Price Your Services Properly
One of the most important things you need to do when starting a roofing company is to set your prices correctly. If you charge too much, you wont get any customers.
If you charge too little, youll lose money on every job. You need to find a happy medium that will allow you to make a profit and still be competitive.
The best way to set your prices is to research the competition and see what theyre charging. You may also want to consider offering different service levels to appeal to a broader range of customers.
Step : Create Your Business Website
After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.
While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that its out of their reach because they dont have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.
Here are the main reasons why you shouldnt delay building your website:
- All legitimate businesses have websites – full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
- Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
- Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You dont need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.
Using our website building guides, the process will be simple and painless and shouldnt take you any longer than 2-3 hours to complete.
Recommended: Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders.
Arrange The Necessary Equipment
One of the first things you need to do is set up a place where you can do the work. This could be in your home or a separate workspace.
Youll need some basic tools, such as a ladder, screw gun, and drill. Youll also need a good supply of roofing nails, staples, and tar paper.
If youre going to be doing the work yourself, youll need to invest in good quality tools. You can either buy them new or used, but make sure theyre in good condition.
You should also consider renting or leasing some more expensive equipment, such as a power washer or dumpster. This will help you keep your start-up costs down.
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Identify Your Target Market
Your business is NOT for everyone.
And if you try and include all customers, youll end up excluding them.
Heres what we meanlets say you want to please everyone so your website says #1 Roofer in the City. Call now for free quotes and great deals. Onlyno one calls. Why? Because in targeting everyone, you appealed to no one.
A business owner seeing your website thinks Hmmm I need a specialized commercial roofer, Ill keep looking. And a homeowner with a tired and old roof thinks Hmmm I need a specialized tile replacing roofer, Ill keep looking.
Its only when you identify your audience and start speaking directly to their problems that your new roofing business will grow.
Do you want to service residential roofs? Commercial roofs? Construction project roofs? Strata-related roofs?
And once youve found your niche, youll need to define your services. Will you clean roofs or only replace them? Will you repaint roofs or only restore them?
Answering these questions needs to happen before your website goes live to make sure your business strategy is in line with your marketing strategy.
Getting Organized When Starting Your Business
Keep good records This may be the single best piece of advice for a new business owner. Records are everything in business. You never know when you are going to need them: Insurance claims, lawsuits, loans and financing, even tax obligations. All these things will require business records. The better your records, the better you will fare if you must deal with any of these.
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Step : Get Business Insurance
Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your companys financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.
There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If youre unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so its a great place to start for your business.
Learn more about General Liability Insurance.
Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, its a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage.
Recommended: Learn what business insurance for your Roofing Company will cost.
Easy Job Tracking And Management
In order to compete in a crowded market, your roofing company needs to follow up with leads promptly and keep jobs moving forward. Roofing contractor software with robust job/project management capabilities will help you track leads and stay updated on the status of your jobs so nothing falls through the cracks. Once your jobs are in production, your roofing CRM will enable you to manage schedules in real time and keep work progressing efficiently.
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Learn To Stay Profitable
Have you ever dealt with a business that gets so busy that they couldnt handle all of the work?
They wouldnt get back to you or do a bad job overall, right?
Dont be that business.
Its tempting to take every job you can to get cash in the door. When you do that, youll find yourself stressed because you cant get your customers.
The lesson here is to take the jobs that you know you can do well and at a profit.
All it takes is one bad job to lose a lot of money. You have to make sure your estimates consider all of your expenses and take into account any delays or setbacks.
Why Do Roofing Companies Fail
Not Investing in Initial and Continued Training of New Hires – Not investing in initial and ongoing training of your teams and crews is a common reason why many roofing contractors experience high employee turnover and eventually fail. Many employers believe that their new hires are ready to go right into the thick of things as soon as they are hired.
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Obtain All Necessary Permits & Licenses
Just like insurance, permits and licenses are required for your roofing business. The requirements vary from one state to another. Licenses and permits enable you to operate a legal roofing business. You can obtain business permits from your city or town hall. A roofing business needs the following permits and licenses:
- Local Business Permit- You can obtain a local business permit from your city hall or town. The government may be required to do planning, zoning, and safety inspection approvals before giving you the permit.
- State Contracting License- A general contractor license allows you to hire subcontractors, gain respect among potential clients, and amongst colleagues. However, getting a state license is an involving process, that requires you to meet certain requirements along the way.
Are You Ready To Start A Roofing Business
Starting a roofing company can be a lucrative business option. You should follow all of the steps mentioned above to set up your new roofing business.
Do you have other questions about starting a roofing business? Ask them in the comments below. Well be happy to help you set up your small business.
Get free business tips, resources, and articles straight to your news feed.
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Insure Your Roofing Business
Starting a new roofing company represents a major investment of your time and money. Insuring your roofing business will help you protect your investment and prepare for unforeseen circumstances. Here are a few different types of insurance your roofing company might need:
Some states require that businesses carry specific types of insurance. You can verify what insurance you will be required to carry with a local business association.
Equipment Needed When Starting A Roofing Business
You cant start a roofing company without roofing equipment. Equipment will probably account for the largest portion of your startup costs. Starting out, you dont necessarily need all brand-new equipment. You will save thousands of dollars in startup costs by purchasing a used truck, used ladders and ladder rack, and other miscellaneous tools. Another tip is to only buy tools as jobs require them. This will help keep you from going into debt for tools and equipment you may end up never using. Some of the tools and equipment you will need will vary according to what roofing services you plan to specialize in.
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Consider The Investment Required For A Roofing Company
When you start a business, you will need to invest some money into it to get started. For a roofing company, you might need to purchase the following things:
- Ladders
- Tools, including nail guns, staplers, pry bars, and lasers
- Hard hats and other safety equipment
- Shovels, rakes, and toe boards
- Trucks for you and your employees
You might have a lot of these items already, but if not, youll need to get them. A roofing business must have the proper tools and equipment for handling roofing jobs.
You can make a list of the items you need, along with their costs, to determine how much youll spend on your initial investment for your new business.
Picking Out Your Roofing Product Lines & Preferred Distributors
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Make Your New Roofing Business Legal
Rules for starting a business and registering it vary from one community to the next, so its important to research the laws in your area.
Many towns have local non-profit businesses that specialize in helping small business start-ups remain compliant with local tax codes.
You may be able to access their services at no charge.
To find organizations in your area that assist new businesses, do a quick Google search for your towns name and small business development.
Another way to find help is to contact your local public library and ask about any organizations that may be able to help you create your roofing company business plan.
Youll need to register your roofing business name and your business entity with your state and get any necessary city permits and licenses so you can remain compliant with local laws.
After your business is properly registered, open a business bank account under the name of your roofing company.
Shop around for a no-fee account and be sure to find out if local credit unions offer special financial support and tools for new businesses.
Change Your Sales Approach
Whats the fastest way to grow your sales?
Get better at sales.
As a roofer you want to provide a premium service, but you need to be able to convince people to part with their money to hire you. Its common for sales to get a bad rap, with roofers not wanting to put the hard sell on their customers. Thankfully, sales isnt about being pushy or aggressive.
Roofing sales is about understanding your customers problems and selling them a solution.
To change your sales approach you should look to act as an advisor whether youre on the phone or on-site providing a new roof estimate. If your prospect has questions, answer them honestly even if the answer doesnt link to your business.
This is known as a consultative sales approach and helps build trust.
When you prioritize building relationships over being pushy, you end up with more sales. And as you learn more about your customers wants, needs and desires, youll start to turn Im not ready yet into When are you available to work on my roof?.
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How To Market A Roofing Company
Here are a few proven marketing tactics to help your roofing company get started with marketing:
- Company website: Most homeowners do their research online, and a strong website will give them a positive impression of your roofing company. On your website, make sure your contact information is easy to find, describe what sets your roofing company apart, and prominently display any special offers or deals.
- Social media: Creating a social media account for your roofing company, such as a Facebook page, helps you connect with potential customers on a platform they frequent and showcase your work. You can also purchase ads on social media to reach a local audience.
