EP 275: From Corporate America to Construction: Brian Evans' Journey with Qualis Roofing

What makes Brian Evans with Qualis Roofing & Construction a good neighbor?

Quality isn't just a word in their company name—it's the foundation of everything Qualis Roofing & Construction does. What happens when three corporate professionals with decades of experience at companies like Microsoft and Workday decide to transform the roofing industry? Brian Evans shares the remarkable story of how he and his partners built a standout company in a market flooded with over 4,800 competitors.

From their offices across North Texas—including Plano, Aledo, Keller, Dallas, Arlington, and North Austin—Qualis has established a reputation for exceptional service by implementing business practices rarely seen in the construction industry. Evans explains their "10 out of 10" philosophy—a commitment to perfect customer satisfaction scores that drives every decision they make. This includes assigning dedicated customer success managers and project managers to every installation, following up religiously with homeowners before, during, and after projects, and occasionally making extraordinary gestures—like replacing an entire $8,000 roof simply because a customer's spouse disliked the color.

The conversation reveals how Qualis has grown to 85 employees in just five years by focusing on residential and commercial roofing needs throughout the metroplex. Evans, whose background includes international business experience and a passion for marathon running and triathlons, brings a refreshing perspective to an industry often plagued by poor workmanship and communication problems. His story demonstrates how applying corporate business principles to traditional trades can elevate the entire customer experience.

Whether you're a homeowner contemplating a roof replacement or a business owner looking for inspiration on standing out in a crowded market, this episode offers valuable insights into the power of exceptional service.

To learn more about Qualis Roofing & Construction, go to:
 qualisgc.com

Qualis Roofing & Construction
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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Sophia Yvette.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast.
Are you in need of aresidential and commercial
roofing company?
Well, one may be closer thanyou think.
Today I have the pleasure ofintroducing your good neighbor,
brian Evans, with Qualys Roofingand Construction.
Brian, how's it going today?

Speaker 3 (00:28):
Brian Evans, good Thanks.
So much for having us onAppreciate it.

Speaker 2 (00:31):
Yeah, it's a pleasure to have you on and we are so
excited to learn all about youand your business.
Can you start off by tellingour listeners a bit about your
company?

Speaker 3 (00:41):
Sure, yeah, we're based here in the Metroplex
Dallas-Fort Worth office inPlano, aledo, keller, dallas,
arlington and North Austin.
So we've got about 85 employeesacross the North Texas area and
, as you mentioned, we focus onresidential roof replacements.

(01:02):
We do some new construction onresidential roof replacements.
We do some new construction.
We do a bit of commercial too,both re-roofs, flat roofs,
shingled roofs, you name it.

Speaker 2 (01:11):
So we kind of do it all my goodness.
Quite a few locations.

Speaker 3 (01:20):
And how in the world did you get started with this
business?
It's kind of funny.
So there's three of us that ownthe company and we've actually
brought on five more owners Someof the guys that were OGs, as
we call it, some of the guysthat started the company with us
five years ago, but three of uscame from kind of corporate
America.
I spent a decade at Microsoft,a decade at Workday, both here
in the US and spent some timeover in England as well with

(01:41):
them when I came back to theStates, the two other partners
that I started it with.
You know, I think it was justlike there's such a rush of
roofing companies in north texas.
There's a lot of really badquality people just, you know,
not ripping off, uh, the feltsand and putting shingles on top
of shingles.
We just saw such a poor quality.

(02:01):
We thought we could apply kindof a business aptitude to it,
deliver 10 out of 10 service forclients and take a little bit
different approach to the market.
And it's been really successfulfor us and we've had a whole
lot of fun doing it too.

Speaker 2 (02:14):
Oh, awesome.
Now, with all the experienceyou have in your industry, what
is the most common myth ormisconception you come across is
the most common myth ormisconception you come across.

Speaker 3 (02:28):
Well, you know what the misconception?
That's a great question, youknow.
I think you know like there'sno licensing required for
roofers and so that's why, like,I think there's like 4,800
roofing companies registered todo business in the Dallas, fort
Worth area and so like.
As such, I think there's like aperception that it's a
commoditized resource thatanybody can put a roof on, and
the reality is a lot ofcompanies are great and they
will do a great job.

(02:49):
We have a lot of greatcompetitors that do it, you know
, trustworthy and they're honestcompanies, but there's a lot of
cut rate bad companies thatwill take the upfront money or
they'll just, you know, they'lltake regular fare but they'll
just do a pretty poor job of it.
And so we have a 10 out of 10.
We have a customer successmanager.
Kind of going back to the techworld, we put a customer success

(03:11):
manager in charge, we have aproject manager in charge, and
so we just put these overlaysfor no additional cost to our
customers.
It actually costs the companymoney.
But you know, the focus for usis doing really, really high
quality work and getting a 10out of 10 on every survey that
we send out.
So we follow up with everycustomer before, during and
after the install and we want a10 out of 10.

