Recent data on economic growth shows that the roofing industry is poised to experience phenomenal growth in the next few years. But to take advantage of that growth, roofing contractors need access to the right tools and strategies. For many, those things can only be found in a roofing franchise business. So what are the benefits of owning a roofing franchise, and which are the best opportunities available now?
What are the advantages of owning a roofing franchise?
Starting any business is a challenge. For most start-ups, you will find yourself trying to do it all. In fact, the most common model for a startup roofing company would have you working in your business while also advertising your services, keeping accurate financial records, purchasing supplies, and coordinating schedules – along with everything else that needs doing each day. In the past, there were few other options to grow a roofing business, leading to limited growth potential and long years of struggle.
Today, however, entrepreneurs and professionals in the roofing industry have the option to own a roofing franchise business. When compared to the challenges of other startups, there are many clear advantages. One of the first things that attract people to a franchise is that most offer a proven business model, support, and training. Rather than build a business through trial-and-error, franchise business owners are given the information and training needed to ensure that their hard work will pay off faster – and lead to more opportunities – than may otherwise be possible. Due to the franchise roadmap provided, no previous experience in roofing or construction is necessary. Additionally, in many states there isn’t a licensing requirement.
But the advantages of owning a roofing franchise don’t end there. While each franchise company is a small business, being part of a franchise offers a range of benefits that most small businesses simply can’t afford. For example, brand power is an extremely valuable asset for any business, since name recognition and a proven track record can help make finding new customers easier. Another critical benefit of owning a franchise is having access to new technologies and systems that can make business ownership more efficient and more profitable. With a streamlined process and the advantages of technology, franchise business owners usually have more time to work on growing their business instead of being stuck working in it. In this way, the growth potential is far greater with a roofing franchise than with other roofing business models
High Growth & Recession-Resistant Industry
The roofing industry is booming, expected to reach nearly $20 billion in 2021. Growing an average of 2.7% per year for the last five years, all signs point to continued expansion as demand for new construction continues to exceed expectations. Among service-oriented industries, you will be hard-pressed to find one positioned for more stability and growth than the roofing industry. It is highly resistant to economic recessions, as the past year has demonstrated. Despite a global pandemic and mass unemployment, demand for roofing services has never been higher. Such demand is expected to continue well into the next few years, creating great new opportunities for those ready to own their own successful roofing franchise business.
Support & Training
Brand Power & Marketing
Despite strong demand for roofing services, the industry itself is very fragmented. In most areas, roofing businesses are small, mom & pop businesses with limited resources and personnel. Roofing franchise businesses are relatively rare, leading to inconsistencies in service and quality of the workmanship.
Storm Guard is unique in that we are the largest roofing franchise in the industry. What this means is that our franchise business owners can leverage the same brand power and marketing capabilities that big, national companies have access to. For new business owners, the value of such assets translates into built-in advantages that give you the competitive edge over non-franchise business competitors.
But the advantages of owning a roofing franchise don’t end there. While each franchise company is a small business, being part of a franchise offers a range of benefits that most small businesses simply can’t afford. For example, brand power is an extremely valuable asset for any business, since name recognition and a proven track record can help make finding new customers easier.
Cutting Edge Technology & Proven Systems
Great Work Life Balance & Freedom
Low Investment With High ROI Potential
Among franchise businesses, roofing businesses stand out for the relatively low initial investment you’ll need to get started. But those low barriers to entry don’t come with a low expectation for returns – quite the opposite! With a comparatively low capital investment, most Storm Guard franchise businesses are up and running faster than many other types of franchises. What is more, strong nationwide demand for roofing services means that new franchise owners have great potential to see high returns on that initial investment. Yet another great reason to give Storm Guard a closer look!
Low Staff Requirements
Low Percentage of Bad-Debt - Collections Not An Issue
Being Part of a Strong Culture
Still, one of the biggest reasons that entrepreneurs choose a Storm Guard franchise is because of our values-based approach to business. As a brand, we cultivate a franchisee-friendly culture that recognizes how important each one of our business owners is to our collective success. Further, we promote and live a set of strong core values that guide everything we do. While we do work hard, we also like to have fun, and to give our franchise business owners many opportunities to gather together and learn from each other. In this way, our new franchise owners are joining not just a company, but an entire way of living and working together to bring quality roofing services to the people in our communities. Hear it from our franchise owners themselves in our testimonial videos and be sure to read our Franchisee Spotlight interviews.
How profitable are roofing franchise businesses?
One of the biggest questions most entrepreneurs and business owners have about owning a roofing franchise business is about potential profits. So just how profitable are roofing franchise opportunities?
In many ways, and like many other types of franchise businesses, how profitable a roofing franchise is will depend on a number of different factors. From your business location to the state of the economy, these factors all effect how well a business performs from year to year. At the same time, however, home services franchises in general – and roofing franchise businesses, in particular – tend to fare much better than other types of businesses, even during challenging economic times. Home improvement rarely stops completely, especially when people are doing more from their homes now than ever before. From repairs to roofing restoration, there is always a market for quality roofing services.
Data collected on the roofing industry and franchise businesses also offers some helpful insights. For example, among small residential roofing contractors with less than 10 employees, in 2018 most reported an annual gross income of between $250,000 and $5 million. That is quite a range, with little insight into what it takes to achieve higher profitability.
