If you’re paying attention, the answer to all three should be yes.

So, what’s behind it all? Some point to stronger, more frequent storms. Others blame the flood of new roofers entering the industry. Insurance companies are feeling the pressure—claims are rising, losses are mounting, and trust is wearing thin. It's easy to blame climate change, inflated supplements, or the perception that roofing is a fast path to riches.

But those of us in the business know the truth: roofing is easy to enter and tough to stay in.

The real question is—what are you going to do about it?

If you’re forward-thinking, you're not running from the problems—you’re looking for solutions. Because the reality is this: the challenges aren’t going away. They’re growing. Insurance companies are pulling out of markets, tightening their belts, and becoming harder to work with than ever before.

Now there’s a new player in town—or rather, one that's been here all along. You’ve likely heard of PDR (Paintless Dent Repair) in the auto world. When it first hit the scene, insurance carriers dismissed it as “repair voodoo.” But they were wrong. PDR has since saved them millions.

Why the skepticism? It seemed too good to be true. But the innovators behind PDR stuck to their mission. They proved the savings and earned the insurers’ trust. Still, it wasn’t easy—they fought a two-front battle: first against the insurance industry, and second against body shops reluctant to give up income.

Today, they coexist. PDR earned its place. And now, a similar shift is happening in roofing.

PDR transformed the auto industry — and now a similar shift is happening in roofing. It’s called Granular Roof Repair (GRR), and it's gaining real momentum. We were among the first to believe in this process, and believe me, the road hasn’t been easy. You’d think it would be straightforward — but it wasn’t.

We faced the same 2 battles that PDR did. At first, the insurance companies were skeptical, And the roofing companies claimed (and some still do) that we are just a scam. Voodoo roof repair. But what do you think is easier to do? Walk up to a door and ask them if they would like a “free roof inspection” or telling them that they don't need a new roof and you can save them thousands, as most insurance companies will waive their deductible when you are doing a $3500 repair. You tell me.

We had to learn many things the hard way. Such as, all adhesives are NOT created equal, and not all granules are easy to find. It took years of experimentation and testing to find the perfect combination of bonding agents and granules that would truly work. One of the biggest challenges? Sourcing the granules themselves.

There was a time when you could walk into almost any lumberyard and buy granules in a variety of colors. Some of you might even remember doing it. That’s no longer the case. Try finding them at Home Depot, Lowe’s, or your local hardware store today — you can’t, and in my opinion, the shingle manufacturers have made it intentionally difficult. And here's a fact most people don’t know: nearly every shingle color on the market is made from different ratios of just nine base granule colors.

Once we solved the granule issue, we faced the next challenge: finding an adhesive that could form a true, monolithic bond with both the roof surface and ceramic-coated granules. After years of testing, we found the right solution. Today, those materials are stocked in our warehouses and ready for use by our franchise partners.

We also train roofing companies daily on how to properly use GRR methods — making repairs that last, match, and meet insurance industry standards. As more insurance companies choose Planet Safe Partners franchisees to handle repairs, this model continues to grow. The speculation is decreasing, the proof is building, and yes — we can absolutely coexist with traditional roofing companies when full replacements are necessary.

This SubStack Is Open — Join the Conversation

You're welcome to comment, ask questions, or just follow along quietly. But make no mistake — this movement is already in motion. It will grow, with or without your support.

We’ve been called a scam. So were the early PDR pioneers in the auto industry. But we know what we’re doing. We’ve put in the time. We’ve done the research. We’ve stood by what we know is right. After 18 years of development, I’m not here to argue. I’m here to continue building something that works — something the roofing world desperately needs.

So, say what you want. We’ve heard it all before. The GRR process is real. It’s effective. And it’s here to stay.

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