How to Start a Roofing Company With No Experience (or Money)

1. Write a roofing business plan

Planning for your first year of business and beyond will set you up for success. In fact, if you need a business loan to get started, your lender may need to see a business plan before approving the loan.

Your roofing business plan should include:

• Cover page and table of contents to help the reader move through the document
• Executive summary to give the reader a quick summary of your roofing company planning, including the funding you need and your competitive advantage
• Business overview introducing your new business and explaining what you’ll provide, why, and for which customers (e.g., residential roofing, commercial roofing)
• Services list showing which roofing services you’ll provide to customers (e.g., roof inspection, roof replacement), as well as any seasonal services that’ll keep you earning income during the off-season
• Pricing strategy that includes prices for your roofing installation and roof repair services
• Market analysis showing what the income potential is for a roofer and the revenue potential for a roofing company in your service area
• Competitive analysis outlining competing roofing companies in your neighborhood and what makes you stand out
• Marketing plan explaining how you’ll reach ideal customers, including tactics, costs, and goals
• Employee planning showing what each employee will be responsible for and when you’ll hire new roofers to scale your roofing business
• Financial plans, including startup costs, operating costs, and expected revenue

READ MORE: How to create a small business budget (with free template)

2. Get business financing

With your business plan prepared, you’re ready to spring into action and secure financing to get started. Here’s how to start a roofing company with no money, using funding from outside sources:

• Get government funding through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Government of Canada, or other national government
• Apply for a small business loan or line of credit from your local bank, or a friend or family member who wants to support your roofing business
• Open a credit card to help with cash flow during the startup process
• Apply for the Jobber Grants program, which offers $150,000 in available funding to recognize excellence in small home service businesses

READ MORE: 6 steps to take before you apply for a small business loan

3. Get your roofing license

Before you climb up on your first house as a roofing business owner, you’ll need on-the-job experience—and possibly a roofing contractor’s license. Here’s how to get started.

4. Brand your roofing company

You need a recognizable roofing service business brand to stand out from competitors, attract customers, and build up trust within your community. Here’s how to start creating one:

• Pick a name. Come up with a roofing business name that is catchy,  memorable, and says something important about your business. For example, Evergreen Roofers could be a great way to promote an environmentally-friendly roofing company. 
• Choose colors. Pick a set of colors that will make your customers think or feel a certain way about your business. For example, yellow suggests happiness and creativity, while green suggests nature and growth.
• Design a logo. Hire a designer to create a logo for your roofing company, or design one yourself using an online logo builder like Looka. Your business’s logo could look something like this:

5. Register your roofing company

To run your business legally, you’ll need to register it with your local government or trade board. This can vary depending on regulations in your city, state, and country.

Learn about your area’s business structures and registration process by googling “AREA + business registration.” Check with your local government’s business registration division, too.

6. Price your roofing services

Figure out how much you’ll charge for your roofing services to stay profitable. Here’s how to price and bid a roofing job:

• Understand the scope of work by meeting with the client to discuss budget and expectations. You’ll also need to look up building codes and survey the roof.
• Measure the roof to determine how much material you’ll need, based on the home’s square footage and roof pitch.
• Estimate material costs based on your roof measurements and the price per square foot of shingles, tiling, or metal roofing materials. Factor in nails, flashing, underlay, and vents, too.
• Estimate labor costs by adding up labor hours and multiplying that number by your hourly wage as a roofer.
• Calculate overhead costs per week, then break that down into hourly overhead costs. Multiply your hourly overhead by the number of labor hours the project will need.
• Add up your costs for materials, labor, and overhead by using our free service price calculator.
• Add markup by multiplying your project costs by your markup percentage. Use our free profit margin calculator to make sure your jobs will always be profitable.
• Create an estimate using our free roofing estimate template and send it to potential customers for approval. This is an easy way to impress clients and win more jobs.

7. Set up banking and accounting

Get your business banking and accounting all set up before you start accepting or making payments as a roofer. This will be a big help when tax season rolls around.

8. Invest in roofing contractor’s insurance

Roofing can be dangerous—you’re several stories in the air, working on top of someone’s home. Business insurance reduces the risk to yourself and your company in case of an incident.

Get a small business insurance policy that includes at least:

• General liability insurance for property damage and personal harm
• Commercial property insurance for damage to your office or equipment
• Business income insurance to keep you up and running after an incident or disaster
• Workers’ compensation insurance in case an employee is injured at work
• Professional liability for claims and lawsuits over professional mistakes
• Commercial auto insurance for company vehicles

You may also want to add roofing insurance coverage for different situations, such as employment practices liability, cyber liability, and crime insurance.

It’s important to protect your business by working with reputable insurance providers and agents you can trust to build the right policy for you.

9. Get roofing equipment and secure suppliers

Plan to spend at least $1,000–3,600+ (USD) on roofing equipment when you’re starting out. The cost may be different if you plan to offer slate, tile, or other roofing services apart from asphalt shingles.

