Too Funny

The American Roofing Industry has practically set the standard for Modern American Capitalism: Environmental waste Illegal labor Illegal Immigration Cheat baby Cheat! Externalize costs.....now some techie thinks he's going to modernize us? Too Funny

Viirt raises $900,000 to disrupt the roofing industry March 19, 2015 by Ryan Pendell

viirtViirt, a tech startup in the roofing industry, has announced they have now raised $900,000 in venture capital from Dundee Venture Capital and a small group of angel investors. The story first broke on Digital Journal.

"I"ve been in the roofing industry all my life and have done every job possible. Now, I"m excited to modernize the industry by adding a little bit of today's technology to it," said Josh Davis, CEO of Viirt.

Davis told SPN that the investment will go towards growing the team and marketing.

Viirt can generate a formal roofing bid for homeowners within a minute within 5% accuracy. By using satellite imagery, Viirt can save homeowners 20-30% on a new roof. For example, a project typically costing $13,000 could be reduced by $3,000-$4,000.

Davis said in a previous SPN article last summer that the process is 10 times faster than a traditional contractor.

"Thanks to internet and satellite technology, Viirt will be able to execute most project management functions remotely and automatically, especially on the front end. We are creating much needed transparency in the roofing industry by putting the homeowner back in control of the entire roofing process. We're boosting consumer confidence," said Davis.

The process also helps contractors keep their teams busy.

"We're kind of the Priceline of the roofing business," said Davis on the Straight Shot blog. "But instead of filling empty airline seats we're filling up their downtime and giving them a secondary stream of revenue at a fraction of the legwork."

Viirt was one of seven startup companies chosen in the 2014 class of Straight Shot, Omaha's e-commerce and software-as-a-service startup (SaaS) accelerator. Straight Shot, headquartered in Omaha, NE, is an accelerator dedicated to rapidly developing technology startups in a way that will allow them to succeed at scale.

According to AngelList, Viirt received $20,000 in seed funding in July 2014. That's included in the $900k, according to Davis.

Viirt is active and receiving customers in Omaha and Portland (OR) markets

Maybe there will be a link to all Home Depots and you can have your labor force there within the hour.

Customer calls @ 8 am. Roof is started at 10. At noon, it's on to the next one.

Where's my welfare check baby!?!??/// B)

So.........Mr. and Mrs. Homeowner can go online and book the cheap roof before they go to bed, get up and go to work and then arrive home to a new roof.

Meanwhile Viirt puts the job out to bid with the low baller getting the job. Something like "Shipping Wars" via an online auction.

Maybe we can all evolve into a TV reality show called "Roof Warriors" and become millionaires overnight. We would not even have to exaggerate all the drama. Just a day in the life of a roofing contractor, dealing with employees, the weather, difficult clients, rotten roofs, getting busted by OSHA.

Oh definitely low baller action ... :laugh: Those Home Depot roofers, would be outside the store, not in it :laugh:

Davis told SPN that the investment will go towards growing the team and marketing.

The article should have been entitled "How to Scam a Venture Capitalist"

I find this horrifying. There isn't that kind of savings to be had.

I find "Disrupt the Roofing Industry" a poor choice of words. He acts as if we are cheats that live off of scamming the consumer. "We are creating much needed transparency in the roofing industry by putting the homeowner back in control of the entire roofing process". What transparency.

He's going to buy wholesale? I bet the wholesalers get a great laugh out of that with their margins. How fricken naive - what about all of the wood rot, 4 layers to tears off, ventilations issues.

I believe in all of the technology I advertise here. Getting organized, better presentations, Eagleview. They help make a contractor more money and build a better business.

But insinuating that they are cutting out the middleman. Who is a middleman they are cutting out? They are just insinuating themselves into the middle of a contractors business.

Everyone loses except Viirt.

Who would buy into this? OMGosh I need a drink!

Way too funny....However, people will buy into just about anything.....

"We're putting the homeowner in control of the entire roofing process".

That has to be one of the worst idea's I've ever heard . :dry:

In the last 20 years, I guess I've spent just about as much time preventing home owners from making silly mistakes as anything else. ;)

"Thanks to internet and satellite technology, Viirt will be able to execute most project management functions remotely and automatically"

I'm picturing a loudspeaker on a drone repeatedly saying "Ariba!"

"A fool and his money are soon parted." Thomas Tusser

"There's a sucker born every minute." David Hannum

We've been watching this train wreck of an attitude in our trade for a lifetime. I see no end of the demand for roof repair and replacement services as homeowners continue to buy into the idea that roofing services and materials are a commodity to be purchased at the lowest price.

I'll be content to sit back and watch it happen . . .

Just great, one more person to slice a piece out of the miniscule pie we have. He doesn't put on one shingle or drive one nail or even know how to. How in the hell is that "shaking up the industry?" What a goof!

This is hitting close to home. This was in yesterday's paper.

http://www.columbian.com/news/2015/mar/23/vancouver-man-online-company-roofing-viirt/

It's basically the same article Twil posted with "local boy does good" angle thrown in. I noticed he personally responded in the comments. There is no way he will have any effect on the niche I'm in, but it will be interesting to see if he makes any inroads. There are some long-established, well-run companies here that he will be competing against. So far, I've noticed small signs with only Viirt.com and a squirrel on them littering the landscape. They seem to be trying to sell a brand without even identifying what its purpose is. His claims of soon doing 5,000 roofs and moving up to 50,000 are delusional at best.

Well he's making money 2 ways: Cutting out the contractor (QC) and low balling the subs.

What is so cutting edge about this? Homeowners can do the same thing on Craigslist. In fact 1000's of paper contractors have been doing the same thing for a century.

Thing is, by the time he's gone and the damage is done, there go another few thousand roofs legit contractors have lost out on

Along with the pipeline to Mexico and the trafficking in human beings, Greed is a human trait that did not magically appear along with Apps and Techies. I am always reminded of the words of King Solomon: There is nothing new under the sun

The fact that people will gamble while encouraging corners to be cut pretty much establishes what kind of gambler they are.

I've never been followed by a reporter when we've repaired or replaced the damage done by true hacks. Like the Funny Uncle, it's a shame that's kept hidden.

Low price is king in roofing, and most anything else. I WOULD NOT UNDERESTIMATE the power of marketing here.

PLUS with relatives in the supply business, (& $900K)they are certainly gonna get some sweet, Sweet, SWEET, SUH WEET! Deals on Materials.

The only thing that I see missing in all of this verbage are the words: FREE ROOF!

The wording of the contracts must really be ......ta da! TOO FUNNY

Shingles off/ on. Everything else additional once the "contractor" shows up. And Side Job Bob with his depth of knowledge of woodworking, carpentry and of course that old bugger, VENTILATION, will of course correct things once he arrives in about 2 hours to start tearing off.

Only 2 words missing here: FREE ROOF

Of course they will be suggesting that the homeowner gets add'l "free" estimates to prove how much they are saving. :(

Anyone ready to start charging for them? :)