Originally published in October 2023. Last updated on January 13, 2025.
Having all the best tools for roofing jobs will get you back on the ground faster—and ensure your customers are satisfied.
To help you find the right tools and budget for them as you start your roofing company, we’ve compiled a list of essential roofing tools for all types of jobs (with descriptions and average prices).
When you’re ready to shop, download this roofing tool checklist to keep track of what you’ve acquired and what’s still on your list.
Roofing tools by type:
⚠️ The tool prices listed are approximate ranges. Pricing will vary by brand, store, quality, and whether they’re new or used.
Before you get started: Tips for getting essential roofing tools
When starting your roofing business, there are careful considerations you need to make when it comes to spending your valuable cash. The tools you use are some of the most important aspects of running a successful business, but that doesn’t mean you have to go broke to get them.
Here are a few key considerations to understanding what essential roofing tools you need, when you need them, and how best to secure them to keep your business running smoothly:
- Don’t skip on safety: You can’t put a price on the safety of you and your employees, so there is no place for cost-cutting here. Invest in top-of-the-line roofing safety equipment like hard hats and harnesses to ensure that your people feel comfortable working for your roofing company.
- New vs. used vs. rented roofing tools: Identify what tools you need to purchase new, what you are comfortable getting used, and finally, what you can rent for the time being. It’s important that you don’t sacrifice the quality of the equipment when you’re buying used. If the tool doesn’t live up to the standards of your roofing company, then look for a new option.
- Know before you grow: As your business grows, so too will the number and size of the contracts you secure. With that in mind, you’ll likely be adding new employees to handle the workload and will need the right amount of tools to continue to get the job done. Keep a close eye on your roofing tools inventory alongside your growing staff to make sure no one is left empty-handed on a job site.
For more information, guides, and success stories on the roofing industry, check out our roofing business resources page.
Basic hand tools (Price range: $245-$650)
These roof repair tools and replacement tools are must-haves for all professional roofers. Budget $245–650 if you’re buying all of these hand tools for the first time:
1. Metal snips ($10–25): Use tin snips to cut through both tin or aluminum. Their narrow blades also help you cut tight spaces and curves. Use offset snips to long, straight cuts—they have elevated handles that keep your hands away from the material.
2. Roofing hatchet ($20–50): Designed for roofing tasks, this type of hatchet usually has a magnetized, adjustable gauge to help you place shingles easily, and a blade for cutting.
3. Hammer stapler ($30–45): This dispenses staples with a swift hammer action when you’re applying tar paper or felt to a roof.
4. Roofing shovel ($30–55): You’ll need a roofing shovel (also called a shingle remover) to strip away old shingles, roofing nails, and other roofing materials. They typically have notched edges to get under nails and shingles.
5. Roofing cement tube ($5–15): This adhesive cement is essential for repairs, as it seals leaks, secures shingles, and fills gaps.
6. Pry bar ($15–40): Use a pry bar or tear-off bar to remove roofing nails and other old roofing materials.
7. Straight-blade utility knife ($5–25): It’s simple, but a utility knife is one of the most essential tools for cutting shingles and other non-metal roofing materials like underlayment.
8. Hammer ($10–30): A roofing hammer helps you complete detail work and can fit into areas that a nail gun can’t reach.
9. Galvanized roofing nails ($5–50/box): These roofing nails are coated with zinc to prevent rusting. They’re the best nails for securing shingles and other roofing materials.
10. Chalk line ($5–20): A chalk line dispenses a long piece of string that’s covered in chalk. When you snap the string onto a flat surface, it draws a straight line in chalk—and that helps you ensure accurate placement and cuts on roofs.
11. Tape measure ($5–20): Don’t forget a tape measure to ensure you’re cutting roofing materials accurately.
12. Framing square ($10–25): A framing square or a speed square will help you cut right angles and straight lines on roofing materials.
13. Wheelbarrow ($50–120): A wheelbarrow makes transporting shingles, debris, or other roofing materials across the job site easier.
14. Broom ($10–40): A basic broom will help you keep the roofing job site clean of debris and dust.
15. Tool belt ($30–60): Find a tool belt that fits your essential hand tools and keep them accessible while you work.
READ MORE: How to price and bid a roofing job
Power tools (Price range: $295-$665)
Depending on the types of jobs you complete, a full set of electrical power tools can cost you between $295 and $665. Here’s what you might need:
16. Pneumatic nail gun ($100–150): This nail gun uses air compression to drive nails into roofing materials quickly, making shingle installation more efficient.
17. Cordless drill ($20–80): Roofers use cordless drills to create holes and secure screws, especially in metal roofing or when attaching roof accessories.
18. Roofing nailer ($100–180): An electric or battery-powered nailer provides consistent nail depth when you’re securing shingles, underlayment, or other materials
19. Angle grinder ($25–105): Use this corded grinder to cut through tough materials or when reshaping metal flashing. Its spinning disc makes quick work of roofing components.
