When It Rains, Work Pours in for Roofers : Business: Contractors say they have been flooded with calls. But many customers may be willing to settle for a quick fix instead of a more expensive and thorough repair.

As storm clouds began hovering ominously above Long Beach and the Southeast area a few weeks ago, telephones at roofing companies began ringing. And they have not stopped since.

Property owners who had put off replacing their roofs, some for years, placed frantic calls to roofers, pleading with them to plug leaks and prevent damage.

“It’s amazing. You can see how, as the rain comes in, the calls pour in,” said Ed Stevenson, chief executive officer of Southern California Roofing Co. in Downey.

During the torrents of rain in the past week, several ceilings collapsed from the pressure of accumulated rain in Long Beach, and leaks were reported in a handful of Long Beach schools, along with Bell High School, South Gate High School and San Miguel Elementary School in South Gate.

Roofers who have been hurt by Southern California’s long drought and a stalled economy say the rainstorms have brought them three to five times the number of calls they usually receive at this time of year.

Roofers can’t do their job while it is raining, so the downpours have prevented them from making repairs and replacing roofs.

“Last year, we were praying for rain this time of year, and now we’re praying for it to stop so we can work,” said Steve Lang, a Bell Gardens roofer.

Roofers said they expect some increase in work, but many were skeptical about whether it would be enough to pull them out of an economic slump. People have short-term memories and will often settle for a quick patch job instead of a needed new roof, they said.

“As soon as the sun is out in this part of the country, people forget roofs,” said Roger Harper, a Long Beach roofer for more than 30 years. “People are still tight. They still don’t want to spend the money.”

About five years ago, Harper said, he reduced his crew from about 20 to five or six because jobs were not coming in.

“If somebody wants to know something about pressure and stress, go into the roofing business when there is a drought and a recession,” Harper said.

Shawn Driggers, an estimator for Roofman Roofing Co. in Long Beach, agreed that the uncertain economy keeps people from starting expensive repairs. “We go to some places where they need a roof so bad, and they say they don’t have the budget,” he said.

A new roof for an average-size home can range from $2,500 to $10,000.

Leaks, resulting from wind-driven rains, can occur around skylights, windows, bathroom vents, doorways, and air-conditioning and heating units. Clogged drains and gutters can pose problems too.

But many homeowners would rather put a bucket under a leak once in a while rather than pay for repairs.

“We’ve really been hurt in terms of the recession. People will go up on a roof with a bucket of tar and do it themselves,” Stevenson said.

In the Southeast area, a number of cities provide low-income homeowners with financial assistance to pay for home improvements, including roof repairs.

In Hawaiian Gardens, for example, city officials have $314,000 in federal and city funds available for no-interest and low-interest loans or grants, said Jesus Sanchez, the city’s rehabilitation specialist.

Low-income homeowners can apply for a grant of up to $5,000 or for a low-interest loan up to $25,000 for home repairs, he said.

Many people who are eligible for such programs do not know they exist, said Manuel Acosta, Huntington Park’s property rehabilitation specialist. Huntington Park has grants and low-interest loans available, Acosta said. The application process may take a couple of months, however, and that has discouraged people from applying, he said.

Tom Walton, who owns a roofing company in Cerritos, said that property owners are hurting themselves in the long run by not replacing their roofs.

“The roof on your house protects everything you’ve worked for all your life,” Walton said. “A roof lasts 20 years. It’s a good investment.”