Create A Recognizable Brand
Beyond optimizing your website and working toward better rankings in Google, youll want to make sure that you have a strong brand. Considering your business colors, logo, slogan, name, uniforms, trucks, and more can make marketing easier and make it easier for your business to spread by word of mouth.
If people know about your business, youll get more business. Once youre an established name in your area, marketing becomes easier, but it never loses importance. Staying ahead of the competition means continually reaching out to potential customers and positioning your roofing business as the best solution to their needs.
Complete Your Legal Paperwork
Once youve chosen your unique roofing business company name, register it with as your DBA name. Seek a lawyers advice to complete the registration of your roofing company.
You may consider choosing any one of the most popular business structures listed below
- Sole proprietorship
- Limited liability company
Conduct a thorough research on the merits and demerits of these business structures and pick the one that meets your needs. Your choice of business structure can affect an array of things ranging from inherent business risks to task implications and control over business decisions. So, make a wise choice, you can also approach your lawyer to help determine the best business structure.
Register Your Business With The Government
While most roofing businesses dont need to register with the federal government, you will likely need to register with the state government in order to conduct business activities within a given state. The type of registration you need to file will depend on your business structure , as well as on the laws of the state.
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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.
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Consider Your Work Rate
Assuming that you get a fairly steady stream of work, the amount that you can earn depends partly on the number of days you work and the length of your working day.
You may decide to stick to normal business hours, for example 8.30 am until 5.30 pm Monday to Friday and perhaps Saturdays too. Or you may decide to work longer hours. Remember though that bad weather can disrupt your work schedules. Perhaps you are prepared to work very long hours when the weather is fair and your services are in demand, taking some time off during quieter periods.
Some roofing firms offer a 24 hour emergency service for work such as repairing loose and damaged slates. If you intend to offer this service you will need to make sure that you can provide cover at all times, particularly during the winter. You might decide to team up with another roofer to share responsibility for emergency calls.
As an experienced roofer, you should have an idea how long certain types of jobs will take you. It is very important when quoting for a job that you can make an accurate estimate of how long it will take. It’s no good quoting for three days work if it ends up taking you five!
The speed at which you work depends on your own skills and experience and on the type and standard of the work that you do. Your charges should reflect all of these things.
Review Your Cash Flow Regularly
If you have an accountant, work with them to create a real-time view of your cash flow that you can check any time. Even without a dedicated accountant, you can use a cash flow forecast to predict your cash needs for the upcoming week, month, or year. Revise your projections to include actual expenses and revenue to make sure your model is accurate.
Modern construction accounting software can take into account expenses, accounts payable, and accounts receivable to help you spot cash flow problems before they sink your business.
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How To Start A Roofing Business In 2022
So, you want to learn how to start a roofing business this upcoming year? Thats great! The roofing industry is extremely healthy right nowtake a look at these statistics, which show the current state of roofing in the U.S. As you can see, the roofing industry provides many jobs and is a very profitable business.
That being said, the market is quite crowded, and it stands to reason that it can only get more crowded from here on out. Thats why its essential to get started sooner rather than later with creating your roofing company. The quicker you can get your roofing company established in your local community, the better off youll be down the road as more businesses pop up in the surrounding areas.
Of course, starting a roofing company is a bit of a process. Just like starting any company, certain steps must be taken. Missing steps or failing to go through the process thoroughly can result in serious headaches down the road. Dont worry, though! Weve got you covered. Below, weve outlined the key steps you need to take to create a successful roofing business.
And, for everything roofing relatedincluding roofing tips, tool reviews, product reviews, and much more, make sure to check out the rest of our blog. We have tons of great resources for those interested in pursuing a career in roofing!
How To Start A Roofing Company
Just about every structure requires a roof, whether it is a house, business, school, or government building. Roofers have a consistent flow of work as roofs do not last forever. In general, the typical roof lasts about 15 years. However, roofs require periodic inspections, maintenance and repairs after installation.
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Where Choose Your Business Premises
In the early stages, you may want to run your business from home to keep costs low. But as your business grows, youll likely need to hire workers for various roles and may need to rent out a warehouse facility for roofing materials storage. You can find commercial space to rent in your area on sites such as Craigslist, Crexi, and Instant Offices.
When choosing a commercial space, you may want to follow these rules of thumb:
- Central location accessible via public transport
- Ventilated and spacious, with good natural light
- Flexible lease that can be extended as your business grows
- Ready-to-use space with no major renovations or repairs needed
The Following Must Be Submitted For A Roofer License:
A completed Residential Roofers License Application and Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Criminal Background Check form.
The license fee of $120. The fee is the same no matter when a license is obtained during the license period.
A copy of the Articles of Incorporation, filed and stamped by the Minnesota Secretary of State the partnership agreement, signed by all partners or other business organization documents.
A completed Disclosure of Owners, Partners, Officers form, providing names and addresses of all officers, directors, shareholders, partners or employees who exercise management or policy control in the company.
A completed Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Criminal Background Check form for each individual listed on the Disclosure of Owners, Partners, Officers form.
A $15,000 surety bond and power of attorney. The front of the bond must be signed and sealed by the surety company. The front of bond must be signed by the owner of the individual proprietorship, the president of the corporation or a general partner of the partnership. The acknowledgments on the back of the bond must be notarized. The company name listed on the surety bond must be identical to the company name listed on the application.
an individual proprietor who intends to do business using a company name that does not include the individual’s first and last name
a name that does not include the first and last name of each individual partner or
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Do I Need To Choose A Niche
Many roofing companies are somewhat general in terms of the services that they provide. You do not need to choose a niche for your new business, but it could help you with your marketing and branding since it will allow you to focus on a very specific audience.
