How could someone be passionate about a roof?
Siding is siding. A gutter is a gutter. A window is a window. Who cares about the window trim, the block foundation footer at my house, or even the top of my chimney?
There was a time when I did not care about or give much thought to these various elements of a house and the property where we live. I had always enjoyed yard work and anything where I could turn around and see the fruits of my labor, but that was it. I paid attention to work that I could do with my own two hands.
I did not even think about the parts of my house that required specialized trade knowledge.
I did not know a thing about the things I did not know.
Interestingly enough, I have always loved home improvement and remodeling shows. This Old House with Norm Abram and Bob Vila. I even enjoyed the more staged shows like TLC’s Trading Spaces and ABC’s Extreme Makeover Home Edition.
Here I was in North Alabama, watching makeovers and roof replacements on old houses in the Northeast. I loved it.
That has not changed. I am subscribed to a couple dozen home repair and DIY channels on YouTube that I watch on a predictable rotation, along with more traditional media and the Chip and Joanna Gaines style takeover.
These shows have inspired and motivated me, from tinkering on little projects around the house to fully remodeling our home.
My wife and I always dreamed about building our house. After ten years of marriage, we were excited to be fortunate enough to do just that. We moved from the bustling metropolis of Athens, Alabama, right down the road from Huntsville, up to Elkmont, Alabama.
I will write about that process another time, but needless to say, all of that dormant brain power toward the trades of the home that I once thought were over my head or not feasible for me to approach quickly became top of mind. When it came to the house we were building to make our home, everything mattered.
Roof, siding, gutters, brick, doors, windows, concrete, HVAC, house wrap, framing, labor, crews, cleanup, dumpsters, gravel, shingles, metal, vent pipes, boots. All of it became pressing subjects in my school of life, and I was having quizzes, tests, midterms, and finals every week.
I had to pay attention in a hurry. None of this could be neglected.
I never realized how much information and detail was involved in all of these scopes of work. It seemed simple enough, except for the roofing part. I am not good with heights, so that was not so simple.
As we built our house, I started to see why someone could be passionate about the things we put on a house. Maybe not because it holds a special place in their heart, but because it protects the things that truly do.
Family photos and videos. Birth certificates. Passports. Heirlooms and sentimental items. Inherited jewelry and valuables. Phones, laptops, and hard drives. Drawings, baby items, awards. Beds. Favorite spaces. Memories.
Making sure this line of defense is done not just well, but with the utmost attention and care matters.
During the build of our house back in 2021, I was hired to work at Thompson Roofing and Construction in Madison, Alabama. This career change did not just suggest that I pay attention to these areas of home building and maintenance. It demanded it.
Now more than ever, I see the value and importance of roofing, gutters, siding, and more. I care because it is my job, but I also care about these things on the exterior of my house because I can have confidence that the things I care about on the interior are safe.
-Micah Clem
April 4, 2026
Madison, Alabama
