Today we’d like to introduce you to Bob G..
Hi Bob , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Kodiak really started from my own frustration as a homeowner. I’ve spent most of my career in construction and operations, but when I needed work done on my own home, I found myself dealing with the same problems homeowners complain about all the time—calls not being returned, people not showing up, poor communication, and never really knowing who you could trust.
I remember thinking, if this is frustrating for me, and I work in this industry, imagine what it feels like for someone who doesn’t.
That was really the idea behind Kodiak Construction & Roofing. I wanted to build the kind of company I would personally want working on my home. Communicate clearly, give people honest recommendations, do quality work, respect their property, and do what you say you’re going to do.
We started small and have grown largely through relationships, referrals, and our reputation in the St. Louis area. Along the way, we’ve expanded beyond roofing into storm restoration, exterior construction, and remodeling because our customers kept asking us who they could trust for other projects. Rather than sending them somewhere else, we saw an opportunity to become one trusted contractor homeowners could call for their property.
Today, that original idea still drives how we run Kodiak. We’re focused on building a company that people feel comfortable calling before, during, and long after a project is finished. At the end of the day, our tagline sums it up pretty well: “Quality Construction. Honest Service. Built For It.”
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. I think that’s probably true for anyone who has built a business from the ground up.
One of the biggest challenges has been learning how to grow without losing the reason Kodiak was started in the first place. In construction, you’re balancing customers, employees and subcontractors, schedules, material costs, cash flow, and the unexpected problems that come with every project. When your name is attached to the company, all of it ultimately comes back to you.
There have been mistakes, difficult projects, long days, and plenty of lessons learned the hard way. Building the right team has probably been one of the biggest challenges. You can teach a lot of things, but it’s much harder to teach someone to care about a customer’s home and your company’s reputation the way you do.
At the same time, those challenges have helped shape how we operate today. They’ve forced us to build better systems, communicate better, and become more selective about the people we work with.
I don’t think the goal is to build a company that never has problems. That’s unrealistic, especially in construction. The goal is to build a company that takes ownership when something goes wrong, fixes it, learns from it, and gets better because of it. That’s the standard we’re trying to build Kodiak around.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Kodiak Construction and Roofing?
Kodiak Construction & Roofing is a locally owned St. Louis-area construction company built around a pretty simple idea: homeowners should have one contractor they know they can trust.
Roofing and storm restoration are a major part of what we do, but Kodiak has grown into much more than a roofing company. We handle roofing, siding, gutters, soffit and fascia, interior remodeling, decks and outdoor living, along with ongoing property maintenance. Our goal is to help our customers protect, improve and maintain their property without having to start over with a different contractor every time something needs attention.
What I believe sets us apart isn’t a particular product or construction technique. It’s how we approach the relationship. We want to communicate clearly, give honest recommendations, manage the project well, respect the customer’s property, and still answer the phone after the final payment. Those sound like basic expectations, but unfortunately, our industry doesn’t always have the best reputation for delivering them.
That’s also why we’re developing programs like Kodiak Home Shield, our annual maintenance program. Most contractors are built around waiting for something to break and then selling you a project. We want to build a longer-term relationship with our customers—helping identify smaller problems early and maintaining what they’ve already invested in.
Brand-wise, I’m probably most proud of what the Kodiak name is beginning to represent. I don’t want people to think of us simply as the company that replaced their roof or remodeled their home. I want them to think, “I have a guy for that. Call Kodiak.”
That’s ultimately what “One Trusted Contractor” means to us. We want to become the company our customers call first when something involves their home—and the company they’re comfortable recommending to their family, friends and neighbors.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
The biggest advice I would give someone starting out is to build the business, not just create yourself a job.
When you first start, you’re focused on getting the phone to ring and bringing in revenue. You’ll say yes to almost everything because you’re trying to prove yourself and build momentum. What I wish I understood earlier is that getting work is only one part of building a successful company.
You need systems. You need to know your numbers. You need good contracts. You need to understand cash flow and what you’re actually making on each job. And you need to be very careful about who you bring into your business. Revenue can make you feel like you’re growing when, financially, you may actually be going backward. That lesson applies especially well in construction, where a company can have plenty of work and still have cash-flow problems.
I’d also tell someone not to compare their first chapter to somebody else’s twentieth. There’s a lot of pressure in business to look successful—to have the trucks, employees, office and everything else. None of that matters if the foundation of the company isn’t right.
Focus on doing good work, taking care of people, protecting your reputation and learning from your mistakes. Put good processes in place earlier than you think you need them. Growth will expose every weakness in your business, so I’ve learned that sometimes slowing down and fixing something is actually the fastest way forward.
And probably the biggest lesson for me personally: you don’t have to know everything before you start. You just have to be willing to learn, adapt and take responsibility when you get something wrong. I’m still learning those lessons today.
Pricing:
- Free inspections and estimates
- No-obligation consultations
- Clear, written proposals before work begins
- Options available based on the homeowner’s needs and budget
- Call or text 314-707-9811 or visit CallKodiak.com to get started
Contact Info:
- Website: https://CallKodiak.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kodiakconstructionandroofing
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Kodiak-Construction-and-Roofing/61558704667807/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KodiakConstructionandRoofing
