Legal Notice Regarding Identity, Affiliation, and Distinct Corporate Existence

Issued by: DE Group Roofing and Waterproofing, Inc. ("DEG," "DE Group USA," or the "Company")

Website: degroupusa.com

Effective Date: April 27, 2026

1. Purpose of This Notice

This notice is published to prevent confusion in the marketplace and to formally clarify that DE Group Roofing and Waterproofing, Inc., operating under the trade names "DE Group," "DEG," and the website degroupusa.com, together with each of its parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, principals, officers, directors, employees, agents, contractors, licensees, and successors-in-interest (collectively, the "DEG Parties"), has no relationship whatsoever with either of the unrelated third-party entities identified in Section 4 below.

Any perceived similarity in name, branding, abbreviation, geographic footprint, or industry sector is coincidental. No commercial, contractual, ownership, licensing, employment, joint-venture, partnership, agency, franchise, or successor relationship exists, has ever existed, or is contemplated between the DEG Parties and the entities described below.

2. About DE Group / DE Group Roofing and Waterproofing, Inc.

DE Group is a privately held, full-service company serving residential, industrial, and commercial clients in the United States, with its principal place of business in Walnut Creek, California. The Company's focus is on advancements in roofing and waterproofing systems and, more broadly, on operating as a fully integrated Architecture, Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (AEPC) firm designed to enhance building performance and protect long-term asset value.

The Company conducts business exclusively under its own corporate identity, licenses, insurance, and bonding, and through its own personnel and authorized representatives.

3. Prior Brand Identity and Rebrand to "DE Group"

On or about July 10, 2024, the Company publicly announced the rebranding of its predecessor brand, "Dependable Roofing USA" (also referred to as "Dependable Roofing USA Group"), to "DE Group" (also referred to as "DE Group (DEG)"). The rebranding was announced in a press release issued via EIN Presswire and is publicly available at einpresswire.com/article/726582431.

As described in that announcement, the rebrand reflected the Company's strategic evolution from a full-service roofing contractor into a fully integrated AEPC firm, and was intended to align the Company's name with its expanded capabilities across project delivery, communications, and the value chain. As stated by Mark Rodriguez, a founding director of DE Group:

"In the last year, we have significantly invested in expanding our capabilities into project delivery, communications, and the value chain. We plan to foster significant partners that will enhance our ability to be a single resource for almost any project requirement, which reduces risk complexity and cost for our clients. Alignment of our name with our business strategies and initiatives is essential for better market positioning and clarity. The rebranding to DE Group (DEG) underscores our continued commitment to disciplined innovation and reinforces our dedication to redefining construction solutions with quality and integrity."

For the avoidance of doubt:

The names "DE Group," "DEG," "DE Group USA," and "DE Group Roofing and Waterproofing" refer to the same continuing legal entity that previously operated under the names "Dependable Roofing USA" and "Dependable Roofing USA Group";

The rebrand was a change in trade name and branding only and did not transfer the Company's business, goodwill, contracts, licenses, or liabilities to, or from, any unrelated third party; and

The Company's adoption of the "DE Group" trade name in mid-2024 is documented in contemporaneous public sources predating any inquiry or claim of confusion, and is intended for use exclusively by the DEG Parties.

4. Unrelated Third-Party Entities

The DEG Parties hereby disclaim any and all association, affiliation, endorsement, sponsorship, connection, or relationship — past, present, or future — with the following entities:

4.1 De Build Group Inc. (Oakland, California, USA)

An entity reportedly operating or having operated under the name "De Build Group" or "De Build Group Inc." at or around 1930 12th Avenue, Oakland, California 94606, holding itself out as a general contractor in the San Francisco Bay Area, and reachable through the contact points info@dbuildgroup.com and 1-855-333-2845. Publicly available records (including BuildZoom) reference a General Contractor license (#NAT-F205113-1) associated with that entity that is reported to have expired on or about July 16, 2024, and was last verified expired on or about December 1, 2025.

