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Century Roofing brings hometown values

to local homeowners for three decades

Few things are less predictable than a Kansas City spring. Hail, high winds and torrential downpours can wreak havoc on a home’s roof.

In an industry notorious for fly-by-night companies and broken promises, Century Roofing, the largest residential roofing company in Kansas City, has served local homeowners with quality workmanship and exceptional service since 1990. 

“We have, and likely will again, torn off a brand-new roof and replaced it completely at our expense because of a minor issue that couldn’t be resolved to the customer’s satisfaction,” General Manager Kevin Pratt says. “Most companies wouldn’t do that even if they knew they were wrong, because they don’t have the financial wherewithal to do it. We will bend over backwards when something we did wrong affects the final product’s lifespan for our customer.”

As a full-service company, Century installs composition, tile and wood roofing, as well as decorative copper and steel accessories. Unlike the so-called “hail-chasers” who show up after severe weather in search of insurance money, Century has deep roots in the community. More than 40 service, technical and sales staff members have a combined 350 years of experience in the Kansas City roofing market.

“We are from here, we have kids in school here and we are ‘nested’ here,” Pratt says. “We purchase all of our materials through direct agreements worked out with manufacturers, and we warehouse them at our nine-acre facility. We use our own fleet of conveyor trucks to bring the materials to the jobsite. What does this mean to the homeowner?

“A supplier could place a lien on your home if the roofer doesn’t pay them. Even if you paid the roofer, it doesn’t stop their lien rights, so you could pay twice. We are the supplier, so there is no chance of that happening. We also get the best price on materials. We buy several millions of dollars at a time, not a job at a time. This means lower cost to the homeowner.”

Trends in the construction industry make a reliable roofer more important now than ever.

“Construction techniques have become more high-tech, but quality of workmanship in residential construction has become much lower,” Pratt says. “As construction methods stress more energy efficiency, homes become more airtight, and the need for proper ventilation becomes critical. Most roofing companies aren’t as well-versed as they should be on ventilation and don’t get enough exhaust vents in the home or don’t check to see if there are enough intake vents. This can cause severe condensation issues that can cause mold and water damage that’s unseen for years.”

As an essential business, Century continued serving customers throughout stay-at-home orders in Kansas and Missouri. Pratt understands the unexpected financial pressures on many families, which is why he always finds ways to give back to the community.

“Century was involved with the St. Jude house project for several years, where we gave the roof for free,” he says. “We worked with Channel 4 to give away two roofs to help people who had been taken advantage of by not-so-good contractors. We also did the TV series ‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’ remake homes for veterans. We did these things under the radar, not for publicity. In fact, ‘Extreme Makeover’ doesn’t allow you to even show a truck sign during filming.”

As severe weather season winds down, a number of roofers will pack up and move on to the next city. By contrast, homeowners know exactly where they can find Century Roofing.

“Century is committed to doing the best job possible,” Pratt says. “We do more than 1,800 roofs each year, between new homes and re-roofs. With that many roofs, there are going to be issues—everyone has them. It’s what a company does once the issue is recognized.”

More information is available at www.centuryroofingkc.com.