30 l ROOFINGBC l SPRING 2018 FACES OF THE TRADE with this job, which is part of the fun. Not only in and around Burnaby but in Vancouver proper, North Vancouver, Port Coquitlam, Maple Ridge, Whistler, and Squamish for example.” Known in the trade as sloped roofers, Jeanos talks about the optimum condi- tions on the job site. “Whenever a roof is at an easy 4:12 pitch ratio, the substrate is in perfect condition, the fascia board isn’t necessary to replace, and there’s easy access to garbage disposal with the bin close to the house. That’s really as good as it gets!” “…when I looked a bit deeper into the roofing business, I knew that I’d like working on rooftops, I wasn’t afraid of heights, and that at the very least I would be making a positive difference in someone’s life.” – Julian Jarwe One of the many aspects of working for RooFix that the twins enjoy is their ironclad commitment to safety. Jeanos says, “The company has zero tolerance for safety breaches and so do we. Our superintendent does regular site inspec- tions on every job and we also have a safety committee that performs random check-stops. All of the safety training at RooFix is very thorough.” And what about job satisfaction? Julian describes one of their most rewarding experiences: “We were working on a townhouse complex in Kitsilano with just me, my brother, one foreman and one labourer. Unfortunately our foreman got hurt and it was just the three of us. This was a 34-unit complex and it took almost three months to finish that job. But when we completed it, that was a proud moment. We worked quickly, efficiently and safely and there were virtually no deficiencies after the inspection. It was a great feeling!” And like the twins often parodied in contemporary movies, the brothers compete with each other and disagree constantly. Julian says, “There’s never a day when we’re not arguing. Jeanos is roughly 215 pounds, and I’m about 194. He usually outdoes me at the gym, but on the job site I tend to be the “go-to guy.” Apparently there’s no disagreement on that. And the less desirable situations? Julian explains, “Sometimes you’ll encounter a very steep pitch to a rooftop – like a 12:12. That kind of roof is difficult to work on and slows down your progress substan- tially. You have to be more mindful and sure-footed when you’re walking along the roof and there’s a trickier safety set up. You haul up a lot of extra equipment on a job like that and under those condi- tions your back can definitely get sore. But that’s where our physical conditioning really helps – as bodybuilders our backs have already been strengthened at the gym. It makes a big difference.”