20. Battery-powered blower ($50–150): This blower quickly clears debris and dust from your roofing surface to clean up the area.
Commercial roofing tools (Price range: $1,505-$6,665)
Pick up these tools to work on commercial roofing jobs efficiently (and expect to spend $1,505–6,665 for all of them together):
21. Hot air welder ($200–1,000): Use this specialized heat gun to weld seams in roofing membranes like TPO and PVC, ensuring a watertight bond.
22. Metal cutter shear ($100–300): This tool is essential for cutting through metal roofing materials with precision, ensuring clean, straight lines.
23. Propane torch ($25–55): You’ll need a propane torch to heat, meld, and seal bitumen roofing materials.
24. Roof seam roller ($30–60): Rollers come in handy when you need to press and smooth out the seams in roofing materials.
25. Adhesive spray gun ($150–250): These dispense roofing adhesives in a fine mist so you can bond layers of materials together faster on large commercial roofs.
26. Ladder hoist ($1,000–5,000): A hoist lifts heavy roofing materials to your rooftop. Gas-powered hoists work just fine, but electrical and pneumatic hoists don’t require fuel refills or as much maintenance.
Safety tools (Price range: $345-$925)
It’s a must to invest in proper protective equipment—especially when working at dangerous heights. Budget $345–925 for these safety tools to protect yourself and your customer properties:
27. Personal protective equipment (PPE) ($85–275): Wear a hard hat, cut-resistant gloves, and anti-slip shoes to protect yourself from injury.
28. Safety harness and fall protection kit ($50–150): Secure yourself in a harness when working on roofs to prevent falls and injury.
29. Rope grab ($50–150): This device attaches to a lifeline rope and the roofer’s harness. It allows for vertical movement but locks instantly in case of a fall.
30. Roof jacks ($10–50 each): Jacks are metal brackets nailed onto roofs. They provide a flat, stable platform for planks, giving roofers a safer place to stand (especially on steep pitches).
31. Extension ladder ($150–300): Pick a tall, adjustable ladder that’s still compact enough to store in your work vehicle.
Business management tools
Tools that simplify your quoting, scheduling, and customer service are just as important as hammers and nail guns.
Consider these business management tech tools that help you win roofing jobs and keep customers happy:
32. Roofing estimate template (free)
The roofing estimate template from Jobber lets you create and download a professional estimate that you can send to your customers in minutes.
Simply add your company and client information, roofing work details (like shingle type and cleanup tasks), and pricing. Then download your invoice as a PDF that’s easy to send to clients.
With this roof estimate template, it’s easy to add in the specific details for that job, including each piece of work with descriptions, cost breakdown and totals, and all important business and customer information needed for your quote.
Or, try roofing contractor software to create professional estimates that include line item images and photos from the on-site assessment. Then, convert job details into invoices and automatically follow up with customers on overdue payments.
When we’re there with the customer with the mobile app, and we can have them sign the work order right there on the spot, that feels like a pretty elegant solution, and it definitely gives us a professional experience where we didn’t have that prior to using Jobber.
33. Accounting software (starting at $22/month)
Accounting software is essential for managing expenses, payments, payroll, and financial reporting. QuickBooks Online is ideal for roofing businesses that need to track:
- Payments from clients
- Payments to contractors or employees
- Receipts to prepare for tax season and claim tax deductions
Plus, QuickBooks integrates with Jobber, so you can keep your customer, invoice, and payment information accurate without any double-entry.
READ MORE: QuickBooks Online vs. Desktop: What’s the difference?
34. Roofing contractor software
Roofing contractor software like Jobber can help your business run smoothly, for you and your customers. With Jobber, you can:
- Build estimates: Create and deliver detailed job estimates that include line items and images from the on-site assessment to help clients understand the scope of the work and the cost.
- Quote follow-up: Automatically send follow-up emails to your customers once a quote has been delivered and collect signatures online to confirm the job.
- Manage multiple projects: Track your active projects with different calendar views to effectively manage and dispatch your teams
- Invoicing and payments: Bill your clients and collect payments with ease using flexible options like financing and ACH payments
- Tracking job details: Custom job forms allow you to keep important information like roof measurements, takeoffs, and materials at your fingertips so visits can be completed without any room for error.
Jobber is available at a range of prices, but you can try it for free with a 14-day trial.
It’s a huge relief to have Jobber as a partner in our business.
We can add new employees, new associates, and quickly train them on the Jobber system. And they can get right to meeting with customers and they don’t have to spend all day on the computer.
Now that you have the list of tools you need to run a successful roofing business, you can start planning for the next phase of your company.
Remember, you don’t need to get everything all at once and there will be many instances where you can rent instead of buying. As your business grows, you can continue to add to your tool bag.