| 63 Top Notch Roofing CONTRACTING Quality roofing from Top Notch firm Top Notch Roofing specialises in Colorsteel roofing and cladding, but also installs membrane roofs, spouting and flashings. T Hugh de Lacy The “blessed” position of being able to attract skilled roofers sees Nathan Leslie’s Otago firm, Top Notch Roofing, riding the construction boom despite starting up in March 2020, a month before the Covid lockdown. Nathan launched his company 22 years almost to that day after he first climbed up on a roof in Auckland. Nathan had moved to Auckland to work for his uncle, Ian Leslie, and cousin Bob Leslie, at Metal Craft Industries. A year later Ian Leslie started his own company, Re-Roof New Zealand, so Nathan joined him and began training roofers himself, and running a roofing gang. Nathan had moved to Auckland from Owaka in South Otago in 1998, just in time to take up the first roofing apprenticeship scheme in New Zealand. “It took only nine months to complete, giving me a National Certificate in Metal Roofing and Cladding,” Nathan says. In 2010 Nathan and his family moved back to Dunedin, and worked there for three roofing companies running gangs and continuing to train new roofers. “It was difficult to find good roofers with high skill sets because once a company has a good roofer they generally do their best to keep them, making it easier to train new ones.” Nathan also took the opportunity to learn new skills, including abseiling for his National Certificate in Industrial Rope Access, and a qualification in membrane roofing through Viking Industries, a national supplier of TPO and other membranes. When he finally started up Top Notch Roofing, Nathan’s plan was to work on his own but he was approached by roofers he had trained who wanted to work with him again, so the business grew faster than expected, supporting his goal of providing “an excellent level of roofing, with good, approachable and highly-skilled tradesmen.” Based in Mosgiel and working throughout Otago, Top Notch Roofing specialises in Colorsteel roofing and cladding, but also installs membrane roofs, spouting and flashings. Besides Nathan, the company employs three qualified roofers and an apprentice. “We mostly serve the residential market which is currently expanding as many people who would normally travel overseas are now investing in the property market instead,” Nathan says. “We do a lot of re-roofing as these are often satisfying jobs, making old and tatty roofs new again – and the customers are always very appreciative. “We also work with builders on new builds, extensions and wall cladding which are challenging but often have beautiful end results. “Two of our more recent jobs have even been selected for the 2021 Colorsteel Awards.” Lockdowns have provided the main challenge to the young business, especially since roofing is not specified as essential. “The government subsidy is insufficient to fairly cover wages, and we don’t want to let our team down by cutting their wages,” Nathan says. Materials supply is also a problem, requiring longer-term planning to avoid shortages. ”Roofing styles are changing, with more demand for long-run metal cladding, and for membrane roofs with greater complexity than the classic box-shaped houses of the past,” Nathan says. The company’s goal is to provide “an excellent level of roofing, with good, approachable and highly-skilled tradesmen.” Proud supplier of quality roofing products to Top Notch Roofing Contact Roofing Solutions for a consultation. 03 488 288 www.roofing.co.nz
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