Select Your Method Of Payment
Start with cash.
With everything in place, you now need to decide how you want to be paid. Cash and perhaps checks are definitely a smart way to start.
As your business grows, you can appeal to more customers by accepting credit and debit cards. This is easily done by contacting your bank and opening a merchant account. In the US, you might also consider the latest trend of working with a finance company like GreenSky to offer preapproved loans for your customers.
Why Should You Agree With My Logic
2. Time never comes back. If you do not make your breakeven point, you build a deficit that must be overcome over time. Create too big of a hole and you will not get out of it.
3. There is no endless crew of workers. You can only find so many roofers and they must carry a profit each and every day.
Many of you are thinking: If I do this I will never get another job. Maybe not, but you really do have to take into consideration the number of man-days and the length of time it takes to do a job. Simple square or unit pricing does not work. You have to adjust prices when you go into another day or adjust crew size and production logic to make it work. Yes, many of your competitors price differently. You will also find a lot of roofers who go broke. Just because they jump off a cliff does not mean you should follow. Let your competitors take the jobs that require more time so that they make less money. Sounds like a good strategic position to me.
How To Choose Roofing Accounting Software
Choosing accounting software that suits you is crucial to the success of your business. Here are some things to consider when choosing which accounting software is right for you:
- Financial Management: look for an accounting application with dozens of pre-built reports and accounts. If this doesnt exist, its a good idea to create your reports.
- Easy to Use: You should also look for accounting software thats easy to use. Ideally, it should be compatible with Windows, Mac, or Android operating systems. Whether you run your business from a home office or on the road, you should be able to upload information to your accounting software easily and get back to work.
- Accounts: Another thing you need to consider is how many accounts will be in the system. A small install with 5-10 accounts in the system will do for most contractors, but those who have many more than this may want to find a larger version of this software.
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Roofing Fail #: Lack Of Proper Employee Training
Not investing in the initial and continued training of your teams and crews is a widespread reason why many roofing contractors see huge employee turnover, and ultimately fail. Many companies believe their new employees are ready to jump into the fray as soon as they are hired. However, new employees should be trained in the expectations that you have for their role, as well as the processes youve established to uphold your companys quality standards.
Proceeding without doing so could mean your employees are not working up to their potential, or even worse, making mistakes that could be easily avoided. Training could mean anything from giving them a demo of your product or services to sending them to a coach or mentor within your organization who can help them define their role and succeed.Some successful roofing companies invest in training rooms for their employees in their offices. This means designating space to have replica roofs and reproductions of common weather damage employees may see out in the field. Making this investment allows new employees a chance to prefect their skills and practice on all equipment before they even enter a job site.
Dealing with Sales Turnover: What To Do When You Lose a Key Employee
Revenue Vs Net Profit
Many contractors make the mistake of conflating revenue and net profit. Revenue is the total amount of money earned by a business. Some of this money gets invested back into the company and goes towards salaries, cost of materials, or debts.
Net profit is the money a business earns that is not meant to be reinvested in the company. This money is pure profit.
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Best Roofing Contractor Accounting Software
A big part of running your own business is managing your finances. Whether you need help with taxes or payroll, or you just want a way to analyze your bottom line, this article will cover the best contractor accounting software currently on the market. Below you will find the list of accounting software with its pros and cons.
How To Hire A Roofing Contractor
When youre ready to hire a roofing contractor, there are two types to consider: independent contractors and roofing companies. There are pros and cons to both. Always compare bids for the best price and check roofer reviews, references and qualifications.
Independent roofing contractors can be helpful for quick repairs. Because they either work independently or with subcontractors, it may take longer to complete large projects, like replacing your old roof. However, they may specialize in a particular style. Hiring an individual can be a risk, but it means youll see and work with the same person for the duration of the project.
Roofing companies are more likely to complete large jobs more quickly, have their work covered by manufacturer warranties, offer discounts or free consultations and work with more materials. However, you may not have the same point of contact for each phase of the project.
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Choosing The Right Roofing Contractor
Always get bids from a few roofing contractors before choosing the one thats right for you. You may choose the reasonable, middle-of-the-road bid or the contractor with the lowest price and best availability. With the right budget, you might opt for the roofer with the highest estimate and 20 years of experience installing the type of roof you want.
