10 tips for running your first roofing jobs

The first year of a roofing business is where habits form. Good ones make every job easier; bad ones cost money on every roof. These ten are worth building from day one.

1. Take a deposit, and put the schedule in writing

A deposit when the contract is signed covers materials and shows the customer is committed. Many roofers split payments into a deposit, a progress payment when work starts, and the balance at completion. Whatever you choose, write it on the quote, and check what your state allows for deposits.

2. Don't order materials before the paperwork is done

Permit, signed contract, deposit, material selection: get them all before you order. A checklist that won't let the job move forward until they're done saves you from shingles in the wrong color sitting in a driveway.

3. Photograph everything

Before, during and after. The decking you replaced, the flashing you fixed, the cleanup at the end. Photos settle disputes, support insurance claims, and make great marketing later.

4. Know your permit and inspection rules

Requirements differ by county and city. Find out what your local building department needs for a re-roof: permit documents, inspections during the job, and final inspection. Build those into your job steps so nothing gets missed.

5. Write down the scope, and change orders too

When the homeowner asks for "just one more thing", write it down with a price before doing it. Verbal change orders are the most common cause of unpaid balances.

6. Give the crew everything before they arrive

Address, directions, material list, photos, the customer's name and any notes ("dog in the backyard", "park on the left"). A crew that has to call the office wastes the most expensive hours of the day.

7. Keep the homeowner in the loop

Most complaints come from silence, not bad work. Let the homeowner know when the permit is in, when materials are ordered, when the crew is coming, and when it's done. A simple status they can check themselves saves dozens of calls.

8. Plan for weather

Check the forecast before tear-off, have tarps on the truck, and tell homeowners up front that weather can move the schedule. Never tear off more than you can dry-in that day.

9. Close out properly

Final inspection, cleanup with a magnetic sweep, the completion paperwork, warranty details to the homeowner, and the final invoice, all on the same day if you can. The faster you close out, the faster you get paid.

10. Ask for the review while they're happy

The day the job is done and the yard is clean is the best moment to ask for a review. Reviews win the next job.

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Guildmark gives you job steps with checklists for permits and paperwork, photos on every job, and a tracker your customers can check themselves. It's free to use, and invite-only for now. Join the waiting list.