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Effingham Magazine

Mike Cannon & Family A Legacy of Dedication to Our Area

Jun 05, 2024 11:03AM ● By Jan Southern
Mike Cannon & Family
A Legacy of Dedication to Our Area

 

𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐛𝐲 𝐂𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐝
𝐏𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐲 𝐛𝐲 𝐄𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐳 

Honesty. Integrity. Dedication to giving customers the very best product and service possible. Call it old school. Some—most—say it has disappeared. To those we say, meet Mike Cannon. There are two things you can count on—the quality of a roof from Michael’s Roofing, and the word of founder and owner Mike Cannon.

“I am most proud of my faith,” says Mike, “In my belief in Jesus Christ because we wouldn’t be where we are without him, and other than that, I am most proud of my word. My daddy taught me you are only as good as your word. If you can’t keep that, what else have you got?”

Michael’s Roofing is the leading residential and commercial roofing service provider throughout Savannah, Georgia, coastal South Carolina and much of the surrounding areas. Mike stands squarely behind his company’s work. In fact, his name is on every roof. “When I was new at it, I would take chalk and write ‘Michael’s Roofing’ on the
black felt.”

Today the company has the roofing felt printed with their name on it. When you have a roof from Michael’s Roofing, they are proud to claim it.

𝐀 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬

Being a locally owned, family-run business means the dedicated staff at Michael’s Roofing knows you, knows your needs, and works with you to address your specific situation. Customers deal directly with a team member, from the initial estimate to the completed roof. Homeowners are treated as if they were Mike’s own family. From new roofs to skylights, the work will be done correctly, in a timely manner, resulting in a safe and dry home.

Being the only local roofer who is certified by Owens Corning, GAF and CertainTeed guarantees you superior product quality, top-notch workmanship, and strong warranties. In addition to craftsmanship, Michael’s Roofing offers a wide selection of roofing choices, from shingles and slate to metal, in a variety of aesthetically pleasing colors that will enhance the value of your property.

Their commercial work encompasses everything from warehouses to large buildings. Michael’s Roofing wants your business, but more importantly they want your satisfaction. After decades in business, they have established long term relationships with their clients who inevitably become repeat customers. Their many referrals from existing clients are their ultimate compliment.

𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐋𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐫

Mike wants people to be cautious when hiring a roofer. Even if they don’t choose him, he urges customers to select a licensed and insured company. “We just want to reach out to our community and warn against unlicensed out of town roofers posing as locals,” he says, “Anyone with an ID can walk in the door and buy a business license, which is not the same as being a licensed roofer and usually they don’t have workers comp or liability insurance.”

Licensed roofers carry insurance coverage such as liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance. This protects the customer against any liability for costs related to workers damaging your property or getting injured on the job. Mike advises customers to insist on seeing insurance documentation. “You can put anything you want in an ad, so companies claim 20 years experience, which they usually don’t have,” he says.

Because Michael’s Roofing is a licensed roofing contractor you can trust they have up to date knowledge in the best practices in roofing installation, maintenance, repair, and replacement. They will get the work done right the first time, something you can’t say about unlicensed roofers.

𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐓𝐢𝐞𝐬

Being an integral part of their community is crucial to Mike’s business and work ethic. “We have been here all our lives. Grew up here, started our business here. Heck, my kids graduated from Effingham county schools.”

After more than 40 years, Mike still gets up on a roof and swings a hammer. He says, “I get up on roofs because every roof is as important to me as the first roof. I get out there and work with my crew. I believe if you tell a homeowner you are going to roof their house then you should show up to their house.”

The core crew at Michael’s Roofing has been with him a long time. “My crew, bless their hearts, I can’t say enough about them,” he says, “My personal crew has been with me since they were kids, some 20 to 25 years now.” They often perform the specialty and sheet metal craftsman work because, “I know they can do it and do it very well,” says Mike.

