The summer roofing season isn’t over quite yet, ut it’s already going to memorable for the heat – pretty much wherever you are. Yes, it’s summer, and it’s going to be hot for roofers. But conditions over the past few months have set a new standard many contractors aren’t going to welcome easily -- where heat indexes are consistently over the 100-degree mark.

“There are brutal, brutal temperatures all across the U.S. and … we’re seeing a lot of injuries and a handful of fatalities,” said RC Legal Insights expert Trent Cotney in this latest episode. “It creeps up on you and if you’re not hydrated or taking breaks or aware of signs of heat exhaustion than you really run the risk of having an employee get hurt.”

Hear Trent’s tips for contractors to manage the remainder of peak season by listening to the full conversation.

Mike Wakerling will formally take the reins as president of the Western Roofing Contractors Association (WSRCA) at the Western Roofing Expo Sept. 23-25 at the Paris Las Vegas. But the work of addressing membership’s primary concerns –education, workforce and technical research –is already well underway.

As a roofing veteran from a multi-generational roofing family, Wakerling understands the importance of getting started early. Later this year, the WSRCA will introduce its first wave of road shows –seminars designed to help elevate roofing contractors in areas of safety, legal issues, human resources and more.

“We felt there was quite a need for this because more people know how to put on roofs, but a lot of people don’t know the ins and outs of the business part,” Wakerling said. “If we can educate them to be better businesspeople, or put a safety program in place to protect everybody. That’s what this is going to be about.”

Ken Kelly, long-time president of Kelly Roofing and industry innovator is calling it quits.

The 2019 Residential Roofing Contractor of the Year is retiring after three decades of success, and reflects on why now is the right time in this exclusive conversation with RC Group Publisher Jill Bloom. Kelly said he’s happy to be going out “on top,” and grateful to be able to build his family business while also looking to improve the industry.

Listen to the full conversation here.

It’s been a busy storm season already for roofing contractors in markets across the country, and record heat is raising concerns about what typical hurricane season will look like. Crisis response and safety consultant Steve Sepcevic says roofing contractors need to prepare now, and ask how do they set up communication plans with their team?

“The communication has to come with the intelligence,” said Slepcevic CEO of Strategic Response Partners in a recent chat with RC. “Ask yourself, ‘What type of system are you using to convey your plans?’ It’s important on what type of communication systems your team is using to outline this plan. Make sure phones are charged; SAT phones are important. It doesn’t do any good to have a plan if you can’t get in touch with your subs.”

Very few roofing contractors have a plan like that ready, according to Slepcevic. To have satellite phones is an inexpensive alternative and it greatly helps contractors to communicate internally to one another.

Listen for more of Slepcevic’s tips on how to communicate during the next big storm.

In this Legal Insights podcast, Adams and Reese Partner Trent Cotney examines the sticky situation of when subcontractors need payments from a general contractor who has filed bankruptcy. He also discusses what contractors should know if they wish to pursue projects in the public sphere.

Members of the Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) are on the cutting edge, exploring what the roofing industry needs for future success. Check out what Wendy Marvin, founder & CEO of Matrix Roofing, and Jeremy Dickmann, CEO, of Apollo Primm Commercial Roofing, shared with RC about the state of technology in roofing and what roofing contractors should be looking out for next.

Sponsored by: