We’re going to take a look at the advantages which commercial roofing has over construction – including how it provides more opportunities for profitability and steadier work flow.
We recently sat down with a Conklin Master Contractor that owns Montana-based Schrock Construction and Schrock Commercial Roofing, Inc. With over 40+ years of construction experience, Will shared how he became involved with commercial roofing and how he’s benefiting from it.
A few brief conversation highlights are below.
Advantages of Commercial Roofing over Construction
The commercial roofing market offers many lucrative opportunities for dedicated entrepreneurs:
Commercial roofing can even out the high and lows of construction. The residential and commercial construction markets share many dynamics. Building a new home, residential building, or commercial structure takes time. And since it’s expensive, people are hesitant to make such a big investment in times of economic uncertainty.
Therefore, demand for construction services depends on the health of the economy. New construction projects can be lacking when times are tough. Commercial roofing is a powerful antidote to these ebbs and flows of the construction industry. It’s a niche market and has many diverse customer needs: roof maintenance, repair, restoration, and replacement. As a result, there are strong opportunities for steadier business income within the commercial roofing industry.
The commercial roofing industry offers more consistent work. This can be seen in the nature of commercial roofing work. No matter what the state of the economy is, building owners will constantly have problems with roof leaks. There will always be a need for capable professionals who can keep these leaks at bay. And as a result, demand for professional roof repair and restoration services will be more consistent.
The opportunities for roof restoration can be seen in industry statistics, as well. For one, over 20 billion square feet of EPDM rubber roofing has been installed nationwide in the past 40+ years. And there is over 60 billion square feet of metal roofing on American homes and buildings. In the years ahead, as these roof systems and others are subject to weathering, they will need to be repaired, restored with a coating, or replaced. It’s clear there will be strong demand for roof repair and restoration on single-ply and metal roofing systems in the future.
Commercial roofing opens the door to greater profitability. Will mentioned that he and his team faced challenges when the economic downturn of 2008-2009 rolled around. He began looking for things to replace the lack of construction work available. Commercial roofing filled that gap. And Will strengthened his profitability with Conklin’s liquid-applied roofing and durable, single-ply membrane products.
Will’s story reinforces how the commercial roofing industry isn’t as dependent upon economic conditions as the construction industry. Construction of new homes and commercial buildings requires expertise in many building trades, while commercial roofing projects need tradesmen with a capable skill set related to roofing. And with Conklin roofing products, Will found the profit margins to be higher than with the building materials he was using on new construction jobs.
Diverse needs within commercial roofing leads to more business opportunities. As Will emphasizes, there is a diverse range of needs in the commercial roofing market. In contrast, the construction market is centered on the building of new residential and commercial structures. As industry reports from the research firm Hoover’s, Inc. make clear: residential, heavy, and commercial construction also depend upon the state of the economy, including factors such as “corporate profits and local government budgets.” Additionally, the construction industry is filled with numerous local companies that actively compete with each other on new project bids.
In commercial roofing, however, demand for roofing services is tied to not only new construction, but also storm activity and roof maintenance needs. Once a roofing contractor has replaced a roof or restored an existing roof for a building owner, their relationship is ongoing. To keep his or her roof in good condition and warranty intact, the building owner needs to have the roof maintained on an ongoing basis. And the roofing contractor will be there to ensure the roof stays leak-free and strong-performing in the years ahead.
Interested in Learning More about Commercial Roofing?
Contractors join our network to receive:
- Network-backed Guarantees
- Support from Fellow Roofers
- Shared Marketing Strategies
- Group Discount Purchasing
- Occasional Leads
• Free commercial roofing lead generation
• Job opportunities made available through our partners and network connections
• Higher profit margin opportunities with superior coating products
• Mentorship and on-site assistance from experienced Conklin roofing veterans
• Personalized, dedicated marketing support
• Support and value-added services from our trusted partners and suppliers
• Additional credibility from our nationwide reputation for excellence
• So much more!
To learn more, call us today at (800) 670-5583. We look forward to speaking with you about the great opportunities which our network offers!
