Starting a Successful Roofing Company; Everything You Need To Know

The Tools needed for building a successful roofing company.

Having a few specialty tools at your disposable will make your life tremendously less difficult while inspecting/documenting wind and hail damage on the roof. Starting a business is expensive, but having the right tools for the job will maximize your efficiency and productivity. Below are standard tools and equipment that are an absolute must.

The Basics for a roofing salesman

  • Collapsible ladder. Choose one that is at least 16′, as that length allow you access to 95% of roofs. This one one is my personal favorite. Here is a decent selection of solid models.
  • Clipboard Although most all companies now use a tablet with a CRM to keep projects organized it’s still best to have a professional clipboard for note taking while meeting with potential customers or appointments with insurance adjusters. I like this one due to its rugged design, functionality, and simplicity. Metal Clipboard with 2 Compartments and Interior 250 Sheet Paper Storage.
  • Tape Measure: Having a tape measure (No less than 35′!!!) is essential for conducting routine bossiness in roofing as well as general construction. Under most circumstances you will already have an Eagleview (my personal favorite roof measuring service) or other equivalent report already prepared before your appointment; this is a good practice to be in the habit of. Many times you will find yourself having to take measurements inside the home of water damage, and must be able to do so. When it comes to tape measures you have two types. The “standard” tape on a reel, and the laser tape. I personally prefer the laser tape as it is generally quicker for most uses, on top of being very accurate. A the end of the day having both types is best, as they both have there own specific applications on the jobsite. 1. Stanley 33-735 Fatmax Tape (I’ve used these for years, excellent product). 2. DTAPE Laser Measure 328ft DT100 Laser Distance Meter (this is my go to on interior work, makes incredibly short work of measuring the size of a room for say an insurance supplement.)
  • Laptop or Tablet: A laptop to communicate with not only your customers, but with insurance companies is an absolute must. Although I prefer the versatility and added inherit abilities/flexibility of over tablets, I do see their value, especially when considering must of the devisees use will be interacting with your company’s CRM. These are my personal recommendations 1. HP 15.6″ Anti-Glare HD Laptop. All the functionally you could possibly need at a reasonable price point. This is the reason I have been a life long HP customer. 2. 2 in 1 Tablet 10.1 Inch, Android 13.0 Tablet. This tablet is fully capable of running any CRM in addition to performing other standard tasks like running Mircosoft Office.
  • Smartphone with High-Quality Camera: Having a smartphone is essential for documenting damage or documenting completed work for assessments, claims, and generating marketing materials. Personally I use Samsung phones running Android as I find them to be more versatile to various uses and needs. 1. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. It has amazing photo resolution, which reduces the need of massive amounts of photos.
  • A Quality Drone: A drone gives you the ability for 45 mins of flight time taking overview shots of the entire roof as well as close up shots proving wind or hail damage without ever leaving you tailgate. This is the one I will ever use. DJI Mavic 3 Classic this is the one you want.
  • Shingle Gauge: A good shingle gauge I own for the occidental inspection I preform when question of exact shinge specifics are necessary.