- Google listing: Creating a profile allows you to promote your business in Google Search and Google Maps. When homeowners search for roofing companies in your area, theyll see your business name, website, and other company information.
- Door knocking: Canvassing a neighborhood can be the best way to reach homeowners in areas that have been hit by storm damage. Be prepared to pitch your business in a few sentences and leave behind a flyer or card to remind the homeowner of your services.
- Truck wraps: for your services with truck wraps. Be sure your name, phone number, and website address are clearly visible on all sides of the truck.
How To Start A Roofing Company: Everything You Need To Know
If youre wondering how to start a roofing company, then check out this insightful blog post. Itll give you plenty of actionable advice thatll help steer you in the right direction. Click here for more info!
Do you want to know how to start a roofing company?
Now is a good time to do so because more homes are getting crushed by storm damage. That creates a huge opportunity for roofers.
Roofing companies can be very lucrative, but like any business, theyre also a huge financial risk.
Dont become and other statistic and be a business that goes under.
Read on to learn everything you need to know to start a roofing business.
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Create A Business Plan
The term business plan may sound overwhelming to an aspiring business owner. But realistically, it is a document that puts together all of the ideas you have for your new project, and helps you realize where you need to fill in the gaps to bring your business to life.
Unless youre presenting your business plan to investors, or including it as part of an application for state funding, your business plan can be quite simple.
Youll want to include information on the exact service youre providing and who youre helping. This is where you can hash out what type of roofing services youre going to offer in your business.
Identify the geographic limits of the community that youre going to serve, and where the most central location is for your storage and office space. Do a deep dive into any information on direct and indirect competitors in the area. Take a look at other successful roofing companies, and make note of what they are doing right.
At this stage, youll want to work out some administrative aspects and processes, such as employee onboarding, client onboarding, invoicing, bookkeeping and budgeting for your business.
Mighty Dog Roofing Opens Doors In Dallas
Dallas, May 26, 2022 — Dallas, Texas –
Dallas, TX: Mighty Dog Roofing has just opened a new location on North Central Expressway in Dallas. This development is a significant leap forward for the company on its quest to dominate the roofing sector in towns all around the United States.
Following the company’s opening of a few new offices in recent months, including locations in Houston and Austin, this is yet another expansion to better serve the Texas community.
Mighty Dog Roofing, a franchise based in Omaha, is expanding throughout the country wherever its decades of expertise in high-quality roofing and house improvement services are needed.
Mighty Dog Roofing sets itself apart from the competition by providing services that customers can trust. Customers get local contractors at affordable costs through a countrywide team and local offices.
Its mission is to provide innovative technology and exceptional customer service at a fair price to residents in the community. This means less time spent pestering a contractor to get the work done, easy access to customer service, and no hidden costs.
Americans are investing more money in their houses, businesses, and commercial buildings than ever before, and Dallas property owners are no exception. Dallas roofing company local presence means that expert roof installation, repair, and house improvement services are available to meet these demands at an affordable cost.
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Lets Recap What Weve Learned In 30 Seconds
Starting a roofing business means youll be working in the service industry.
Its easy to think your skills as a roofer will make or break you, but thats not true. Of course, you want to be a qualified roofer with all the necessary insurance and skills, but as a service-based business, you can generate leads and bring on new customers that will keep you running year after year.
External factors like the weather, the price of suppliers, and your target markets financial situation will impact your revenue.
But you have the power to tip the scales in your favor with:
- A professional website
- A Google My Business listing
- Listings on relevant directories
- A selection of marketing strategies to drive leads
You may not feel like a salesperson, but your roofing business needs sales to survive.
If you take just one thing from this How To Start a Roofing Business guide, let it be this you dont have to be pushy or aggressive to sell your services.
When you build your roofing business around the idea that every customer has a problem and its your job to find the solution for them, youll have the foundation for success.
The idea of creating a roofing website can be overwhelming, especially if youve got no experience. But with simple website builders created specifically for tradies like Pedestal, you dont need any experience at all.