Generally, roofing companies go either the route of residential and commercial, and what specific services you offer from there is really up to you.
Take Care Of The Legalities
Once you decide on a name for your new roofing business, you need to make it a legal entity. This could be an limited liability company or a corporation. After youve registered your business for that status through your state, youll need to obtain a tax identification number. This is as simple as going to the IRS website and filling out a quick application.
Youll use that identification number to open bank accounts, apply for loans and pay taxes for your business.
Since your roofing business offers a service that can pose risks to your workers safety, youre going to need additional licensing and general liability insurance to protect you, your employees and your customers.
Please contact a lawyer or mentor in your local roofing industry to find out specific rules and regulations for the area where you are operating your business.
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How To Set Up A Profile On A Review Site
Many homeowners rely on review sites, such as HomeAdvisor and Yelp, to help them make a decision about which roofing company to use. Setting up a profile on a review site will give customers a place to rate their experiences, which in turn will give potential new customers reasons why they should choose your roofing company.
Heres how to set up a profile so your customers can start reviewing you:
Be sure to check your profiles on a regular basis to keep all the information up to date and respond to reviews left by customers. If a customer leaves you a positive review, be sure to thank them if a customer leaves you a negative review, respond professionally by addressing their concerns and expressing your determination to improve in the future.
Is This Business Right For You
If you like to work with your hands, desire to be your own boss, and want a consistent flow of work, the roofing business is for you. Aside from making plenty of money, opening a roofing business will provide homeowners and business owners with a much-needed line of defense against the elements. The roofing business requires climbing ladders to access roofs. If you embrace the opportunity to work high in the air on angular surfaces, the roofing business is right up your alley. This business also requires overseeing a team of workers who perform the majority of the manual labor. The best roofing business owners and managers understand how to properly delegate duties, communicate with clarity and lead employees in an effective manner.
Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?
Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!
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Tap Local Small Business Resources
Your biz community is an excellent source of insight and knowledge. You can connect with professionals whove been there, done that, and learned from their mistakes. Whether you work with a small business mentor or join a networking group, youll have access to folks and assets that can help you hash out everything from hiring your first employee to figuring out what type of insurance your new roofing business will need.
Promote Your Roofing Business
Different types of print marketing, signage, and additional branding elements can help build brand awareness in your local area.
Building relationships with potential customers face-to-face is one of the most impactful ways to find your first clients. Make sure to have professional business cards on hand whenever youre networking.
Print out a stack of flyers that include your logo, company information, and a first-time customer discount. Canvas your local neighborhoods, and distribute flyers.
You can also create decals to put on your work vehicles and order company uniforms with your logo.
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Are There Grants To Start A Roofing Business
Its extremely rare to find a grant to start a roofing business. If you search for business grants, you will come across a lot of scams and misinformation. Occasionally an organization will offer grants to start a business, however, be skeptical and dont provide any sensitive personal information or pay money to get more information.
Legitimate federal grants can be found at Grants.gov and you can check on your states economic development office to see if they have any grants available.
How Much Does It Cost To Start A Roofing Company
The first thing to consider when founding any enterprise is cost. Roofers must account for the following as basic overhead:
Thankfully, financing is available in the form of loans and grants from both the local and federal government, as well as private organizations dedicated to developing small businesses. Entrepreneurs of different backgrounds all have organizations willing to support their dreams if they do some research and fill out the right applications.
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Once Your Started Always Improve On Everything
Roofing is a service-based industry, and the profits can fluctuate from time to time. Factors like natural calamities, weather occurrences, and excess material orders will impact profits. Thats why company owners and the upper management needs a lot of planning to boost the profits. Growing your roofing company depends on new ideas and clients, which can be achieved by:
- Keep your website up to date
- Improving on your advertising strategies
- Improving on your phone skills and booking rate
- Improving on sales skills and closing rate
- Improving customer satisfaction
How To Become An Approved Contractor To Work For Insurance Companies
How would you like to become successful in your line of work? One of the best ways to achieve this goal is by working with Canadas top insurance companies. As a contractor for insurance companies, your clients will come to you. The insurance companies will often refer you to their clients when theyre in need of a repair, carpentry, or simply in need a job done. Of course, becoming an approved contractor for an insurance company can be a little more difficult than you could ever imagine. Not only will you need to obtain contractors insurance, but youll also need to jump through a handful of other hoops such as finding out if your companys commercial general liability includes coverage for subcontractors that you choose to hire. Youll find out how to become an approved contractor for an insurance company below.
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Develop A Business Plan
Before diving in to any business, you should develop a business plan. Roofing equipment and vehicles can cost a lot of money. Dont forget about insurance costs, not only for you, but for any employees. A business plan doesnt have to be anything complicated, but is something that will help organize your goals and priorities and help you make wise decisions. It is important to know how much you will need to spend to get started, and how much you will need to make to support yourself.
Not everyone wants to have a multi-million dollar roofing company with hundreds of employees. If your goal is to have a small to medium sized roofing business, then the goals you set will be much different from a business plan for a large corporation.
Either way, you need to have a solid plan set in place that will help you achieve the goals you set for your business.
Finding a mentor can be a huge asset when starting your roofing company. The ability to learn from another successful roofing business owner can save you time, and help you avoid many costly mistakes.