The DEG Parties:

have no ownership, management, or financial interest in De Build Group Inc. or any related person or entity;

have never been a party to any contract, subcontract, joint venture, teaming arrangement, or commercial relationship with De Build Group Inc.;

do not share any officers, directors, principals, employees, contractors, license numbers, insurance policies, surety bonds, telephone numbers, email domains (including dbuildgroup.com), street addresses, or bank accounts with De Build Group Inc.;

did not acquire, succeed to, or rebrand from De Build Group Inc. or any of its trade names, and the Company's rebrand from "Dependable Roofing USA" to "DE Group" described in Section 3 has no connection to De Build Group Inc.;

do not authorize De Build Group Inc., or any person purporting to act on its behalf, to use the names "DE Group," "DE Group USA," "DEG," "DE Group Roofing and Waterproofing," the degroupusa.com domain, or any associated logos, marks, or branding; and

are not responsible for any acts, omissions, representations, contracts, warranties, work product, debts, liens, claims, judgments, or regulatory matters of De Build Group Inc., including but not limited to matters involving licensing status, contractor performance, or warranty obligations.

4.2 The DE Group (United Kingdom) — degroupuk.com

An unrelated group of companies based in London, United Kingdom, operating under the name "The DE Group," "The DE Group (UK) Ltd," "The DE Group of companies," or "DE Group UK," registered in England and Wales under company number 08802601, with a registered office at 1st Floor, Arthur Stanley House, 40–50 Tottenham Street, London W1T 4RN, and accessible at degroupuk.com. That group describes itself as providing specialist services to the UK construction and property development sectors, including demolition, façade retention, enabling works, basement and substructure construction, structural alterations, refurbishment and fit-out, principal designer and CDM services, and related health, safety, and engineering consultancy.

The DEG Parties:

are separate and distinct legal entities from The DE Group (UK) and each of its constituent companies, affiliates, and personnel;

have no common ownership, management, control, or beneficial interest with The DE Group (UK);

have no contractual, agency, franchise, licensing, or referral relationship with The DE Group (UK);

did not acquire, succeed to, license from, or rebrand from The DE Group (UK), and the Company's adoption of the "DE Group" trade name in 2024 was an independent rebrand from "Dependable Roofing USA" undertaken without reference to or coordination with The DE Group (UK);

do not operate, solicit, or perform work in the United Kingdom or the European Union under, through, or in coordination with The DE Group (UK); and

are not responsible for any work performed, representations made, contracts entered into, or liabilities incurred by The DE Group (UK) or any of its affiliates, in the United Kingdom or elsewhere.

References on this notice to publicly available information about the third-party entities listed above are provided solely for identification purposes so that customers, suppliers, regulators, insurers, and the public can readily distinguish those entities from DE Group Roofing and Waterproofing, Inc. Such references do not constitute an endorsement of, or any statement (positive or negative) about the quality, character, licensing status, or business practices of, those third parties.

5. Identification of Principals and Leadership of Each Entity

To assist the public in distinguishing among entities sharing a similar name or abbreviation, the DEG Parties identify below — based on publicly available sources — the named principals associated with each of the entities discussed in this notice. Inclusion of any name is for identification purposes only and is not intended as, and shall not be construed as, any representation regarding character, conduct, or business practices.

5.1 DE Group Roofing and Waterproofing, Inc. (degroupusa.com) — DEG Parties

As publicly identified on the Company's "Our Team" page at degroupusa.com and in its July 10, 2024 rebranding announcement:

Mark Anthony Rodriguez — Founder / Founding Director

Inocencia Rodriguez (also referenced in public records as Inocencia Garcia De Garcia) — Founder, Responsible Managing Officer (RMO), and Advisor / Co-Owner

These individuals are the only persons authorized to bind the Company at the founder/principal level, together with such additional officers as may from time to time be expressly authorized in writing by the Company.

5.2 De Build Group Inc. (Oakland, California) — Unrelated

As publicly identified on third-party sources including BuildZoom and LinkedIn:

Fidel Calva (also publicly referenced as "Fidel Perez") — Vice President, De Build Group Inc.

The DEG Parties have no relationship with the foregoing individual or with any other officer, director, owner, employee, or agent of De Build Group Inc.

