The ongoing costs and expenses to operate a roofing business are quite different than costs in other industries. Owners of roofing companies have to take into account a number of things, such as paying for labour costs, independent contractors, equipment rentals, frequent location changes, and safety training and equipment. If you want your roofing business to be profitable, you’ve got to manage your overhead.

Here are five roofing overhead costs to keep an eye on that will help boost your bottom line as a roofing company.

1. Asses your vehicle fleet

• Analyze your fuel consumption to see if this is a place where you can cut costs. 
• Consider replacing old vehicles with newer, more fuel-efficient ones. Hybrid or all-electric vehicles might also be an option.
• Consider leasing your company vehicle to take advantage of write-offs and the option to upgrade to a new vehicle at the end of your lease.

2. Go green with sustainable and energy-efficient practices

• There’s a good reason why so many companies are switching to sustainable practices and operations … It’s good for business. 
• Reduce, reuse and recycle can help you cut down on overhead business costs.
• With savings on vehicles to equipment to lighting, you’ll benefit on time, labour, and the financial front. 

3. Replace old tech with new tech

• Using old or outdated technology can affect the productivity of your workers and support staff, and add to your business overhead costs.
• Look into upgrading to newer systems or tools for communicating with clients and running office operations more efficiently. 
• Project management software such as Acculynx and Jobber help roofers streamline their processes and grow their business.

4. Invest in accurate inventory tracking and management

• Inventory Management Software is worth the investment to efficiently track your inventory levels, orders, deliveries, and sales. 
• You’ll save money as you won’t end up buying roofing and building supplies you don’t need just because you forgot you had them.
• There are a number of Inventory Management solutions to choose from. such as Sortly or inFlow Inventory. Ask your Gibson representative to recommend the best one for your business.

5. Claim depreciation

• Rather than claiming your initial larger purchases all in one year, claiming depreciation allows you to amortize the expense over several years to keep your taxable income down. 
• Things like vehicles, furniture, equipment, computers, and buildings all wear out over time. 
• Talk to your accountant when purchasing higher priced items to see if they qualify for depreciation at tax time. 

Looking for other ways to control overhead for your roofing company? Check out this article on how to be more efficient on the job and stay on budget: Simple strategies for roofing project management.

Feel free to reach out to your Gibson Representative for other ways to keep your costs down and your profits up. Or contact us at: info@gibsonsupplies.com.