handful of companies spoke to us about options and prices and we were most impressed with Mears and their prices were solid as well. They explained things well and didn't talk down to me. They were willing to discuss the pros and cons of different options and allowed me to chose as I wanted and helped me make choices to get the best I could for the money I had. Part of their selling points were they guarantee their work and would come back to fix thing as needed if anything came up. That year there was a big wind storm that looked like it disturbed some of the gutters and shingles and they came out very quickly and with no charge to ensure it was fine. Fast forward to the last few weeks (07/2018) where a corner of the roof started to sag, and the gutter detached from the fascia board. I called them and asked about having someone come take a look. Today (8/13/2018) they showed up and fixed it free of charge despite it not being directly connected to their roofing job. Their worker also walked me through how this might be a continued problem and my different options to get a permanent fix if it is and the best ways to maintain it in the mean time. I cannot suggest working with them enough.

Inspector recommended tearing roof off and installing a new roof. Mears Roofing also installed a ridge vent on a house with no soffits, so ridge vent would not adequately vent attic. New roof was torn off, repairs made and new roof installed by another company. Mears Roofing kept my deposit, and agreed that I did not have to pay the remainder on my contract because "I wanted my roof installed according to CertainTeed's Installation guidelines, and Mears Roofing follows generally accepted installation practices in the roofing industry." Mears did install a zinc strip and upgraded ridge shingles at no additional cost. I did not ask them to do these things for free, and offered to pay for them.

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Perfect. I could not recommend anyone more highly. I would hire them if I was doing it over!

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We cannot say enough great things about our experience with Mears. First of all, they came out right away when we called, and Mr. Mears was incredibly professional and friendly. He promptly gave us an estimate, and didn't try to upsell anything, but very clearly explained what we needed. His price was almost half of what one big name roofing company quoted us. They arrived as scheduled to do the work, and the whole crew was incredibly friendly and professional, and so sweet to my curious little girls. The quality of their work was impeccable, and they even got rid of some wasp nests that they found in our eaves! They cleaned up meticulously, even power-washing some old oil stains off our driveway. Mr. Mears personally came out to go over all the finished work and cleanup, and to make sure we were 100% happy with our results. The final bill was slightly UNDER the initial bid, and our new roof looks spectacular. Every employee we dealt with from Mr. Mears, to the receptionist, to the roofing crew, was polite, professional, friendly, and skilled. We could not be more satisfied.

Mears roofing was great. They weren't the cheapest, but they had a great reputation, did great work and were very pleasant to work with. Jackie, Emily and Ben are all customer service oriented, and they performed some nit-picky tasks we asked of them with no complaint or extra charge. We are very pleased with the work, and the clean-up was immaculate.

Worst service for anything I've ever done on my home. Charged me nearly $600 for a leak repair and did nothing. I had to call another roofer, who is now replacing the entire roof, and he showed me where Mears did exactly nothing other than stuff an 8 INCH X 12 piece of plastic in a small gulley. New roofer was disgusted at me being charged $600 for doing nothing. There was zero evidence of any shingles being lifted to determine the leak location, no vents touched, which is where Ben said the leak was coming from (it was not). His first attempt, he apparently did nothing, second attempt, he apparently put in the small rectangle of plastic in a roof gully about 6 feet from the leak. Leak continued to get worse and cost me hundreds in interior ceiling repair. I am having my roof replaced now, the new contractor pulled up the old one and showed me where Mears did exactly nothing other than put in that small piece of rubber/plastic in a gulley on the roof. Didn't even lift any shingles to determine the source of the leak. Minimal effort to lift a few shingles clearly showed me, a non-roofer, exactly where the leak was. He didn't even do that. Unbelievable - avoid! He is probably looking to replace your whole roof, avoid this guy.

This company is so wonderful. The owner, Ben Mears is so responsive and knowledgeable. His prices are reasonable and scheduling is a breeze. I highly recommend this company. We have had a few pre-existing problems along the way, but the owner has been quick to come out and resolve said problems.

