Above the Roof Texas Podcast

Jay Welling

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Home & Garden

Advantage Roofing Company stands for doing things the right way in an industry filled with shortcuts and bad actors. Jay Welling positions himself as the honest, reliable roofing expert who fights for homeowners, handles everything from start to finish, and never cuts corners. He wants to be known as one of the most trustworthy and dependable roofing companies in Texas.

5d ago

How to Check My Roof for Hail Damage Myself

How to check your roof for hail damage yourself starts on the ground, not up on a ladder — walk your property and look for the easy stuff first: dented gutters, dinged downspouts, busted window screens, soft spots on your AC unit's fins, and little splatter marks on the deck or fence. That's your early warning. If the metal around your house took a beating, odds are your shingles did too. What's up, y'all? I'm Jay Welling with Advantage Roofing Company right here in Tyler, Texas. In this episode I walk you through a simple, safe self-check so you know whether that storm actually did damage before anybody with a truck in your driveway tells you it did. I'll show you the telltale signs on your shingles — bruises you can feel with your hand, missing granules piling up at the bottom of the gutter, exposed fiberglass, dinged ridge caps — and the stuff that fakes people out, like old wear, blistering, and foot traffic that a shady out-of-town crew will try to pass off as fresh hail. Most important, I'll tell you what to do BEFORE you sign anything — because storm season brings crews through East Texas that offer a "free roof," do shoddy work, and vanish with your warranty. Don't let that happen to you. If you think you've got hail damage, hit me up anytime — call or text and I'll give you an honest opinion of exactly what I think. We're at (903) 939-3168 or advantageroofingcompany.com. Use a licensed, local company that'll still be here when you need us. Peace out — see y'all next time.
Oct 5

RCAT Licensed vs a Guy With a Magnet: The Real Difference

What's up, y'all? Here's the truth most people don't know: Texas doesn't require a license to roof your house. None. A guy can slap a magnet on his truck, call himself a roofer, and take you for a lot of money. It's the wild, wild West out there — and if you're comparing bids right now, you need to know what you're actually paying for. In this episode, I'm Jay Welling with Advantage Roofing Company in Tyler, Texas, and I'm breaking down exactly what "RCAT licensed" and "Owens Corning Platinum Preferred" really mean — not the marketing fluff, the real stuff. I'll explain why a group of Texas roofers created their own licensing standard when the state wouldn't, what that license tells you about the company you're about to hand your biggest investment to, and why those labels protect your warranty and your install quality. We'll talk through how to spot the fly-by-night roofers and out-of-town storm-chasers who leave town and take your warranty with them, and why using a licensed, local company matters when something goes wrong years down the road. As one of the only Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractors in East Texas and an RCAT-licensed, BBB A+ accredited company with nearly 1,000 five-star reviews, I'm going to tell you from the inside what those certifications actually unlock for you. If your roof is 5 to 7 years old or you've got hail, wind, or storm damage, don't get taken. Hit me up anytime — call or text (903) 939-3168 or check us out at advantageroofingcompany.com, and I'll give you an honest opinion of exactly what I think. Peace out — see y'all next time.
Sep 28

Growing Up Poor in Tyler Shaped How I Run This Business

What's up, y'all? I'm Jay Welling with Advantage Roofing Company right here in Tyler, Texas, and in this episode I'm getting real about where I come from. I grew up poor in Tyler, raised by my mother in a little shack — a chaotic, scary, dirty home — and I'll tell you straight, that childhood shaped everything about how I run this business today. I learned early that you're not going to get anything by sitting on your ass. You've got to get out there and do the work. I made a promise to myself back then that I'd never be broke again, and that I'd be a great dad so my sons never go through what I went through. In this one, I walk you through how I went from that shack to starting Advantage Roofing Company in 2008 — after the company I worked for was screwing me over on pay — to nearly 18 years in business and almost 1,000 five-star reviews across Texas. We talk about work ethic, honesty and integrity, and why I'll never cut corners to save a dollar. Texas doesn't even require a license to roof, so there are a lot of fly-by-nights out there. That's exactly why we're BBB A+ accredited, RCAT licensed, and one of the only Owens Corning Platinum certified contractors in East Texas. If your roof is 5 to 7 years old, you've got hail or storm damage, or you just want an honest roofer in East Texas, hit me up anytime. Call or text (903) 939-3168 or check us out at advantageroofingcompany.com. Peace out — see y'all next time. Let's go.
Sep 21

Why Insurance Claims Get Denied (And How to Fight Back)

What's up, y'all? If your roof got hammered by hail or wind and your insurance claim came back denied, this episode is for you. I'm Jay Welling with Advantage Roofing Company right here in Tyler, Texas, and after nearly 18 years going to battle with adjusters, I'm gonna tell you straight what the most common reason for a claim denial really is — and what you can do about it. Here's the short version: most denials come down to how the damage is documented and presented. An adjuster shows up, spends a few minutes on your roof, writes it up as "wear and tear" or says there's "not enough damage," and just like that you're stuck with a low estimate or a flat no. A lot of homeowners I talk to feel overwhelmed and figure that's the end of the road. It's not. A denial is not always a real "no" — a lot of times it's just an incomplete story. In this episode I'll walk you through why hail and wind claims get denied, what adjusters are looking for, and how a licensed, local roofer can step in and fight for what you're actually owed. That's what we do — we go to battle with the insurance company so you don't have to lift a finger. We're BBB A+ accredited, RCAT licensed, and Owens Corning Platinum certified, and when I give you my word, it's written in stone. If your roof is 5 to 7 years old or you've got hail or storm damage, hit me up anytime — call or text (903) 939-3168 or check us out at advantageroofingcompany.com. Don't get taken by some out-of-town storm-chaser. Let's go. Peace out.
Sep 1

Texas Doesn't License Roofers — What's Actually Required to Get One?

