By Zach Sparks
Some people have horror stories when it comes to contractors. Jobs not done right. homeowner overwhelmed.
Ben Pascal got into the roofing business because he wanted to offer a different experience that emphasized quality and reliability.
“My main focus is helping people with their problems,” Ben said. “I’m not trying to run a multi-million dollar advertising company that just happens to sell roofing and siding.”
Ben focuses on providing the best quality products and installations at the best price while taking care of each customer’s personal needs.
He grew up wanting to be an architect. In his 20s he flipped homes and worked on high end bathrooms and kitchens. After five years in sales he opened Great Oak Roofing and assembled a team of licensed, insured and bonded professionals with over 40 years of experience in the roofing industry. In addition, they are all GAF installers, meaning they have received specialized training from one of North America’s leading roofing material manufacturers.
Now he’s tasked with managing one of a family’s most important assets: a roof.
“It’s not an expense. It’s an investment,” he said. “A house with a new roof [can] sell twice as fast.”
How does someone know if they need a new roof? Cracked or missing shingles are a sign, as is moss growth or discoloration. But short-term solutions are usually not the best way to solve the problem.
“[A homeowner] can get a leak and they patch it, and then they get another leak and they patch it,” said Ben. “Then her drywall is damaged, and she destroys the floor.”
When customers call Great Oak Roofing, the company orders a three-dimensional model of the home — today or tomorrow — using drone photography coupled with EagleView or Hover software. This allows the Great Oak team to design the homeowner’s ideal roof while staying on budget.
“From shingles to slate to cedar, we can make any type of roof,” Ben said, adding that the materials can match the homeowner’s color preferences.
The process progresses as a project manager reviews roofing options and creates a contract for the homeowner’s ideal roof while staying within the homeowner’s budget. Once the contract is in place, Great Oak Roofing will answer any questions and schedule an installation. The certified crew will arrive that day and will ensure all colours, materials and tools are correct for the job.
Ben said the process is a low-pressure process. He doesn’t push his staff to meet a sales target, but wants them to make sure they’re doing the best for each customer.
“The customer pays nothing until we complete the drone delivery and they are 100% satisfied,” said Ben.
The company offers not only roofing products but also 6 inch gutter with gutter guard at cost price. Great Oak also features CertainTeed and James Hardie siding.
“Siding is your most dramatic aesthetic feature,” Ben said. “It’s the single most important thing you can do to improve the look of your home.”
Ben takes great pride in his work and giving back to his community. He takes “wounded warriors” or veterans hunting on his family’s East Coast farm. He also donates to Universal Aid for Children, which is dedicated to meeting the medical, educational and emotional needs of orphans, orphanage graduates, displaced children and young people with disabilities in the Odessa region of Ukraine.
His aunt, Miami-based Clara Pascal, is the organization’s founder and the mother of an adopted son from Ukraine.
“She went to these orphanages and fell in love with the kids there,” said Ben, who made several trips to Ukraine with his family during his youth. “When they were younger, I would take them to exercise and dress up.”
Great Oak Roofing also donates all reusable materials to Habitat For Humanity.
Ben is the grandson of former Anne Arundel County executive Robert “Bob” Pascal, who was known for his philanthropy. He opened Robert A. Pascal Youth and Family Services Inc. and the Pascal Crisis Stabilization Center to help people with behavioral and mental health issues.
He also donated more than $3 million to area hospitals. A Glen Burnie senior center and a performing arts center at Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold were named in his honor.
“He was a pillar in the community,” Ben said. “I just want to continue the tradition and follow in his footsteps.”
Great Oak Roofing is offering a 5% discount to seniors, veterans, active duty military members and past customers. Financing is available, with 0% and low payment options.
The team’s work comes with a satisfaction guarantee for installation and workmanship.
Great Oak Roofing serves homeowners within a 40 mile radius of Severna Park. For more information, call 443-346-4790, email bpascal@greatoakroofing.com or visit www.greatoakroofing.com.
Community members can also meet Ben during the dedication ceremony of Great Oak Roofing at Greater Severna Park and the Arnold Chamber of Commerce, located at 1 Holly Avenue on June 3 at 11:30 am.
“I just want people to have a good experience, a smooth experience,” Ben said. “I’m willing to do whatever they need.”
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