Spotlight on Northwind Exteriors : Joe Breisch on how his innovative roofing and siding company is leading the way by utilizing the latest technology, a fully transparent process, and the best materials available
Northwind Exteriors
508 W. Higgins Road in Park Ridge
773-998-4000
NorthwindExteriors.com
Based out of Park Ridge, Northwind Exteriors is a large sponsor of Park Ridge Football and Cheer, as well as a member of the Park Ridge, Rosemont and Glenview Chambers of Commerce
Company history
I founded Northwind Exteriors just under four years ago following a successful eight-year year career as a sales rep for the nation’s largest roofing and siding supplier. In this role, I served as a consultant selling and advising home exterior contractors in the Chicagoland area. I was lucky to work in a position that allowed me to grow personally and professionally, as it provided me invaluable knowledge and insight into the world of roofing and siding.
As time went on and technology advanced, I saw an opportunity to bring innovation and my vast knowledge to a roofing and siding industry that was still very antiquated in its processes, products and customer experience. Let alone, the door knockers, the scam artists and the use of low-end products on most people’s largest asset. I wanted to revolutionize the home exterior experience by utilizing technology and making the process of getting a price to replace your roof both fast and accurate. From that idea, Northwind Exteriors was born, and currently serves Chicagoland and the Lake Geneva/Delavan, Wisconsin area.
We will walk you through the process
The process of calling three contractors, scheduling appointments and taking time away from your job and family is a lot of work, and usually a painful experience. What if you could go online, type in your address, get an instant quote in under 30 seconds, and then immediately book an appointment online to work out the details? It seems too good be true, but that’s what we have created and we will strive to continue to innovate and improve.
We will take an educational approach to solving your home’s issues, help with design, and use the highest quality products available on the market. Throughout the project, you will have access to your very own customer project portal, where you can communicate with our team, see project updates like deliveries and start dates, access project documents and photos, and pay your bill online. We believe in being fully transparent and doing our best to remove the anxiety and stress of a home exterior project.
Throughout the project, you will have access to your very own customer portal, where you can communicate with our team, see project updates, access project documents and photos, and pay your bill online. We believe in being fully transparent and doing our best to remove the anxiety and stress of a home exterior project.
Windows, siding and restoration too
We love roofing, but James Hardie siding is where our passion and our very skilled expertise lies. Our team was recently recognized by Construction Review Magazine as a top 10 siding contractor in the Midwest and earned the “Preferred Contractor” status from James Hardie building products. While there are a lot of siding contractors that can install vinyl siding, most do not have the capability to install James Hardie fiber cement siding properly with the same speed, expertise and skill as Northwind.
We will come out, inspect the current conditions, find out what your dream home would look like, and do our best to get as close as possible while working within your budget. We even provide you with a link to access a 3D model of your home, which allows you to visualize your home in the different Hardie colors options and the Malarkey roofing products we offer. We offer this service for free with our siding consultations. Overall, our goal is to make you proud to pull into your driveway again.
Hail storm damage? We’ve got you covered
In the spring of 2023, Park Ridge and the surrounding suburbs were hit with a hailstorm that created widespread damage to roofs that can’t been seen from the ground. While many might not have noticed the quick hailstorm, you were no doubt bombarded with a barrage of aggressive door knockers, telemarketing calls, piles of door hangers and storm chasers flooding the area. While some of them are very good contractors, that is not the Northwind Exteriors’ approach. The best complement we can receive as a contractor is a referral from previous customers, and they keep rolling in after the storm. We are different in how we approach the insurance restoration side of the business and strive to bring transparency to the very confusing process of filing an insurance claim after a storm.
When a hailstorm comes through, the hail stones will hit the roofing, siding and metals of the home. While some of this damage is small, it can have a drastic effect on the lifespan of your roof. The hail impact will damage the shingle by knocking the protective granules off, exposing the asphalt and possibly the fiberglass mat, and prematurely aging the shingles. Additionally, it will leave dings all over your metal roof vents, skylights and gutters. That is why after a storm you will see a lot of roofs being replaced in your neighborhood, and you should reach out to get an honest inspection. If you are interested in a free inspection, please don’t wait to reach out to us.
We are different in how we approach the insurance restoration side of the business and strive to bring transparency to the very confusing process of filing an insurance claim after a storm.
The process is simple with Northwind. We will ask you a few questions, such as how old your roof is and who is your insurance carrier. We will then proceed to give your home’s exterior a thorough inspection for storm damage and will advise on whether you should file a claim. We promise to always give you an honest opinion so that unnecessary claims are avoided. If you decide to file a claim, we will guide you through the entire process from start to finish — from meeting the insurance adjuster on site to point out the damage, explaining the insurance estimate, helping you get a full settlement, and the construction process if approved.
The James Hardie difference
In most cases, contractors will use the cheapest priced materials to make the most margin, and then hope to replace your roof down the road when it is damaged in the next hailstorm. While we love repeat customers, we don’t want you to have to go through this process again and will install a rubberized class 3 or 4 impact-rated shingle that comes with a 50-year Emerald pro warranty. Most shingles on the market are produced with oxidized asphalt. The innovative shingles produced by Malarkey are made using recycled content to create a rubberized polymer modified shingle. This process creates a shingle that has better flexibility, granule adhesion, impact ratings and comes with 3M smog-reducing granules.