Commercial roofing contractors began the year looking for answers – and a lot of product – that seemed to be hard to find just as demand ramped up following a sluggish pandemic recovery. Price volatility, record spikes in fuel costs and inflation kept many roofers from truly hitting stride despite an active storm season and mild weather conditions that stretched peak roofing time well into the fall in many markets.
And that’s just the economic factors. Mix in an aging contractor workforce, widening cultural divides, and enhanced health-and-safety concerns in the office and jobsite, and roofers have a new business reality that emphasizes a lot more than roof longevity. Despite all this, roofers are finding pathways to success and remain optimistic. According to RC’s annual survey, commercial roofing contractors across the country experienced sales growth over the past year, and roughly 79% are anticipating slight to major increases in sales over the next three years.