No matter which bid you choose, make sure your roofer has the right qualifications.
If you already know what type of roofing you want, you may have fewer contractors to choose from in your area. Most roofers can install and repair asphalt shingles but fewer have experience with materials like cedar shake, clay tiles or natural slate. Unique styles like solar shingles or green roofs require specialists who may be hard to find in rural areas.
Door-to-door bids, when a roofer visits neighborhoods hard hit by storms and high winds, can be predatory. If local roofers reach out to you about repairing or replacing your roof, check their license, insurance and references before accepting their bid.
Interview With A Roofer
Read as Matt Glass talks about his career as a Roofer. Find him at www.jandjroofing.com and on his Twitter feed in the sidebar of this interview.
What do you do for a living?
I am a licensed contractor, in the roofing trade.
How would you describe what you do?
My job is running an entire business, in every sense of the word. We have all the pitfalls and concerns of any major business. We have around 25 crew with about 10 admin staff so while we are not large, were big enough to sort of have it all.
Whats a typical work week like?
I used to work long hours, 6 days, all that nonsense, but really, its not advisable and youll burn the candle at both ends and burn out if you do that. I usually get in the office at 9am and leave by 4pm. As a contractor, I spend 90% of my time at a desk. In a big city like this and when you have 5 crews running, its impractical to run around and be at all these jobs so you just make sure you have good foreman and a good overall supervisor and I play coach from the desk, fielding any major issues but mostly, I am trying to sell more jobs. It takes a lot of fuel to feed an engine with 25 crew.
How did you get started?
I was lucky, my father was roofing and had a very small business going with a partner when I jumped in so, family biz.
What do you like about what you do?
I like the idea that I provide good jobs for hard working Americans. Thats a good feeling.
What do you dislike?
How do you make money/or how are you compensated?
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How Much Work Can You Do Without A Contractor License In California
Though, it is possible to hire an unlicensed contractor in California, you can only hire them for projects that are less than $500, including labor and materials. Therefore, the only work that can be completed without a contractor license in California is any project that does not equal or exceed $500.
Roofing Fail #: Not Embracing Change
The last failure committed by roofing contractors is opposition to change. The urge to keep things the same can be strong and it can be easy to subscribe to an, if it aint broke, dont fix it, attitude. However, what worked for you as a small startup company might not be what your flourishing company needs now. Keeping things the same can stunt your companys growth and cause frustrated employees to leave. Be aware of what your roofing company needs to remain healthy, and take steps to ensure that you have the tools and people to help you grow.
This means that the technology you use in the office and the field, your employees, job processes, and even building space needs to be flexible as your companys needs change. While it can be difficult to move out of what is comfortable into what is bigger and unknown, it is a necessary step to keep your company thriving.
Successful roofing companies are those that take the time to invest in themselves, their employees, their equipment and their technology. What may seem like an additional upfront cost can prove to be a very profitable return on investment
These five mistakes take down roofing contractors all the time. While they may seem small, they can have huge repercussions in the long run. Ensure that your company continues to prosper by watching out for these five warning signs of a failing roofing business.
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Tips To Find A Great Roofing Contractor
The roofing contractor you hire has a huge impact on every aspect of your roofing project. No matter if you need roof repairs or a full roof replacement, they impact the cost, the quality of the job, and more.
Thats why its crucial to find a great roofing contractor for your roof investment. Unfortunately, the roofing industry doesnt have the best reputation and is known to take advantage of some homeowners.
We try every day to restore the reputation of the roofing industry. Which is why were going to give you tips on how to spot a great roofing contractor.
Since 1990, the team at Bill Ragan Roofing has provided high-quality roofing services in the Nashville area. We work tirelessly to give homeowners like you all the knowledge they need to make the right hiring and purchasing decisions. Even if were not the right fit for you, we can at least point you in the right direction, so you dont get taken advantage of.
By the end of this article, youll learn the 7 tips to find a great roofing contractor. And at the very end, dont miss out on getting your free checklist of questions to ask potential roofing contractors.
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Best Detailed Analytics: Stack
STACK is a roofing contractor accounting software designed to help contractors maintain accurate financial records. STACK allows the user to plan work, submit materials requests, keep tabs on material purchasing, stay current on construction progress and costs all in one streamlined account.
