Timothy “Tee” Bullis didn’t start Michigan Home Restoration to chase profit. He started it for his kids.
“I started this company simply to give my kids a better life than I had,” said Bullis, who founded the Detroit-area roofing company after working his way up from the bottom of the industry. “I grew up so poor with nothing.”
That personal drive, he says, shapes every job his company takes on - and every dollar it doesn’t ask for upfront.
Michigan Home Restoration operates on an unusual promise: no money changes hands until the work passes inspection. Not the city’s inspection - their own, too.
“We don’t ask for a dollar down. We won’t take a dollar till we pass inspection,” Bullis said. “Even past that, after the city’s inspection, we send an inspector out and inspect it ourselves before we take any money.”
The policy, he says, isn’t a gimmick. It’s a guarantee.
“If you don’t like it, you don’t have to pay us - which, thank God, it’s never happened.”
In a market crowded with roofing contractors, Bullis believes his edge is a combination of structure, standards, and no-middleman pricing. He handles all sales himself.
“I believe in what I sell. I don’t have sales guys. I’m the only sales guy, and I’m an owner. So, you instantly cut out the middleman right there.”
That approach saves customers roughly 10% off the bat, he says - a meaningful difference when a new roof can run $25,000 or more.
Building the right team has been equally central to the company’s growth. Bullis likens his hiring philosophy to assembling a roster.
“Having a roofing company is like having a sports team. You’re only as good as your weakest player.”
When asked what he hopes customers associate with the Michigan Home Restoration name, Bullis didn’t hesitate.
“I want them to think of honesty from start to finish. How honest we are. It’s the truth. It’s simple.”
The company offers financing to help make major repairs accessible. “With the price of everything nowadays, it’s so hard to survive,” Bullis said. “Imagine having to put a $25,000 roof on.”
During his appearance on Live in the D, Bullis brought along his young son Luca - who, when asked if he was his father’s helper, corrected the record immediately: “I’m actually his boss.”
For more information or to schedule a free estimate, visit MHRRoof.com.