Roofer fixes problem-- free of charge Homeowner `moved' by responses to her plight of a leaky roof

It appears there are some very caring people in Halton Hills. In the Friday edition of The Independent & Free Press, a story appeared about Norval area resident Helena DeSalvo's plight in trying to get her leaking roof repaired. Her calls to seven local roofers had fallen on deaf ears for more than three weeks. Within 36 hours of the story appearing in the newspaper, DeSalvo received 11 calls from roofers willing to help, and Independent & Free Press reporter Ted Brown received seven e-mails offering to assess the problem as well. Local roofer Kevin Blondin, proprietor of KB Enterprises, was at the DeSalvo house at 8:30 a.m. Saturday morning with his helper Al McGyver as they checked out the leaky roof problem. "My wife called me at work yesterday afternoon (Friday) said Blondin, "And she just said `Kevin, you've got to help this lady'." "We pulled off the flashing-- it was a complete mess," said Blondin, "It was nothing short of atrocious, the job the previous roofer had left behind. He'd used the incorrect material to flash it, he hadn't used step flashing at all-- it was just all wrong. I'm surprised Helena hadn't had the ceiling fall in off her living room, with water damage." Where the roof met the chimney at the peak of the house, Blondin found a gap, almost an inch across, where he could look directly into the attic. "It makes me angry to see such poor workmanship as this," said Blondin, "It gives all of us roofers a bad name." Blondin and his helper tore off all the old flashing and applied `ice and water' sealer around the chimney, then installed short notice, not to mention the fact he step flashing, which is placed under each was doing it for free. shingle, and goes up the roof like little "There are a lot of wonderful people steps, sealing each shingle individually. around here," said DeSalvo, "I'm so moved The flashing is custom cut to fit the join of at the number of calls I received from peoeach brick/stone of the chimney, and then ple willing to help. It makes me feel so caulked at that join to seal out any chance good, knowing there are so many good of water coming in. people like that out there." The best part-- Blondin did the entire DeSalvo said she would be personally job for free. responding to all those who contacted her "I didn't come here to fix it for the offering to help, to thank them for their money or the recognition," said Blondin, concern and quick response. "I just came here to help out someone But she said there was another person who was frustrated and needed help stop- she would be looking after personally. ping the rain from coming into her "I'm going to get Kevin Blondin's wife a house." huge bouquet of flowers," smiled DeSalvo, DeSalvo was overwhelmed at the "She must be a very special person." response to the story, and equally amazed (Ted Brown can be reached at at Blondin's offer to do the work on such tbrown@independentfreepress.com)

PHOTOS:

Helena DeSalvo was delighted with Kevin Blondin after he repaired the flashing on her chimney. The Norval woman had been trying unsuccessfully for three weeks to have a roofer repair the leak. Photo by Ted Brown

Local roofer Kevin Blondin, proprietor of KB Enterprises, checked out the leaking roof at the DeSalvo house Saturday morning before correcting the problem that has caused owner Helena DeSalvo three weeks of grief trying to track down a roofer to address the problem. Photo by Ted Brown