Building Your Roofing Business: Composite Roofing Benefits
Fear. Anger. Vulnerability. These are just some emotions homeowners have after experiencing roof damage from a storm. Whether their roof suffered from hail impact, high winds or wildfire spread, they want one thing. A new roof that will be better than the last one. A roof that will do a better job at protecting their family.
Roofers put in the position of recommending roofing materials after storms feel a tremendous responsibility. Vulnerable people need reassuring solutions and products. They need dependability. They need to be made aware of composite roofing benefits.
Standing Up to Mother Nature
In a recent RoofersCoffeeShop® webinar, “How to Incorporate Composite Roofing Into Your Business,” Heidi Ellsworth explores how alternative roofing products help roofers grow their business. There’s no better time than after a storm for roofers to showcase the benefits of composite roofing to homeowners.
“Man-made roofing products like composites keep advancing,” says Ellsworth. “They’re created to withstand Mother Nature’s fury.”
Composite shake and slate roofing from DaVinci Roofscapes is made from virgin resin. Each piece is created with UV and thermal stabilizers, along with a highly-specialized fire retardant. The result is a strong, dependable roofing tile that is impact- and fire-resistant.
In addition, technically-advanced DaVinci tiles resist high winds, severe weather and algae growth. Repeated industry tests have earned the tiles Class A fire ratings, Class 4 impact ratings and ASTM D 3161wind tests, certified to 110 mph. Most of the company’s products are Miami-Dade County certified, HVHZ, and have the Texas Dept. of Insurance.
“One and Done” Roofing
Roofer Chad Janisch has been in the roofing industry for more than 20 years. During the past 12 years, almost half his business includes installation of composite slate and shake roofing products.
“We keep our business growing by recommending alternative roofing products like DaVinci,” says Janisch with Shake Guys in Illinois. “We install about 100 composite shake roofs a year in the Chicagoland area. Most of these result from severe weather in our area.”
According to Janisch, composite shakes are a “one and done” type of replacement. In addition to its realistic look, homeowners appreciate knowing their composite roofing benefits include being maintenance-free and fire-resistant. Knowing their roofs are also resistant to impact and high winds is especially appealing.
“Safety, with a Class A fire rating is, of course, a primary reason to select realistic-looking DaVinci tiles,” says Janisch. “However, after that, homeowners start relating that their old cedar shake roof became an ongoing expensive maintenance issue. Curling, splitting and breaking of shakes. Yearly treatments. Insect infestations and decay. When they learn that composites resist all these problems, they’re sold.”
Composite Roofing Benefits for Homeowners
From his history of working with homeowners, Janisch suggests other roofers always recommend homeowners talk with their insurance agent, especially if they own a home with a cedar shake roof. They need to discuss the benefits of composite roofing over real wood shakes.
“People are surprised by how much they can save on their yearly insurance premiums with a high-quality product like DaVinci,” says Janisch. “Both the impact- and fire-resistance of the composite shake really plays in their favor. As does the Lifetime Limited Material Warranty of the product.”
Something else that plays in the favor of homeowners right now is the quality and availability of composite materials versus real cedar products.
“There’s a shortage of high-quality cedar in the marketplace,” says Janisch. “If you can find it, the demand is fierce. That significantly increases the price and the delay. The authentic-looking DaVinci product is made in Kansas. We deal with some great local suppliers who stock DaVinci, so it’s faster to get than any true cedar product I know of.”
Selling Tips for Roofers
Janisch stresses to other roofers that composite roofing in not just a trend. “With technology and consumer demand, composite roofing is here to stay,” says Janisch. “It will only get better and better. That will benefit both roofers and homeowners.”
From his time selling composites, Janisch offers these selling tips for other roofers who want to convey composite roofing benefits:
Tip #1: Explain to homeowners that their composite roof is an investment. When they want to sell their home in the future, the composite roof and its warranty are an asset. Real cedar roofing could be a liability. If the real cedar has not been maintained it could detract from the curb appeal of the home. Or, when they attempt to sell their home, it may fail a homebuyer’s inspection, being a very costly mistake.
Tip #2: When presenting DaVinci to a homeowner, it’s a good idea to ask them to check with insurance companies in their area. Get figures on policies for a range of homes with a real cedar shake roof. After that, get the figures for homes with composite roofing. Once the homeowner realizes the financial savings, this may help you sell the composite roof.
Tip #3: Use composite roofing to create a niche for your company. Promote yourself as one of the few experts in your local market to focus on composite roofing. Make this your specialty area and get endorsements from happy homeowners. Once you replace one or two DaVinci roofs in a neighborhood, this will help springboard you into more successes … usually with higher-end cliental that bring you higher profits.
For more selling insights, read, listen or watch “How To Incorporate Composite Roofing Into Your Business.”