No surprise, summer is the busiest time of the year for roofers. The challenge for roofing business owners is how to stay on top of things to get the most out of your season. With advance planning and effective crew management, you can make your busiest season your most lucrative … with the least amount of hassles and headaches.

Here are seven tips for how to work smarter, not harder this summer:

1. Order your supplies in advance 

Ordering several days in advance can make your jobs run way smoother. It gives your roofing supplier more flexibility to schedule materials for exactly the delivery time you want. Plus, there’s a built-in buffer for the unexpected, like a truck breaking down. As a result of the pandemic, some manufacturers are dealing with global supply shortages. The supply chain is expected to be back to normal again soon, but in the meantime ordering in advance can help ensure you have materials when you need them.

2. Get your deliveries in advance

Instead of ordering shingles for the day-of install, get them delivered the day before. Let your homeowner know that the shingles will arrive the day before and be stacked on their roof (where possible). The roofers will show up the next day and they’ll have everything they need to get right to work.

Also, don’t cancel your delivery just because it’s raining.  At Gibson, our deliveries never stop … even if it’s raining. So your shingles and materials will be there and you’ll be ready to roll as soon as the weather clears.

3. Work with a reliable roofing supplier

To avoid hassles during your busiest season, be sure to work with a company you can rely on. When you order building supplies from Gibson, you know you can trust us to show up on time and deliver exactly what you asked for. 

4. Deal with rain days without delays

You can’t control the weather, but you can try and work around it. Check the week’s weather outlook and try to anticipate when there’s going to be rain days, high wind days, super hot days, or snow days. Schedule your quoting and other activities for those days. By planning ahead for materials and getting them delivered in advance you can minimize the effect of the weather. 

5. Measure better, mess up less with estimating tools

One of the easiest and most effective ways to improve the accuracy of your roof measurements is to use estimating tool technology. EagleView is a powerful and highly accurate measurement app that can save you time and expense. It takes drone shots of roofs and lets you measure a roof without physically getting up there or even being onsite. You get a detailed report of all the roof specs along with a complete materials list. No ladder required. 

When you meet the client, you can give them a quote right on the spot and save valuable time pre-bid. Ask your Gibson sales rep about our special pricing offer for Eagleview.

6. Keep your employees in the loop

If you have a lot of work lined up, let your employees know. Make them feel comfortable that each day they show up to work they won’t just be sitting around. Give them their paperwork in advance so they can plan their week. Send it to them by text or email so they don’t have to come into the office to pick it up. Or drop it by the job site. 

If it’s going to be too hot to be on a roof, see if you can schedule siding or other projects to keep them busy. Make sure they know they’re going to get paid and they don’t have to wonder if they should be looking for other jobs in the industry.

7. Set your subs up for success

When hiring subcontractors, be sure to set ground rules from the start about the quality of work you expect. Meet with them in advance, see examples of their previous work, and get referrals so you can determine their level of craftsmanship and professionalism. Also, remember that they’re also business owners with responsibilities to their employees. So try and treat them that way by helping them plan in advance and manage jobs for their crews.

If you’re looking for other ways to make your business more efficient, give your Gibson rep a shout. They’ll be happy to help you in any way they can.