Here's something that shocks most homeowners: Texas doesn't require a roofing license. None. A guy can slap a magnet on his truck, call himself a roofer, and take your money — and there's not a single state rule stopping him. So if you've been searching "what is required to get a roofing license?" the honest answer in Texas is nothing, and that's exactly the problem. What's up, y'all? I'm Jay Welling with Advantage Roofing Company right here in Tyler, Texas, and in this episode I'm breaking down why the roofing industry in Texas is the wild, wild West — and what that means for you when it's time to protect one of the biggest investments you'll ever make. I'll walk you through what a real, legitimate credential actually looks like, why RCAT (the Roofing Contractors Association of Texas) created their own licensing standard when the state wouldn't, and what it means to be Owens Corning Platinum certified and BBB A+ accredited. I'll also tell you how to spot the fly-by-night roofers and out-of-town storm-chasers who leave town — and take your warranty with them. We started this company back in 2008 to be the honest exception, and nearly 18 years and almost 1,000 five-star reviews later, I still mean it: when I give you my word, it's written in stone. If your roof is 5 to 7 years old or you've got hail or storm damage, don't get taken by some out-of-town roofer. Hit me up anytime — call or text (903) 939-3168, or check us out at advantageroofingcompany.com. Peace out — see y'all next time.
Aug 23

Owens Corning Platinum: Worth Paying For or Just Marketing?

So what does it actually mean to be an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor — and is it worth paying for, or is it just marketing hype slapped on a truck? In this episode I'm giving it to you straight. I'm Jay Welling with Advantage Roofing Company right here in Tyler, Texas, and we're one of the only Owens Corning Platinum certified contractors in all of East Texas. So yeah, I've got some skin in this game — but I'm gonna tell you the real deal either way. Here's the thing you need to understand: Texas doesn't even require a license to roof. A guy can slap a magnet on his truck and call himself a roofer. It's the wild, wild West out there, full of fly-by-nights and out-of-town storm-chasers who take your money and disappear — and they take your warranty with 'em when they go. In this one I break down what Platinum certification really means for your roof and your warranty, why Owens Corning only hands it to a tiny fraction of roofers, and how it stacks up next to being RCAT licensed and BBB A+ accredited. We're talking real protection on one of the biggest investments you'll ever make — not marketing fluff. I'll tell you when it matters, when it doesn't, and how to spot the difference so nobody screws you over. If your roof is 5 to 7 years old or older, or you've got hail or storm damage, hit me up anytime — call or text (903) 939-3168 and I'll give you an honest opinion of exactly what I think. Or check us out at advantageroofingcompany.com. Peace out — see y'all next time.
Aug 16

Insurance Adjuster Lowballing You? Here's How We Fight Back

So your insurance adjuster came out, took a look at your storm-damaged roof, and handed you a number that doesn't come close to covering the real repair? Yeah — that happens a lot, and I'm going to tell you exactly what to do about it. In this episode I break down what to do if your insurance adjuster is trying to lowball you, step by step, so you don't get taken. I'm Jay Welling with Advantage Roofing Company right here in Tyler, Texas — nearly 18 years of doing things the right way. Here's the truth: adjusters work for the insurance company, not for you. Their job is to pay out as little as possible. Our job is the opposite. We go to battle with the insurance adjuster on your behalf so you get your roof approved and paid for the way it should be — and you don't have to lift a finger. In this one I walk you through what real hail and storm damage looks like, why a local licensed roofer matters (out-of-town storm-chasers leave and take the warranty with them), how our Owens Corning Platinum and RCAT credentials back up your claim, and how to spot the fly-by-night crooks who'll leave you worse off. When I give you my word, it's written in stone. If your roof is 5 to 7 years old or you've got hail, wind, or storm damage in East Texas, don't get lowballed — hit me up anytime. Call or text Advantage Roofing Company at 903-939-3168 or check us out at advantageroofingcompany.com. Let's go. Peace out.
Aug 9

Boss Taking Advantage of You? Here's What I Did About It

What up, y'all? I'm Jay Welling with Advantage Roofing Company right here in Tyler, Texas, and this one's personal. If you feel like your boss is taking advantage of you — underpaying you, disrespecting you, screwing you over on what you're worth — I've been exactly where you are. This whole company started because the roofing outfit I worked for back in 2008 was doing that very thing to me on my pay. In this episode I get real about how to know when you're actually getting taken versus just having a bad week, and what your options really are. One of my customers heard how I was being treated, walked up to me, and asked why I didn't just start my own roofing company. So we did — he backed me for a year, didn't take a dime of equity, and nearly 18 years later here we are. That decision changed my whole life. I talk about betting on yourself, knowing your worth, and why honesty and integrity matter whether you're an employee or the one signing the checks. I grew up poor in a little shack in Tyler and made a promise I'd never be broke again — this is how you start keeping a promise like that to yourself. If you need somebody to talk it through with, hit me up anytime — call or text and I'll give you an honest opinion of exactly what I think. Reach Advantage Roofing at (903) 939-3168 or check us out at advantageroofingcompany.com. Peace out — see y'all next time. Let's go.

Advantage Roofing Company stands for doing things the right way in an industry filled with shortcuts and bad actors. Jay Welling positions himself as the honest, reliable roofing expert who fights for homeowners, handles everything from start to finish, and never cuts corners. He wants to be known as one of the most trustworthy and dependable roofing companies in Texas.

Creator

Jay Welling
Years Active

2026
Episodes

22
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© 2026 Jay Welling
Show Website

Above the Roof Texas Podcast