We initially contacted Ben and Jackie to provide an estimate to repair a leak I noticed during some hard rain in March. They were prompt and friendly, and come very highly recommend in various on-line reviews, so we engaged them to do the work. At this first repair attempt, they insisted that, due to the nature of the repairs, we wait through the next rain to make sure that the repair "took" before invoicing me. It didn't. I contacted Mears again, and they had someone out very quickly. A second attempt was made to resolve the issue. Again, "Let's wait and be sure." More rain, more leaking. Finally, Ben himself came out to assess the situation. After additional assessment, it was determined that the roof was "too far gone" to be repaired in any reasonable way, due in large part to methods and materials used by whomever had installed the current roof. Ben took pictures to demonstrate the how and why of his recommendation, and those were provided along with an estimate for a full replacement. Ben also indicated that we would not be charged for any of the repair work done, as the repair work was not successful. There was no pressure to then use Mears Roofing to install the new roof as a result - they gave us the estimate and the photos and said, "Give us a call if you want to move ahead." I did some research to determine where they stood in terms of cost, and found that the quote was very fair - and again, more importantly, my impression was that they were honest people. We requested that we be added to their schedule. It took a long time. I know that this is not their fault - it's the rainy season. They've got a good reputation and they're a small company - the former is well-earned, and the latter allows them to closely manage the work that they do, which is a positive. If I'm not mistaken, it was 5 weeks until they were able to come out and start work on the new roof. I have no doubt that this was strategic - while our roof was leaking, it wasn't leaking inside our house; I have no doubt that Ben and Jackie would have prioritized that work if time were a factor. Once work started, it took roughly two days, with one follow-up stop to do some painting that couldn't be done initially. The first night, I came home to a pretty big pile of debris - not unexpected, of course...by the second day, there was no sign that there'd been work done - aside from the beautiful new roof. I'm not going to lie: I'm not a roof expert. I know enough about construction to be dangerous...but it certainly looks magnificent, it looks as though it has been installed with care - and based on my interaction with the company, I have no doubt that it has been. All appointments were kept, the cost was as quoted, everyone was friendly, and the work certainly appears sound. I couldn't ask for more of a contractor. Most telling, I suppose, is the fact that I've already talked them up to our neighbors who have wandered over to say, "Your roof is gorgeous - who did it?" My only regret is that Mears Roofing only does...roofing - the bar is set pretty high for any other service providers in the future.

After the first big rain of the winter I had some leaking around some vent openings on the roof. Of course everyone in town was having similar problems and all the roofing companies in the area were booked solid. I had appointments from a couple that were 4 weeks out. Mears contacted me the day after I emailed them and I gave the Ok for them to come over. They were not able to come over the very next day but did have a man in the area the day after that. He arrived promptly and took a look at the roof and evaluated the condition and issues I had seen. He quickly added some flashing and caulked the areas up and there have been no leaks since. I did not receive an invoice for this work, the man on-site suggested that may be the case because it was such a quick job even though he had to climb up there twice. Great professional service during a high demand period of time, I'm glad I called them as even a minor issue such as I had could easily cost a couple hundred dollars to correct. Highly recommended and they will be one of the first I call for a new roof quote.

Ben came on time on the 2 days that he worked on cleaning the roof with a very steep pitch of 10/12. Where others refused, he did the work flawlessly and excellently and went beyond the scope of job by cleaning the gutters and the driveway as well. Now the concrete on the driveway looks good as new with the eco-friendly cleaning agent he used. He not only cleaned the roof with a 3 to 5 year warranty, he also repaired parts of the roof that needed maintenance, and provided us before-and-after pictures together with the invoice. We are completely satisfied with his work and are whole-heartedly sold to their service. Highly recommended and gets an A+ for service.

Ben and his crew showed up early on a Thursday morning and had the job completed in a few days. They were efficient, tidy, and polite. They also made sure to keep our gates closed to keep my little dog safe in her yard. :-) Ben also answered a whole slew of questions we had for him in order to educate us about our roofing options. Mears Roofing is an excellent company that does honest quality work and I would definitely use them again.

Mears Roofing and Home Repair in Kent, WA, is a reputable company that really knows roofs. I found their name on the Seattle Times among other websites with customer reviews mentioning this little known company who does a great job. They are kind, honest people and can handle cleaning, repair, and installation excellently like a one-stop shop for anything about roofing. They also do other services as well, although I've only had the experience to have them install gutters & drainpipes other than roofing needs. They do excellent work and they clean up really well. Their price is in the median and they guarantee their journey-level work. I've dealt with them through mostly emails, which I found was the best method to reach them. I like the before-and-after pictures I requested them to send me to justify their work. I was impressed with how Ben handled the skylight replacements and the pipe boot repairs. Those things can be tricky with older roofs. The administrator, Jackie, is knowledgeable and well-equipped to handle customer questions. I will not hesitate to refer them to all Angie's List members. You just know when you?re in good hands.

The owner came to my house to provide an opinion and bid on increasing our attic's ventilation. Ben was very friendly and took quite a bit of time to explain to me the options we had and what he recommended. He was very polite and provided a reasonable bid. We will hire him to complete the work in 2013.

