This Technology has Arguably had the Most Impact on the Roofing Industry
July 30, 2018
By Karen L. Edwards, RCS Editor.
Remotely viewing and interacting with recent, high-resolution, aerial roof imagery has made contractors’ efficiency and time savings skyrocket. See how this consultant is using it on a daily basis.
When Mark Sobeck got started in the industry 42 years ago as a roofing contractor, he said that if someone had told him that he’d be looking at a roof from an aerial view on a computer screen, he’d have told them they were crazy. Fast forward to 2018 and that’s exactly what Mark is doing at his roof consulting business, Mark J. Sobeck Roof Consulting, Inc.
Mark is a big proponent of incorporating current technology into his business operations. He uses drones to perform inspections on roofs, steeples, high buildings, towers, etc., he performs infrared roof scans, uses AutoCAD and is always interested in finding the latest technologies that can improve his business. To make sure he’s always aware of emerging trends and solutions in the industry, Mark subscribes to the RoofersCoffeeShop®’s Week in Review email newsletter. Discovering a new technology
We had the chance to talk with Mark and his team to see how they discovered aerial maps from Nearmap and how they are using them in their business. “I found out about Nearmap from RoofersCoffeeShop,” explained Mark. “And I almost didn’t read it that morning because we were very busy. I took a glance at it and the headline immediately caught my attention. I came back to the office that morning very excited and called them right away.”
After seeing a demonstration of the technology, Mark knew that this would be a game changer for his business and signed up for the Nearmap service. As a consultant who travels across the United States and Canada for projects, being able to view the building and roof from a high-resolution, current image prior to traveling, provides a tremendous advantage for both the building owner and the consultant. Nearmap regularly captures 430 U.S. cities, which also helped Mark’s business evaluate far more roofs...