Feature Article

The Most Intriguing
Roofing Contractors of 1999

2.
Threadgill Sheet Metal Works

Company Profile
Threadgill Sheet Metal Works
Cypress, Texas

Principals
Wayne Threadgill, President
Wanda Threadgill, Owner

In business since
1964

Employees
10

Type of work
Metal Roofing

URL
www.threadgillsheetmetal.com

You might not expect to find a psychology major with a penchant for writing poetry and science fiction stories in the pages of Roofing Contractor. That is only part of what makes Wayne Threadgill of Threadgill Sheet Metal Works one of our choices as Most Intriguing Roofing Contractor for 1999.

Threadgill Sheet Metal Works was founded by Wayne’s father, J.E. “Bugs” Threadgill in 1964. Bugs got his nickname from his grandmother because, as a child, he loved to play with June bugs. Bugs started in the sheet metal trade in 1951 working for Gross Sheet Metal. In 1963, he leased the company for a year, and started his own company in 1964. Bugs did all kinds of sheet metal work, including gutters, roofing, enclosures and other specialty work. He incorporated the firm in 1997, sold the business to Wanda Threadgill in 1998, and retired from day-to-day activity. In 1999, Wayne took over the company as its president.

Wayne Threadgill started in the business as a young boy, working in the shop making ferrules for gutter spikes and clips for the metal roofing. He cannot remember a time when he was not hanging around the metal business, but he has not allowed himself to be defined by the business. Threadgill went to school to advance his knowledge of business, and more importantly, people.

While involved in the business and working, Threadgill managed to gain an education one step at a time. First graduating from a two-year program in 1993, he went on to graduate summa cum laude from the University of Houston with a bachelor’s degree in human behavior in 1998. This April he will complete his master’s in general psychology. According to Threadgill, “Ninety percent of psychology majors do not practice psychology … the majority go into sales. I am in sales and management.” He considered engineering as a way to advance his understanding of building and roofing systems, but was not interested in those particular aspects of the business.

As for his love of poetry and writing, he figured a fine arts degree would have been nice, but far from practical in the business world. Threadgill has found enough spare time to put together a collection of poetry and science fiction, which is set to be published this spring.

In a short period of time, Threadgill has set a new course for the firm. The main focus for Threadgill Sheet Metal Works is metal roofing, particularly residential metal roofing. The primary reason for this is the size of the jobs, ranging from $16,000 and up. Threadgill also finds it easy to train installers of metal panels. Details, flashings, curbs and all penetrations are handled by his experienced mechanics. Once the layout and details are in place, panels may be installed by less-skilled laborers. Training time is spent with his key mechanics and revolves around the more complex tasks such as curved dormers or other detail work.

He uses a portable pan-forming machine, the Model SSXT Pan Former by Roll Former Corporation of Willow Grove, Pa. The panels are seamed with a double lock by the Model SS Seamer.

The largest job Threadgill Sheet Metal Works encountered in 1999 came toward the end of the year, and spanned into 2000. The company was awarded the job of roofing George Eberly’s E&R Ranch. Eberly is the successful owner of Park Environmental, which manufactures septic and water-reclamation systems. This is a single-story ranch home with a 3/12 pitch that had a hand-split wood shake roof entirely covered with moss and lichen. The owner had the old roofing removed and decking replaced by others, so Threadgill Sheet Metal Works was able to start from a freshly dried-in deck.

This little ranch home has a 25,000-square-foot roof. The specifications called for a 24-gauge steel with a forest green Kynar 500 paint finish furnished by Berridge Manufacturing Co. of Houston. The owner will be furnished with a 20-year limited warranty on the paint finish and a five-year water penetration warranty from Threadgill Sheet Metal Works. The standard warranty for metal roofing in this area is two years, but Threadgill feels strongly enough about the company’s work to offer a better warranty. This, along with fast response to customers reporting leaks, is part of what separates the company from its competition.

The most challenging piece of work for Threadgill Sheet Metal Works in 1999 was a copper parabola that covered a boxed-out window on a home, like a bay window, only bigger. A parabola is a geometric design that has all interior panels reflecting to one point. This is an oversimplified definition of a complex piece of work. Threadgill took a flat pattern of the base from the job site, took it to the shop, built the frame and installed the copper skin. From here, the entire unit was transported to the job and installed. The company did not do the roofing work on this same job, but was called in by the roofing contractor to furnish and install a round dormer. This complicated, detailed work is another thing that sets Threadgill apart from its competition.

The biggest success story for 1999, according to Threadgill, was the company’s Website. In a very short period of time, the site has produced quite a few leads, and indeed, a good amount of work. Threadgill points to one $25,000 and one $40,000 contract that came in as a direct result of contact with the Website. The site went live in May of 1999, and is quite impressive. Threadgill Sheet Metal Works is a relatively small-size contractor with a goal of around a half million in sales. When you visit its Website, however, you will think you have arrived on the site of the country’s premier residential metal roofing contractor. The site is graphic, but loads quickly. It furnishes the visitor with tons of details, but is easy to navigate and understand.

The toughest job in 1999 came as one of those that Threadgill would recognize from his psychology training as “the rescuer always becomes the victim.” Threadgill was called onto a county job by a general contractor to match the gutters of an existing building on a new addition. With phased construction and a lack of specific plans, the amount of time required to complete the work to the owner’s satisfaction was impossible to recover in the billing. Even with change orders, the time required was just too much. The job was completed to the owner’s satisfaction, but the lesson learned was to either avoid doing the art of matching in the strict environment of municipal work, or at least insist on complete plans going in.

Threadgill has much left to do in the metal roofing business. He does have a vision for what his successful career will look like. He says, “Well, it’s not the money … it’s employees happy … respect from other people in the business … having a good reputation for the quality of your work.” He adds, “A lot of times I will go back and fix things that are not ours… but we do it to make the people happy.” Threadgill cites as an example the call he got recently from a lady whose home he had roofed two years earlier. There was a leak, but it came in by way of a wall flashing that was not part of the roofing system. He made the repairs and explained it, but did not render an invoice. Without a doubt, this customer will be a valuable referral asset to Threadgill Sheet Metal Works from now on. Good psychology and good business, I’d say.

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