Some tools allow you to track your transactions by month and day, so its easy to get an accurate picture of where you stand at any given moment. The easy-to-use software has many useful features, in addition to those mentioned above.
The main dashboard is a navigational tool that links you to all of the tools available, and there is a mobile app that allows you to keep an eye on your finances on the go. With STACK, youll be able to manage your finances without thinking about it.
Sharpen Your Sales Skills
Your future depends on how well you sell.
Youll be wearing every hat from director to driver when you first start your roofing business. But your most important role is going to be sales. Honing your sales skills at every opportunity will be time well spent. The better you are, the bigger youll be.
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Record Number Of Apprentices But Demand Still Strong
The number of apprentice roofers has grown steadily but there are still not enough qualified roofers to meet demand. Around 80% of roofing apprenticeships are offered by members of the Roofing Association of New Zealand.
You can increase your chances of getting a roofing apprenticeship if you have:
- a good attitude to work, good time management skills, and are willing to learn
- completed a Gateway or pre-trade programme
- the ability to use hand and power tools
- building or other trades experience
- a tertiary qualification but want to retrain in roofing.
Occupational Employment And Wage Statistics
The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link below go to OEWS data maps for employment and wages by state and area.
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Roofing Fail #: Failure To Invest In Marketing
Marketing is a huge asset for a roofing company, and is essential to getting your name out to your targeted area and bringing in business. Marketing can be tricky many contractors are not sure where to invest or what the best marketing strategies are, and as a result, find themselves investing their time and efforts poorly with little to no returns.
The first step to ensuring you have effective marketing is to spend your money in the correct place. While it might seem cool to sponsor the local shuffleboard team, youre not likely to get a good return on investment from it. Investing in social media or trade shows and ensuring your website is up to date will help get your companys name to the right audience in a way that uses your budget wisely. In short, to really make sure your marketing is effective, identify the ideal customer for your products and target that demographic with your marketing in order to really maximize your reach.
Resource: Why Roofing Companies Need Social Media
They Cut Corners On Roofing Materials And Ventilation Vents
We are told pretty much on a daily basis that we are hired simply because we include free lifetime laminated shingle upgrades and attic ventilation upgrades, on every job sold.
When our competitors are asked about upgrading their shingles and attic vents, the customers are told it would cost them an extra $1,000 to $2,000 or more.
In fact, the products most of our competitors are recommending are typically the cheapest they can get with on going class action law suits against product failure.
Which shingle product you choose should be an extremely important decision. Buyer beware!
There are a lot of different opinions out there regarding which shingle products are the best. However, the truth is only an actual hands on roofer, that has experience installing all shingle products on a daily basis with their own back and two hands, can truthfully say which shingle is the best.
Unfortunately, most shingle recommendations are based on profit. Not what is actually best for you or your home.
Because of this, many homeowners are missing out on opportunities to install a higher quality roof on their homes while they have the insurance money to do it.
Another very important aspect of installing a quality roof is properly ventilating the attic space.
This is yet another major opportunity being missed by a lot of homeowners simply because they are listening to a greedy sales person or middleman who has no hands on experience of their own.
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How Do I Become A Roofer In Canada
For roofers, completion of a two- to three-year apprenticeship program or Over three years of work experience in the trade are usually required to be eligible for trade certification. Roofing trade certification is compulsory in Quebec and available, but voluntary, in all other provinces and the territories.
How Much Do Roofers Charge
Many roofers charge by the hour, and often more for the first hour, particularly if they have had to travel from further afield. But some will negotiate a price based on the type, especially if they can estimate how long it will take.
Weve surveyed roofers¹ to find out how much you might need to pay for some common roofing jobs.
Our figures are only a guide to average costs, and there are several factors that can affect how much youll be charged, including:
- where you live
- the age and condition of your property
- how long the job takes
- ease of access to your roof
- the type of roof tile or material being used
- whether scaffolding is needed .
Unless otherwise specified, prices include labour and materials but exclude VAT. We’ve also added tips below on how to save money and find a reliable roofer.
Find trusted roofers near you. Only roofers who have passed an assessment by our trading standards professionals, and who follow our Code of Conduct, can become Trusted Traders.
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