This amount might feel high, but you can spread it out over time by financing larger equipment purchases. You can also buy used equipment instead of new, or rent in the beginning, to further cut down on costs.

Next, talk to local roofing suppliers to learn what materials they offer and how much they charge. Pick the company that offers what you need, such as payment plans, product bundles, or special discounts.

10. Market your roofing business

Now that your business is legal and your truck is packed full of equipment—all you need is your first roofing contract. Try these marketing ideas to start getting roofing jobs:

• Print business cards with your business name, logo, and contact information, and pass them out to people in the community.
• Vehicle decals are easy to apply, make your work vehicle look more professional, and serve as a large mobile billboard for your services as you drive around town. If you have room in the budget, take your vehicle to the next level with a custom wrap.
• Social media is a common place for roofing contractors to find new customers. Set up a Facebook business page, X profile, or Instagram account to reach potential customers on the platforms where they spend time.
• Create a website where a potential customer can learn about your roofing business, see photos of completed roofing jobs, and book a consultation online.
• List your company on Google Business, Yelp for Business, Bing Places, Angi, Thumbtack, and other online directories and lead generation sites where homeowners look for roofing companies.
• Network with other contractors in the home service and roofing industry. You can also reach new customers by attending and sponsoring events, joining your local business association, and promoting your roofing company wherever you can.
• Send direct mail to homes in the areas where you want to work. This could include postcards, flyers, and door hangers. Just make sure you aren’t breaking any local rules around junk mail and soliciting.
• Advertise online using digital marketing platforms like Google search, Local Services Ads, or Facebook ads. You can choose the audiences you advertise to and when, which makes your budget go further.
• Word of mouth is one of the most effective ways to market your roofing company. After you’ve landed a few jobs, start a customer referral program and ask happy customers to leave you an online review.

Jobber’s Marketing Suite helps you build a strong reputation that attracts more customers and secures more work with less effort.

Here’s what’s included:

• Reviews: Give your online reputation a boost by collecting more Google reviews through automated review requests.
• Referrals:  Simplify the referral process with a fully automated referral program, making it easier for customers to send new business your way.
• Campaigns: Increase sales with a user-friendly email marketing tool that turns old customers into new revenue.

11. Create a sales strategy

When you’re just starting a roofing company, you may not have a dedicated salesperson to help sell your services to potential customers. That means you’ll have to do it yourself—and you’ll need a strategy to win new roofing work.

Start by reading books, taking courses, or working with a sales coach to learn how to close a sale. Take notes or record sales calls to see what approaches work best for you.

Then put together a book of sales that includes roofing material samples, photos of past work, and anything else that homeowners will want to see when choosing a new roof.

You may not have photos of past work when you’re starting out. That’s okay—focus on promoting your roofing process, material warranties, and service guarantee, and the work will come in due time.

12. Hire your first employee

Roofing is a big job, and you’ll need help to work quickly and efficiently. Plan to hire roofers who have roofing or construction experience, a good attitude, and can handle hard labor.

Start by writing a detailed roofer job description that outlines the responsibilities of the job and the qualifications needed to work for your company. This will narrow down the field to a group of the best applicants for your position. 

Next, prepare a list of interview questions to make sure your candidates will fit in well with your company culture. This is an effective way to keep your business running smoothly as you introduce new roofers to your team.

Don’t forget to create a health and safety plan to keep your employees protected.

At some point, you may also want to hire an office manager or virtual assistant to help schedule work, manage your marketing, and handle the admin side of the business.

READ MORE: Roofer job description: how to write your own (with free template)

Common mistakes to avoid when starting a roofing company

Starting a roofing company is exciting, but common challenges like getting clients, finding tools, and securing funds can slow your growth.

Avoiding these common mistakes can help you stay on the right track:

1. Overpricing or underpricing your services: Your business might be just getting off the ground, but you still need to make money. You can’t charge too much because you’re not an established player in the space just yet, but you also can’t charge too little because it could weaken your credibility as a top-tier roofing company.
2. Buying your equipment vs. renting: There’s no need to spend all your available funds on expensive tools and equipment when renting will do. After all, you’re just trying to get more work under your belt and inject money back into the business. Once you’re more financially stable and getting consistent contracts, you can look to purchase the equipment for your business.
3. Hiring too quickly: Starting a business is a grind, and while the goal is to grow and hire employees, don’t add new labor costs to your business if you don’t have the volume of work to manage it. Always hire the help you need to provide the best service to your customers, but be careful about adding too many permanent employees while you’re still building your brand and generating less revenue in the beginning.  
4. Not having a digital presence: Everyone is online, including your customers and competitors. Setting up profiles on public platforms or paying for digital advertising doesn’t cost much, and it gives you the best opportunity to reach the most people in your service area. Not having a digital presence in this day and age could sink your business before it ever gets off the ground.