(03:33):
And if we're not at a 10 out of10, we're going to, we're going
to make it right, get it at 10out of 10.
So that's that's our big goal,and there's not a lot of
companies that will do that.
So, brian, getting into who yourcustomers are a little bit more
who are they and how do youattract them?

(03:53):
Sure, we do a fair amount ofadvertising, and so we advertise
on some podcasts.
We invested and worked reallyhard on the Google front.
As a lot of small businessesknow, google can be the
lifeblood or the detriment foryour company, and so we ask our
customers, all customers.
For us that's incrediblyhelpful.

(04:14):
That helps move us up the ranks.
And then networking we workwith insurance adjustments,
realtors and have builtprofessional relationships that
way to networking groups, and sowe have about 40 sales folks,
or project managers, as we callthem in the North Texas area.
Everyone kind of specializes insomething a little bit
different or unique to kind ofbuild up his or her respective

(04:37):
business, and then the companyprovides a fair amount of
homeowners that have reached outto us that need our help.
So we partner up with a projectmanager, do the inspection and
give sound advice on what thenext step is to proceed.

Speaker 2 (04:52):
Now, have you ever thought of having your own
podcast?

Speaker 3 (04:58):
I've done my own podcast for a couple of years.
As I mentioned, I've spent 25years in the technology industry
and so I did the TechSale showfor two years.
We don't do that anymore.
I do a little bit of consultingin the tech industry now, but
our main focus when I wake up inthe morning is Qualys and
growing our customer base hereand keeping a really happy team.

(05:21):
So that's my focus these days.

Speaker 2 (05:24):
Now, what do you like to do for fun?

Speaker 3 (05:30):
Well, the way the three partners got together, the
way we founded this, is we wereall triathlon marathon folks
and so we would compete acrossthe US, and when I was in
England I would compete overthere.
So, racing bikes, doingtriathlons, running marathons,
we've run them all over thecountry and internationally too.
And so the three of us, we wereyounger back then and so we did

(05:51):
a lot more of it.
Now it's just more to stayhealthy.
But yeah, that's a big part ofwhat I do, and I've got two kids
in college.
Now we're empty nestersstarting August, so wife and I
have a little bit more free timeto enjoy dining out and
traveling together.

Speaker 2 (06:10):
Oh, that's very sweet .
Now, Brian, what is one thingyou would like our listeners to
remember about Qualys Roofingand Construction?

Speaker 3 (06:23):
You know, like I said , there's 4,800 companies out
here.
The listeners to this may havea great roofing company they
trust and if you trust somebodyyou should always stick with
them.
So we're not here to get in theway of that.
Stick with them.
So we're not here to we're nothere to get in the way of that.
But with the focus on quality,like we have coming from the
industries that we have building, the infrastructure that we
have as a company is second tonone.
And I'll give you an example.

(06:44):
There was a customer this wasprobably two months ago, matt
Trammell's customer.
They selected the shingle coloryou know.
So we bring by samples for themto decide what they want to
re-roof it with.
They picked one.
We put it on.
His spouse came home and shehated the color of the roof and
he called us back and he waslike I don't know what we need

(07:06):
to do here.
I don't know what it costs toput a new roof on, but she's not
happy and we're in the businessof making people happy.
Obviously we can't do it everysingle time.
That would be costly.
But it was about eight grandout of pocket for us and we were
happy to do it.
And within two weeks we had abrand new roof on on the color
that he wanted.
We give him a bunch ofaddresses for him to go take a
look in person, but it's justhim and I will focus on customer

(07:30):
satisfaction, greatcommunication, great delivery,
great communication, greatdelivery, and so that's our big
focus as a company is reallytaking care of our homeowners,
and where can our listeners goto learn more about Qualys
Roofing and Construction?
Thank you so much.
You can search for us on Google.
Just search Qualys, we'll bethe first one to pop up.
If you're local, our website isQualysGC and that's

(07:52):
Q-U-A-L-I-S-G-C as in generalcontractors qualisgccom.
If they want to reach out to medirectly, it's just brian at
qualisgccom.
That's B-R-I-A-N at qualisgccom.

Speaker 2 (08:07):
Well, Brian, I really appreciate you being on this
show.
We wish you and your businessthe best moving forward.

Speaker 3 (08:14):
Thank you so much.
Thanks for having us on.
I appreciate it very much.

Speaker 1 (08:18):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to GNPFriscocom.
That's GNPFriscocom, or call469-221-9345.