By Karen Edwards.

Use the code HELENE or MILTON to place a free classified ad ($50 value). 

Looking for resources for storm response? Use The Coffee Shops’ classifieds for free with the codes HELENE and MILTON. Whether you are looking for workers, material resources or if you have equipment needs, classified advertising is free for contractors who are responding to damage caused by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton.   

Contractors responding in any of the affected states are welcome to use the classifieds at no cost during this emergency situation. You can also use the Hurricane Helene forum or the Hurricane Milton forum for communications and may find value in the following resources: 

• EagleView – For more than 10 years, EagleView has been the gold standard for accurate property measurement data. Their always consistent and accurate property measurements are derived from high-resolution aerial imagery, which are calculated down to the individual pixel. 
• ICP Group Shockwave RTU - ShockWaveRTU is an EPA registered disinfectant, sanitizer and cleaner designed specifically for mold remediation contractors. ShockWaveRTU is designed to meet all your disinfecting, sanitizing, cleaning and deodorizing needs. 
• Southeast Labor Force – They are prepared with a workforce ready to work for your company when you need, short term help. Long-term agreements can be made also. You will feel the peace of mind to have enough manpower for storm response. 
• Stormseal - Stormseal is an innovative alternative to tarps that provides a better solution for roofing contractors, insurers and homeowners. Stormseal secures storm-damaged properties, resisting wind, rain and hail until permanent repairs are made. 

Blue roof contracts 

If you are responding with tarps, here is some important information from Trent Cotney about blue roof contracts: Blue roof contracts are a type of roofing contract designed to allow contractors to acquire any necessary supplies and equipment necessary to make temporary roof repairs, particularly installation of the blue, plastic sheeting, in support of emergency response operations. It allows you to help homeowners in need while growing your business at the same time. During disaster relief efforts, it is of the utmost importance to have existing blue roof contracts in place. For more information about Blue Roof Contracts, contact Trent Cotney at trent.cotney@arlaw.com. 

By Southeast Contracting.

The H-2B Visa Program has been active since 1986 and it was created to cover the lack of workers in the U.S. for industries that require temporary unskilled workers in their busiest seasons.

This program's evolution has impacted the roofing industry through the years. During the recession of 2009-2010, the visa cap was enough to cover the industry’s needs. After 2017, the construction industry saw an increase in demand for workers due to new construction and storm restoration work from the inclement weather, hurricanes and tornados. The result of the increase in work plus the Visa cap is the shortage of manpower in the U.S. The U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) allows 33,000 workers who begin employment in the second half of the fiscal year (April 1 – Sept. 30), which is not enough for all the industries that take advantage of this program.

Why is this season so competitive? Because weather conditions are favorable for the roofing industry as well as other industries that take advantage of the H2B Visa program.

The past four years have been kind of chaotic for employers and companies that are requesting visas. For example, in 2017, more than 4,194 employers applied for H2B visas just in April, with more than 74,919 applicants. In 2018, 4,498 employers applied with more than 81,008 applicants. 2019 saw more than 5,300 employers applying to try to obtain visas just the first week of January, with more than 93,864 applicants. The number of petitions is increasing every year.

This year the increment of companies that are applying is considerable too, the difference between this season and the other, is USCIS on February 20 announced they will conduct random selection of which companies are selected to proceed to the last step of USCIS Premium Processing Services. USCIS defines the premium processing as “an optional service currently authorized for certain petitioners filing Forms I-129 or I-140. The system allows petitioners to request 15-day processing of these forms if they pay an extra fee.”

The Department of Homeland Security announced on March 5, 2020 that there will be an additional 35,000 visas processed in tow waves: 20,000 for start dates beginning April 1 and 15,000 for start dates beginning May 15.

The need for more Visas is evidenced by the labor shortage facing the roofing industry. You can make a difference by attending NRCA’s Roofing Day and advocating for change.

The company is a resource for obtaining skilled labor nationwide.

RoofersCoffeeShop, the award-winning place where the industry meets for technology, information, and everyday business, is pleased to welcome Southeast Contracting. Southeast Contracting helps companies in the roofing and construction field fulfill immediate and future job openings.

The company is prepared with a workforce ready to work for your company whether you need short term or long term agreements, you will feel the peace of mind of having enough manpower to work your projects in a timely manner.

Whether you are a commercial or residential contractor, Southeast Contracting can provide you with the skilled labor force to fulfill your contracts. No matter how big your project is, they have a solution for you.

• Deliver highly qualified candidates

• Short-term, long-term, seasonal projects

• OSHA 10 hours trained

• Physical and drug screened

• e-Verify ready

In addition to supplying skilled labor nationwide, workforce development is a primary focus area for Southeast Contracting on a national level. They focus on initiatives that encourage, educate and expose students in high school to the multitude of opportunities in the construction industry.

Their mission is to work toward having sufficient skilled construction workers nationwide and to support their employees with an educational focus in the construction industry. They provide peace of mind for employers as well their employees to free them from details such as coordinating travel logistics, testing, drug screens, using a proper recruitment process as well as ensuring workmen’s compensation compliance, all requirements that need to be covered by the employer. They also have a focus on creating and supporting job opportunities to those who need it the most needed (unemployed U.S. citizens). They support work-based learning and strive to increase the number of training hours to focus on meeting all OSHA requirements

RoofersCoffeeShop is proud to welcome Southeast Contracting.

Learn more about Southeast Contracting in their RCS directory.