For as long as he can remember, Troy Miller has enjoyed working with his hands to create new things.
“Straight out of high school, I was working for a family concrete business that’s been around for nearly 100 years,” Miller said. “I was basically helping build homes from the ground up and I really got into it.”
Even though Miller would go on to work in the auto industry in finance and sales management before entering the construction field (more on that in a moment), he continued to flex his creative muscles by custom designing a hunting shack and ice shack for his family. He also found himself overseeing an unplanned home improvement project when his basement was destroyed due to a sewage backup in the city where he lived.
“That was a devastating transition for a whole year because everything had to come out of the basement,” he said. “I ended up working as the general contractor for everything from the flooring to the electrical to the sheetrock to the trim. I essentially handled the entire remodel.”
In the fall of 2022, Miller – who had been staying home with his children for almost seven years – decided to look into going into the construction industry.
“I’ve always had that passion for designing and customizing projects and a lot of people have told me because I’m a salesman by nature, I needed to get into a line of work with homes in one way or another,” Miller said. “And I always thought this industry sounded fun, different and challenging and I liked knowing that I would be able to help people.”
After months of researching companies, Miller discovered Shelter Construction, a Brooklyn Park-based company that has been providing home improvement and building restoration services in Minnesota and Wisconsin since 2008.
“I found out the owner has been in the industry for more than 40 years and I look at him as the G.O.A.T,” Miller said. “He’s done it all and I knew right away that he was going to be a great mentor for me.”
Miller landed an interview at Shelter in February 2023 and the following month, he started work as a field representative. Now nearly a year later, he’s thrilled to be able to support so many homeowners and guide them through their home improvement projects, especially the ones that are unexpected and involve insurance claims. It’s something he understands very well having been through the same experience and he wants to make things as smooth, seamless and stress-free as possible for his clients.
The process starts with a comprehensive home inspection, which is something Miller does free of charge. He’ll go around the property and get up on the roof to inspect the roofing system and look for damage or potential areas of concern. He’ll then take the information he gathered – along with the photographs he took – and put them into an inspection report. If it turns out there is damage and the homeowners need to move forward with filing a claim to get it fixed, he makes a point of letting them know that he’s going to be there for them every step of the way.
“The number-one word that I always like to tell people is ‘patience,’” Miller said. “Patience is an absolute must because a lot of people don’t understand the process with insurance and how long it can take. I like to help educate them on what they can expect since insurance companies don’t move fast.”
Based on Miller’s many referrals and glowing reviews, he’s doing an excellent job serving his customers.
“Troy was consistently in communication and there were no surprises.”
“Troy is the man. He’s very knowledgeable and has been super patient with us, helping educate and advocate for us.”
“Working with Troy was great! This guy knows how to take care of his clients.”
Additionally, because of his hard work and dedication, Miller earned the accolade of “rookie of the year” for 2023 and he’s eager to continue going above and beyond to take care of his customers for many years to come.
“I believe that when it comes down to it, you have to love what you do,” Miller said. “And I really, truly love what I do. I’m not just here to help a person with their roof. I’m here to be a trusted resource for them for life.”
If you’re thinking about doing a home improvement project, finding the right general contractor is key as it will dictate the entire experience. To that end, here are a few of Miller’s tips on what to keep in mind when choosing a company to work with:
- Reputation: When Miller meets with prospective clients for the first time, he always advises them to do their due diligence by going online and reading reviews. “That will tell you the legacy of that general contractor and give you an idea of what they’re all about,” he said. “And don’t sign anything until you’re 100 percent comfortable and confident with them.”
- Communication: There’s nothing worse than feeling like you’re in the dark about a project involving your home. That’s why Miller goes out of his way to keep his clients in the loop from start to finish. “I’ll text them throughout the process with any notifications or changes about the job or with the insurance and they really love that,” he said. “That’s the difference between us and our competitors – we really make sure our clients are always informed of what’s going on.” Additionally, if they have, say, a deck or a railing system that they’re concerned might get damaged during the construction process, Miller always reassures them that the workers know that they’ll need to be extra careful in those areas. If you’re interviewing contractors, be sure to ask about how they’ll communicate with you and, again, look at reviews to see what previous customers are saying. If they’re not good about staying in touch, chances are good that someone will mention it online – and you’ll know to steer clear.
- Responsiveness to questions: With homeowner’s insurance being so complicated – and many people filing claims for the first time – hiring a general contractor who can help you understand what’s covered and what isn’t – is a big plus. Also, whoever you hire should be able to answer questions about the products they’ll be using to repair your home. Not sure what to ask? Well, it really depends on the specific work that’s being done. For instance, you might consider questions like: How thick should the shingles be? What type of windows and siding are you planning to use? And what about the ventilation system?” Miller also likes to go the extra mile by actually bringing materials such as siding and shingles to the homeowner so they can see and touch it and get a clearer idea of what the finished product will look like. And he doesn’t do it because he has to – he does it because he wants to make sure that people are fully aware of what they’re getting so there are no unpleasant surprises. “A lot of homeowners just don’t know about these kinds of things and that’s when they get taken advantage of,” Miller said. “I’m here to make sure they understand what’s going on and to take care of them like they’re part of my family.”
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