Government Programs Available for Mobile Homes
Perma-Seal Solves Mobile Homes Roofing Problem for Local Communities
MIDDLEBORO, MASS – Ropac Roofing Co. is working with local communities to provide affordable and durable roofing options for mobile home owners, especially those who qualify for grants and low-interest loans as part of housing rehabilitation programs.
Ropac, which has been in business nearly 40 years, specializes in the installation of Perma-Seal rubber roofs – the kind used by industry giants such as Ford, Sears and AT&T to protect their plants. Bob Carter, the founder and president of Ropac Roofing Co., said this technology naturally translates into use for residential mobile homes that previously relied on messy seal-coating of the installation of cumbersome A-framed roofs. “It’s much less expensive, it’s lighter and it has a life-time guarantee”, Carted said.
The Perma-Seal roof is a one piece rubber membrane.
Gail Hardink (right) from the town of Coventry helped Mr. Murray get a Perma-Seal rubber roof.
That’s what makes it the logical choice for re-roofing mobile homes. And that’s why Ropac Roofing has focused exclusively on the installation of Perma-Seal Rubber Roofs on mobile homes and office trailers for more than 20 years, installing more than 2,500 of the on mobile homes and commercial businesses throughout New England.
Carter recently has been working with officials in local communities throughout New England to provide Perma-Seal rubber roofs to low-and moderate-income mobile home owners who qualify for grants and low interest loans to fix their leaking roofs.
He’s done at least 10 such roofing jobs in Coventry, RI, according to Gail Hardink, who’s director of the Community Development Block Grant Program there. “He’s a huge asset to the program”, Hardink said. “His price is always right. His warranty is the best. And there’s never any issue or complaint with his work”.
Many communities offer housing rehabilitation programs for income-eligible homeowners who face health or safety issues, such as a leaking roof. Most of these grant and loan programs are funded through local, state or federal agencies. Many mobile home owners fall under the income guidelines, and many mobile homes have roofing issues, which is why Ropac is marketing its services towards them. Some of the housing rehab programs, such as the Home Improvement Loan Program in Warwick, RI, allow homeowners to choose their own contractors. William Facente, housing officer for the Office of Housing and Community Development in Warwick, said Ropac Roofing is the only company he’s aware of that offers these specialized roofs for mobile homes. Ropac has installed four or five roofs there in the city’s two mobile home parks in recent years, Facente said, adding that each job was done properly with no complaints from any of the mobile home owners.
Other housing rehab programs, including the one in Coventry, invite contractors to bid on projects.
Ropac usually is the low bidder on these projects. They buy the rubber, insulation and all the accessories in truck-load quantities giving them a tremendous pricing advantage. Since they specialize in mobile home roofing, they can usually finish the job in one day. This also gives them a pricing advantage. “And Ropac’s lifetime warranty can’t be matched” Hardink said. “Customers love his work, I never, ever, get a bad word about Bob. He’s very professional. Homeowners trust him. And they should”.
Ropac is among the largest mobile home roofing companies in New England, with a stellar reputation built over nearly four decades. Carter founded his company in 1973 as a residential and commercial contracting business. He initially focused primarily on commercial roofing, where he was introduced to Perma-Seal EPDM (ethylene pro-pylene diene monomer) rubber roofing as an alternative to the traditional asphalt-based, tar and gravel or built up roofs and office trailers. Contractors at the time “were starting to explore other types of roofing systems that would work better, that were more durable, that would stand up to the kind of things that New England weather throws at you”, Carter explained. The Perma-Seal EPDM rubber roofing system was the perfect answer. It’s a one-piece rubber membrane developer by Uniroyal that covers the roof like a snug blanket, providing a watertight seal.
Carter began by installing these roofs on commercial buildings with flat roofs as well as office trailers, but he quickly realized they were perfect for another class of clients – mobile home owners. “It was a perfect application for older mobile homes because they’re basically a flat roof”, Carter said. So he decided to focus on this niche market.
A layer of 2″ styrofoam insulation is installed under the rubber membrane.
The Perma-Seal roofing systems are much more effective than traditional roof replacements for mobile homes, he explained. “Their only options were to either coat the roof (with a sealant) or build some sort of an A-frame on top of it, which was really too heavy for the mobile home”, Carter said. The sealants often don’t work or don’t last and the A-shaped roofs are far more expensive – and far heavier, especially when topped with shingles or other standard roofing materials.
The roof is finished off with an attractive aluminum molding
That’s why the Perma-Seal rubber roofing system is so perfect. “Here’s this lightweight, insulated, extremely durable roofing system that’s already been proven in the commercial market for many years”, Carted said. Ropac even adds a layer of 2” insulation under the rubber membrane, which saves on heating and cooling costs, Carter noted. That’s an added benefit often not available with other roofing options.
Best of all, Ropac’s roofs come with a life-time guarantee that it won’t crack, rupture of leak. That’s why they’re perfect for mobile home owners and they’re affordable enough to qualify for the many home rehabilitation programs available in the local communities.
These are great programs, Carter noted. “Some people need a new roof, but they don’t have the money. By having access to the money, either through a grant or a low-interest loan, it makes this very affordable for folks who are retired or on a fixed budget”.
Ropac Roofing is the perfect choice for these folks, since it’s got the rubber roofing materials, insulation accessories and moldings to complete most jobs in just one day. “We get rave reviews”, Carter said of his installation for mobile home owners, especially those who quality for subsidized grants and loans from their communities. “They’re just absolutely ecstatic to have a roof that is watertight and to be able to get the money from their town so they can afford to do it”.
The Perma-Seal Roofing System is extremely light weight.
And program coordinators are grateful for contractors like Bob Carter and Ropac Roofing. As Hardink of Coventry said: “We’d be in a world of trouble if we didn’t have Bob to do our rubber roofs anymore”.
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