As we wrap up 2021, there continues to be a variety of shortages of various roofing and building supplies. Whether it’s the result of the pandemic, weather-related disasters or shipping delays, it looks like many roofers will still be scrambling for supplies well into next year’s roofing season. 

So even if you’re not big on planning ahead for your roofing business, this would be the year to start. 

The truth is: If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.  And of course, you don’t want to fail. So it’s simple … just plan ahead! 

By thinking about the types of jobs you’re going to do and what you’ll need for your upcoming roofing season, you can get an edge on your competition. While others are running out at the last minute hoping to pick up supplies, you’ll have what you need to get the jobs done.

Having the materials you need on hand is just part of what it takes to run a successful business. Here are five simple tips to help you get ahead by planning ahead.

1. Plan out next year’s roofing season

Review all the jobs you did in 2021. Think about what worked and what didn’t work, how much you spent, and how much you made. Decide what you want to do more of next year. Then plan how you’ll make improvements and find new opportunities to grow your business.  

To make forecasting for your business easier, look into using a software tool that helps you keep track of your projects, materials, expenditures, and profit. Here are some popular ones to check out:

Jobber: Software that helps businesses manage their roofers, provide customer support, and expand business operations with CRM, real-time scheduling and dispatching, expense tracking, quoting, invoice creation, and billing.

Vonigo: A business management and online booking platform that helps increase sales and streamline roofing company operations.

Dataforma: Software for commercial contractors to manage their entire roofing business: paperless service departments, bid tracking, document storage, CRM, and project management. 

Acculynx: Roofing contractor software designed to manage and streamline every aspect of a roofing business, including CRM, estimating, tracking, reporting, and more.

2. Order materials in advance

Review all the jobs you did last year and the materials you used on every job. Then forecast what you’re going to need next season. Set aside enough cash to stock up on the items you know you’ll need, such as a skid of coil nails or rolls of EPDM and Ice & Water shield. 

Get in touch with your Gibson Representative who can help you figure out what to order in advance to avoid shortages. For example, if you know you’ve got 10 roofing projects coming in, we can help you figure out what to order and what to inventory. So you’ll have what you need when you need it.

3. Manage your inventory

Sometimes you don’t use up all your supplies when a roofing project is complete. Keep an up-to-date inventory of your roofing and building supplies so you can see what you have on hand at any point and just order what you need. 

Simplify your inventory management by getting Inventory Management Software, such as Sortly or Pro DBX that helps you track inventory levels, orders, deliveries, and sales. 

To be more accurate with the roofing materials you order, check out EagleView. This powerful app takes drone shots of roofs and lets you precisely measure a roof without physically getting up there or even being onsite. It helps you provide better estimates while saving you time and money.  Ask your Gibson Representative about our special pricing offer for Eagleview. 

4. Stay on top of your finances 

To run a successful business, you have to keep track of the money. A professional bookkeeper and/or accountant can help you with record-keeping, tax filings, and forecasting revenue and profitability for the coming roofing season.

If you prefer a DIY approach to your finances, then choose software that’s right for your business. FreshBooks and Intuit QuickBooks are both really popular and fairly easy to use. Check out this article about The 8 Best Accounting Software for Small Business.  

5. Get support running your business 

For help growing your business, look into the BDC (Business Development Bank of Canada). Designed to support small/medium-sized businesses and Canadian entrepreneurs, BDC has a number of free resources available on their website, as well as free webinars. All you need to do is sign up to get access to a wealth of business advice.

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For other ways to make your roofing business more profitable, check out this article: Control roofing overhead to boost bottom line.

Feel free to reach out to your Gibson Representative to help you with forecasting and ordering materials for the upcoming season. Contact us at: info@gibsonsupplies.com.