And it really is a family business. Mike’s wife Lisa worked alongside him in their home office for years until God sent Crystal. She became Mike’s right AND left hand. Her dedication and loyalty to Michael’s Roofing over the last 15 years has been a true blessing.

Today, Mike’s daughter Sheree and granddaughter Marissa work alongside her in the office as the business continues to grow.

𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤

Mike says his drive comes from his humble beginnings. “I came from poverty and didn’t want my kids and grandkids to go through what I did.” As a teenager he worked for his cousin’s company Cannon’s Roofing and Remodeling. “My cousin Jimmy would pick me up from school and I would pick up roofing trash. That was the first job I ever had that paid me money.”

He quickly learned on the job and at the young age of 21 he set off on his own. “I used my first name and started ‘Michael’s Roofing’. Pretty soon I was the fourth largest company in Savannah.”

Being a business owner meant Mike put in the long hours. “I used to get up at four AM and pick the crew up, work all day till pitch dark, and drive everybody home. Then I would work at home till midnight returning phone calls and putting together contracts. Get up in the morning and go at it again.” That was the grind six days a week for 18 years before he felt comfortable enough to ease up on the grueling schedule.

Mike’s advice for business owners: Keep your word. Honor your agreements. Be loyal to your crew. If you clock in and out or think of your business as a job, you won’t be successful. At the end of the day take care of the business and the business will take care of you.

𝐇𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡

You can’t talk about Michael’s Roofing, or Mike, without talking about his dog Hatch. The name derives from the roofing hammer tool, called a hatchet, but everyone knows him as Hatch.

“He’s our mascot,” says Mike. Hatch has been on plenty of roofs himself, including one memorable day where he slid off of a pollen covered roof, only to bounce up and play frisbee with the neighbors next door. He goes to work every day, sitting in the front seat of Mike’s truck. And Hatch gets his own breakfast at Chick-fil-A every day—a breakfast sandwich and sweet tea in a pup cup.

And rumor has it that Hatch sleeps in bed alongside Mike and wife Lisa. Granddaughter Marissa says, “He would share a bowl with that dog!” Mike laughs and says, “Customers know me as ‘the man with the dog!’”

𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐧

Mike’s family includes Lisa—his wife of 27 years—3 daughters and 9 grandchildren and one great grandchild. Mike jokes, “I used to like my children and grandchildren but now I have a great grandbaby who is my favorite!”

A close family, his daughter Brandy went to work with him from a young age. “I would take her to work with me, put a rope around her waist and tie her off to a tree or chimney so she wouldn’t wander off and she would have a coloring book to keep her busy. Every morning she would stand by the truck ready to go.”

Today he spends most of his free time outdoors working around the house or hunting and fishing at his farm in Sylvania. He and Lisa enjoy riding their motorcycles or jet skis and spending time with their grandkids.

𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲

Knowing they have helped their community means the world to Mike and Lisa. Lisa says, “Over the past four decades, homeowners have been sending us handwritten letters, thanking us for taking care of them and their roofing needs. Every letter is kept in a file, and every personal note copied and saved in scrapbooks.”

Handwritten letters have now evolved to online reviews which are cherished just as deeply, printed and saved just the same. This is done in hopes that the future generation of Michael’s Roofing understands the true meaning of honesty, integrity, and dedication

The Bible verse Proverbs 22 (KJV) verse—A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches—is very meaningful to Mike because, “we strive to make the name Michael’s Roofing synonymous with exceptional quality, craftsmanship, and customer service. Everything we do—installing your roof, working with your insurance company on storm claims, and the behind the scenes of our business—reflects that goal.”

𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡

If you’d like to reach out to 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 (𝐆𝐀) 𝟗𝟏𝟐.𝟕𝟒𝟖.𝟔𝟖𝟖𝟖 𝐨𝐫 (𝐒𝐂) 𝟖𝟒𝟑.𝟔𝟖𝟗.𝟗𝟗𝟑𝟗 or visit their website https://www.michaelsroofingsavannah.com

 

Get more from our interview with Mike Cannon of Michael's Roofing.