5.3 The DE Group (UK) Ltd (degroupuk.com) — Unrelated

As publicly identified by The DE Group (UK) Ltd on its corporate websites (including degroupuk.com and de-groupcontracting.com), on LinkedIn, and in filings with the UK Companies House (company number 08802601):

Paul John Ford — Chairman, The DE Group (UK) Ltd

Ashley Ross Griffiths — Group Managing Director (co-founder, Deconstruct/The DE Group (UK) Ltd)

Robert Graham Pincham — Managing Director, De Group Contracting; Group Board Director

James Edward Russell — Group Commercial Director

Marc Edward Smith — Group SHEQ Director

Raj Kang — Group Finance Director

Michelle Jane Griffiths — Director

Mick Durie — Director

George William Swain — Business Development Director

The DEG Parties have no relationship with any of the foregoing individuals or with any other officer, director, shareholder, employee, or agent of The DE Group (UK) Ltd or any of its affiliated companies (including, without limitation, Deconstruct (UK) Ltd, De Group Contracting, De-Specialist Works, Decontaminate, and Deploy (UK) Rail Limited).

6. No Implied Affiliation; No License of Marks

Nothing on degroupusa.com, in the Company's marketing materials, or in any communication issued by the DEG Parties should be interpreted as creating, suggesting, or implying any affiliation, endorsement, sponsorship, certification, joint venture, partnership, or other relationship with the entities or individuals identified in Sections 4 and 5, or with any other entity using a name, mark, or domain incorporating the letters "DE," "D.E.," "DEG," "DE Group," "De Build," or any confusingly similar designation.

The names, logos, and marks "DE Group," "DEG," "DE Group USA," and "DE Group Roofing and Waterproofing" are used by the Company in connection with its own goods and services, as the continuation of the brand publicly launched in July 2024 in succession to "Dependable Roofing USA." No license, permission, or authorization to use those names or marks has been granted to the entities or individuals identified in Sections 4 and 5, to any of their affiliates, or to any third party, except pursuant to a written agreement expressly executed by an authorized officer of the Company.

7. Customer and Public Guidance

To avoid confusion, customers, prospective customers, vendors, sureties, insurers, lenders, regulators, and members of the public are encouraged to:

Verify that any quote, proposal, invoice, contract, lien, warranty, or other document purporting to originate from "DE Group" identifies the Company by its full legal name and is issued from an @degroupusa.com email address or another channel expressly published on degroupusa.com, and signed or issued by Mark Anthony Rodriguez, Inocencia Rodriguez, or another expressly authorized officer of the Company;

Treat communications from dbuildgroup.com, degroupuk.com, or any non-degroupusa.com domain as not originating from the DEG Parties;

Confirm contractor licensing, insurance, and bonding directly with the applicable state licensing authority before engaging any contractor; and

Contact the Company through the channels published at degroupusa.com if there is any uncertainty about whether a particular communication, proposal, or representation is genuinely from the Company.

8. Reservation of Rights

The DEG Parties expressly reserve all rights and remedies available at law or in equity, including without limitation rights and remedies under federal and state trademark, unfair competition, false advertising, cybersquatting, deceptive trade practices, defamation, and consumer protection statutes (including the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1051 et seq., and applicable state analogs), against any person or entity that:

uses the Company's names, marks, or domains without authorization;

falsely suggests an affiliation, endorsement, or sponsorship by the DEG Parties;

impersonates the Company or any of its personnel; or

otherwise engages in conduct likely to cause consumer confusion regarding the source, sponsorship, affiliation, or approval of goods or services.

No delay or failure by the DEG Parties to enforce any right shall be construed as a waiver of that right.

9. Contact for Inquiries and Reports of Confusion

Any person who believes they have been confused, misled, or harmed as a result of a third party's use of a name similar to "DE Group" — or who has received a communication purporting to come from the Company but originating from a domain or contact point not listed on degroupusa.com — is requested to contact the Company in writing through the channels published on its website so that the matter may be reviewed promptly.

This notice is informational and does not constitute legal advice. The names of third-party individuals appearing in Section 5 are drawn from publicly available sources and are listed solely to assist in distinguishing among similarly named entities. The DEG Parties' rights, remedies, and obligations are governed by applicable law and any operative written agreements.