Over the last several years, I've tried to get a number of roofing companies to check my leaky roof. Since it only leaked during severe storms, I didn't consider it very urgent or I would have tried harder. Other companies often didn't respond; or they didn't work on flat roofs (torch-down); or they didn't show up to the appointment I had made. It was really frustrating. A couple of weeks ago we were getting our typical fall rain; nothing out of the ordinary and yet my roof started leaking; and in a different place than usual! I checked Angieslist and skipped the companies w/ a lot of reviews (because I figured I had already tried them). Mears Roofing had good feedback. I filled out a form on Mears Roofing website around 10 pm on a Thursday night. Ben actually responded (via email), a short time later and said he'll be at my house the next morning! Ben is very polite; took his shoes off to enter my home and check the ceilings. He took pictures on the roof using his iPad and showed and explained what he found. He fixed the leaks but said he can't guarantee anything - and I already knew I needed a new roof; my home inspector told me that 6 yrs earlier. Ben even followed up w/ an email the next day asking if the roof stopped leaking! And I'm happy to report that it had stopped. I know my roof can start leaking again at any moment so I asked Ben to send me an estimate for a new roof; he sent me two bids with explanations on the differences. Since the value of my home plummeted, I've been trapped in an upside-down mortgage and thought I could never afford a new roof. (In the past, I've scanned Angieslist reviews for roof costs to get a reference point). Ben's bid's seem very reasonable in comparison. Of course each case is different so I'm probably comparing apples to oranges but it makes me feel better to know I won't be paying as much as others... I'm a big fan of Mears Roofing. They earned my trust and business. And I'm saving up for that new roof!

I scheduled an appointment and he never showed up.

It went great. Ben worked with us and out neighbor in a very professional and courteous manner and the roof he put on is keeping our neighbor dry and happy. Somehow the Seattle Times heard about this and ended up doing this article: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017083736_christmasroof24m.html

I found Ben Mears' services not through Angie's List but from a "Groupon"-like deal I've bought (hence the lower-than-average pricing). Services and qualities of these heavily-discounted deals can sometimes be a hit-or-miss; however, in this case, it was truly awesome and fantastic. Ben arrived on-time, was polite and professional, and did a great job cleaning my roof and gutters. I would definitely use his service again in the future.

Before locating Ben Mears through Anglie's list, I had called 2 of the major roofing companies and even Home Depot's installation services. None were interested in undertaking a small project like this. One provider offered to do it for $1800, obviously knowing that I knew that the shed would not be worth that investment. Bummer. Then it occurred to me to search Angie's List for "Roofing handyman". Bingo! I found Ben! In our initial phone call he assured me that this was the type of job that he would undertake, but that we would need to be flexible in the timing since he would need to fit it in as it became practical to schedule-- he would aim for an afternoon after he would have completed another project in the morning. I agree to that level of flexibility-- that he would keep us informed of a target range of days, then perhaps notifying us only the day before. That worked for us, even though it meant waiting a couple of weeks and then beginning to wonder, but continuing to trust that previous reports on Angie's list attested to his reliability. <grin> Sure enough, a couple of weeks later, he phoned in the morning to suggest 1pm that day. Good! He arrived, assessed the situation, began work at 1pm and was finished by a little after 4pm. I used the time to do some yard work right near the shed, so as to be available for consultation if any issues emerged (it was, after all, an ancient shed!). Thus I chatted with him at appropriate times when I would not be a distraction, and got a good overview of his working methods and technique. My father had been a roofer (back in Pennsylvania) and my grandfather before him, so I knew about such things. Ben was skillful, energetic, efficient, knowledgeable about roofing -- not just a handyman with a bundle of shingles. After only a 3.5 hour session our shed has a new lease on life, and it only cost $100 before taxes. He even replaced a shingle on our main roof which had previously sustained damage by a tree-limb. Yes! And I am pleased to have had the opportunity to talk with him about the other handyman projects we have which a workman like Ben could undertake. I recommend his workman-like professionalism and attitude.

They were great. I spent $600 on that service. My interaction with that service was excellent overall. I liked their promptness, knowledge and their approach.

Ben Mears was extremely responsive, and came out that very same evening to fix a new dryer roof vent. The quality of his work is superb, and his responsiveness to my request was amazing - I called Mears Roofing at 6pm, and by 9:30pm that very same night, he'd finished installing the new roof vent AND re-connected the dryer vent pipe to the new roof vent. I would recommend him in a heartbeat!

Ben Mears of Mears Roofing came out here within the hour after my 8:30pm call last night, found the problem location, and threw up a tarp to keep the roof from leaking in case of any more rain overnight. Then he was back here first thing this morning, found the cause, and fixed the leak. Along the way, he also fixed a few problem spots he found on the roof (shingle nails that hadn't been tarred or otherwise waterproofed, etc), re-caulked the tub and shower in the bathroom with the skylight and dried, spackled, sanded and painted the roof where the water had been leaking. Absolutely wonderful! I would recommend Ben Mears and Mears Roofing in a heartbeat!

Ben is an honest, experienced roofer who you can rely on to either stretch your current roof to get through the winter or install a brand new roof that won't leak. He's particularly adept at sealing off chimneys, skylights, ect. - the areas that will cause you problems if they're not done right. Best yet, you'll save a ton over the bigger companies!