For nearly 50 years, the West family has been in the business of keeping homes covered—literally. Bill West founded his roofing company, Bill West Roofing, with a simple goal: to provide for his family. What started as a necessity turned into a lifelong passion, one that now spans generations. Today, Bill’s son, Aaron, is at the helm alongside him, ensuring the company continues to thrive.
As the business approaches its 50th anniversary, Bill and Aaron reflect on their journey as a father-son team, the evolution of the roofing industry, and what it means to serve their community for half a century.
From a Family Need to a Family Business
The job market in Bill West’s previous industry wasn’t promising, so he pivoted to something he knew would provide stability for his family. What he didn’t know then was that his son Aaron would one day step in to carry the torch.
Aaron’s initiation into the roofing world began at the age of six—though not exactly by choice. “Dad tied me off to three bundles of shingles before all the safety measures were in place,” Aaron recalls with a laugh. “He made the rope short enough that I couldn’t get to any edge of the roof and put me to work. That lasted until Mom came home and sent me back down.”
Over the years, Aaron worked through high school and into college, eventually realizing that roofing—and the business side of it—was where his future lay. “I thought I wanted to be a doctor,” Aaron says. “But after a knee surgery ended my football career, I found myself drawn back to the family business.”
While the basics of installing a roof haven’t changed much, the Wests agree that the business has evolved dramatically. “The technology is where the biggest changes have happened,” Bill says. “When I started, we were measuring roofs by hand, writing everything out. Now, Aaron tracks all our calls, profit margins, material costs, and scheduling with software.”
Aaron, who has spent years modernizing operations, admits that bringing his dad into the digital age hasn’t been easy. “I’ve been dragging him into the 21st century kicking and screaming,” he jokes. “But it’s made us more efficient. Instead of spending hours in a truck going from one site to the next, we can track jobs remotely and be in 10 places at once.”
What has stayed the same, though, is their commitment to quality and integrity. “We’ve never been storm chasers,” Aaron explains. “We work in our community, for our community. Our customers aren’t just one-time jobs; they’re referrals from neighbors, repeat clients, even the children of homeowners we worked for decades ago.”
Running a family business isn’t always easy. “The hardest part is balancing the family dynamic with the business,” Aaron says. “You have to remember—he’s still my dad, and I’m still his son. Sometimes, you have to take a step back before you say something stupid.”
Despite the challenges, both agree that the benefits outweigh them. “As kids get older, they live their own lives,” Bill says. “But working together has kept us close. Not many people get to spend this much time with their family.”
Even outside of work, business still finds a way into their conversations. “We joke that it’s 99% work, 1% personal,” Aaron admits. “But that’s just how it is when you run your own company.”
As the company approaches its 50th anniversary, the Wests are proud of what they’ve built—but don’t expect a big celebration. “It’s a great milestone,” Aaron says, “but neither of us are the type to toot our own horn.”
Instead, their focus remains on continuing the family legacy. “We’ve built a business that people trust,” Bill says. “And that’s what matters.”
For the Wests, roofing isn’t just about putting shingles on homes—it’s about providing security, creating relationships, and most of all, keeping family at the center of everything they do.