Lessons from Local Leaders:

Scott Kim

Think Bigger Than One House: How Scott Kim and WGM Contracting Are Upgrading Entire Neighborhoods One Roof at a Time

It started with one homeowner who wanted a better roof. It became a community-wide transformation. And for Scott Kim, it was proof that when you lead with education instead of sales, neighborhoods move together.

Scott Kim didn’t set out to change the way HOA communities think about roofing. He set out to help one motivated homeowner in Northern Virginia who was tired of watching Cedar Shake wear down and wanted something built to last. But Scott had an instinct — that one house was never really the opportunity. The neighborhood was.

That instinct became the Chapel Cross Way project, and it’s the kind of story that explains everything about how WGM Contracting operates.

One Homeowner. One Conversation. A Whole Community.

The Chapel Cross Way project began the way the best things often do: with someone willing to ask a better question. The homeowner didn’t just want a new roof — they wanted a stronger one, one that would hold its value and actually improve the look of the neighborhood over time. Scott introduced them to Da Vinci composite roofing, walked them through the benefits, and watched the idea spread.

“The community got excited real fast,” Scott says. “And that’s when I realized it wasn’t just a roofing job. It was a community improvement opportunity.”

HOA projects carry a different set of challenges than a standard residential job. There are rules about uniformity, approval processes, and an overriding concern about protecting property values across the entire neighborhood — not just one home. For a lot of contractors, that complexity is a reason to walk away. For Scott, it was exactly where he wanted to be.

“HOAs care about uniformity, long-term appearance, and protecting property value,” he explains. “The key is communication and documentation — showing the HOA how a premium product like Da Vinci actually enhances consistency and longevity in the neighborhood.”

The Education Mindset

Getting multiple homeowners to agree on anything is an achievement. Getting an entire HOA community to align on a roofing upgrade is something else entirely. Scott’s approach comes down to one shift in framing that he applies to every project: he educates instead of sells.

“We did not sell. We explained the lifespan, the appearance, and the long-term value — and specifically helped them understand the ROI.”

The numbers tell a clear story. A Da Vinci composite roof costs roughly three times more upfront than traditional asphalt shingle. But factor in a 2.5% annual inflation rate over 20 to 25 years — plus the cost of a second roofing project, because asphalt shingles don’t last the way composite does — and the math flips entirely.

“Ultimately you’re paying more than the 50-year Da Vinci roof for a lower quality roof, and you have to deal with two roofing projects,” Scott says. “It’s a no-brainer.”

Da Vinci composite roofing carries a Class A fire rating — the highest available — which is part of why insurance companies recognize it and credit homeowners with lower premiums. It maintains its appearance for 50-plus years, delivering the natural look of Cedar Shake without the warping, discoloration, and degradation that come within five years of a traditional shake installation.

When homeowners understand all of this, they don’t need to be convinced. They come to the conclusion themselves.

“When you educate the homeowners, give them the value, explain the experience and what is beneficial for them — you’re positioning yourself as an expert. And they want to work with experts.”

The Instrument That Needs Daily Tuning

What drives someone to think this way — to approach every neighborhood as a whole, every homeowner as a student rather than a prospect, every challenge as a reason to grow? For Scott, the answer starts before he ever sets foot on a job site.

Every morning, he tunes himself.

“All human beings are like instruments,” he says. “Just as all instruments need to be tuned before they play beautiful music, we need to tune ourselves every day we wake up — in terms of purpose, attitude, gratitude, vision, and goals.”

It’s a discipline, not a mood. Scott approaches the three consistent pressures of business life — pressure, people, and problems — with a mindset he’s chosen in advance. He accepts pressure with a smile. He meets difficult people with equanimity. He receives hard problems with something close to gratitude.

“These are like the essential ingredients for me to grow,” he says. “The natural fertilizer for my life.”

Each morning, he also asks himself three questions: What am I moving toward today? What inspires me today? What standards am I building my life for? The answers don’t need to be profound — they just need to be honest. And the act of asking them keeps him oriented.

“Day by day, in every way, I am getting better and better. Every single day I try to become a better version of myself than yesterday. That itself motivates me.”

Success as a Byproduct

There’s a way Scott talks about success that cuts through most of what gets said about the subject.

“Success is something that you attract by the person you become,” he says. “Whether it’s wealth, health, or relationships — the amount of effort and sacrifice that you put in is exactly what you get. If you want to have more, you need to become more.”

WGM Contracting is veteran-owned, Northern Virginia-based, and built around that same principle: the quality of the work reflects the character of the people doing it. The Chapel Cross Way project isn’t just a case study in smart business development. It’s an example of what happens when a contractor decides to think past the transaction — past one house, one sale, one job — and asks what the neighborhood actually needs.

Scott’s advice to other contractors who want to do the same: think bigger.

“Approach the neighborhood with an education mindset instead of a sales mindset. Position yourself as an expert. I will guarantee you that you’ll be able to help the entire community upgrade together.”

To every listener still figuring out what they’re building: Scott leaves them with the same words he gives himself each morning.

“Stay hungry. Have a purpose. And that purpose shouldn’t just be for you — it should be for your family and for serving others.”

Scott Kim is the owner of WGM Contracting, a veteran-owned premium roofing company serving HOA communities and homeowners throughout Northern Virginia, specializing in Da Vinci composite roofing systems.

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