United Contracting Group is a commercial and residential general contractor, specializing in roofing and restoration services. Founded in 2020, it has grown in these four years from three employees to more than 40 and serves approximately 1,600 clients annually.
Explaining his impetus for founding the company, owner Jarod Huston shares, “As an engineer and career builder, I worked primarily in commercial construction, focusing on high-rise projects throughout the Valley. When the firm I worked for was sold to a conglomerate, I set out to launch my own local general contracting company.” Having no desire to work for investors,” he says, “I decided to start small with roofing restoration to build my reputation and generate capital.”
A challenge he faced was differentiating his startup from the numerous “storm chasers” that he observed operating in Arizona, opportunists he felt took advantage of the brutal sun and wild monsoon season to “swarm an area after a storm, knocking on doors and claiming to be construction professionals,” Huston says, noting the harm their slipshod ways do to the reputation overall of the industry and real construction professionals.
To combat these perceptions, Huston created an extensive quality control process to be performed on every project, a continued education plan for every employee, and strategic partnerships with leading vendors and manufacturers with a similar approach to quality — all of it aimed at ensuring the quality of the finished product and maintaining the rest of the client’s property.
Steps span the entire process, starting with an analysis of the roof structure (attic) and the underside of the deck to identify any possible deficiencies or damages which might cause problems later and include coordinating with the client areas designated for material storage, dumpsters and forklift operations as well as areas of safe egress and ingress while the work is in progress. Concern for the client extends to placing protection over vulnerable areas such as landscaping, pools, AC units, paver stones, et cetera, to ensure that nothing is damaged if something is accidently dropped. Of course, dedicated quality control managers perform inspections during all critical stages: the decking after the existing roof is removed to ensure stability and the absence of rotted wood; the installation of all flashings, sealants, transitions and underlayment to ensure a meticulously installed weather barrier; and the final product to ensure an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
Huston credits his father with instilling in him his work ethic, built on the belief that “true success has little to do with money or prestige and everything to do with how you care for those to whom you are responsible, be it family, employees or community.”
Did You Know: Jarod Huston founded a sister company, United Response, in 2022, to provide emergency services following a sudden and unexpected event such as a pipe burst or a large roof leak, the discovery of mold inside their home, the hazardous disturbance of asbestos, or any number of other environmental safety concerns — committing to arrive within two hours of their call to address the dangers and take steps “to protect their home and their family’s well-being,” he says. “United Response technicians are thoroughly trained and certified by the IICRC to perform these services in accordance with the nationally recognized “Standard of Care” set forth in their regulations.”
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