On the other hand, roofing franchise businesses offer data with greater specificity and insight. For detailed model and financial information regarding Storm Guard franchisees’ performance, download our comprehensive Franchise Report Guide.
While you may find more than one appealing roofing franchise for sale, the most successful roofing franchise businesses are built through hard work and sustained effort. With the right franchise company, experiencing high profitability is a possibility for any roofing franchise business owner.
How much does a roofing franchise owner make?
Along with profitability, franchise owner income is another top question for anyone exploring franchise ownership. And just as profits vary for various reasons, the amount that a roofing franchise owner makes also depends on a range of factors. For most new businesses, owner salaries increase as the business grows. But unlike roofing contractors, who often find themselves limited by the number of jobs they can personally handle in a year, roofing franchise business owners may have the ability to grow beyond simply earning a comfortable living.
Just as owning a franchise increases profitability numbers, so, too, does it often support higher earnings for owners. Although earnings vary depending on location, how long a business has been in operation, and the owner’s business savvy and expertise, what it all really comes down to is the fact that a roofing franchise business owner will have the tools and support needed to reach both long-term and short-term financial goals and increased opportunity for profitability.
How much money do I need to start a roofing franchise business?
Starting a roofing franchise business offers many benefits, but being a roofing franchise owner may not be for everyone. At a minimum, you will need to have funds and financing on hand to successfully start and grow a roofing franchise business.
For example, according to their 2020 Franchise Disclosure Document, roofing franchisor Storm Guard requires an initial investment of between $185,400 and $219,600. While $65,000 of this is the actual franchise fee, the remaining funds are the amount of working capital you’ll need to get your business open and operational for the first 3 months.
Yet as with all business ventures, it is important to examine not only how much money you’ll need to start your roofing franchise business, but the value of what you will receive in return. From brand reputation and recognition to the quality of training and support, the offerings of each franchise opportunity are unique. For this reason, it is important to crunch the numbers with things like the value of intangible assets, company track record, and company culture in mind.
What are the best roofing franchise opportunities?
Once you decide that a roofing franchise is right for you, the next step is to determine which is the best roofing franchise opportunity to choose. The good news is that, unlike in years past, there are several options to choose from. But not all roofing franchises are created equal, so it is important to first gather as much information as you can. While each opportunity will have its differences, there are a few key things to look for to ensure that the franchise opportunity you are considering is one that will help you achieve your business ownership goals.
A quality roofing franchisor will be able to offer business owners not only a reputable brand and proven business model, but also high-quality, comprehensive training and ongoing support. The value of quality training and support simply cannot be overstated, nor can lower franchise fees make up for the disservice the lack of training will do roofing franchisees. The same goes for access to technology tools designed to help franchise business owners be more efficient and, ultimately, to maximize the profitability of their roofing business.
Still, one critical aspect that not all roofing franchisors offer is a company culture based on ethical practices, community engagement, and family values. For example, the Storm Guard roofing franchise strives to be the trustworthy, local service providers in each area franchisees serve. Because the company values integrity and quality, each franchisee is tasked to work hard to improve service levels in their communities – and the roofing industry as a whole. Culture is an intangible asset that nonetheless is an integral part of choosing the franchise opportunity that will best help you build the future you’ve always wanted.
How do you scale a roofing business?
One challenging part of owning a successful business is knowing how to keep growing. Scaling a roofing business can be a particular challenge if you are still working in your business. After all, if you are doing some or all of the work yourself, there’s only so much you can do in a day.
Given this fact, one of the best ways to scale a roofing business is to make sure that you are correctly positioned to do so. In other words, you should be spending your time on high-level managerial tasks, not swinging a hammer. If you own a roofing franchise business, managing the current workload of your business may feel all-encompassing. But it’s important to allow yourself the time you will need to expand your business when the time comes.
Beyond making sure that you are working on your business, and not in it, scaling a roofing business can be more easily accomplished by offering your customers something they can’t get anywhere else – a unique value proposition, as it were. For example, Storm Guard roofing franchisees can offer their customers a respected national brand name, local service, quality product line, and a 5-year workmanship warranty. Additionally, one of their core values is giving back and they have a partnership with the National Forest Foundation. The Franchisor plants 5 trees for every roof replacement completed by their franchisees to help offset the environmental impact of common roofing materials. These are things that are not always easy to find in a roofing contractor. What is more, being able to use smart technological tools that are custom-made for your business can help you do more in less time, not to mention more effectively manage your business from anywhere. In this way, you can offer your customers great quality service while keeping a watchful eye on every aspect of your growing business.
Another great way to scale a roofing business is to ask for referral business – and to get involved in your community. The most effective form of advertising for any business is word-of-mouth referrals. Few people like hiring contractors based on an advertisement alone. By being a visible force for good in your service area and providing consistent, high-quality service, roofing franchise business owners can more effectively spread the word and reap the benefits of community referrals – all while providing value to neighbors and community members.
Once you have all the customers you can handle, it may be time to secure additional financing and expand into a new service area. When you own a roofing franchise business, this process is facilitated by franchisor support. While it may be hard to get the financing you need to expand your business on your own, leveraging your connection to a respected national brand can make growing your business not just a possibility, but a certainty.
Conclusion
For those ready to set the new standard in residential and commercial roofing services, it is hard to beat the advantages of roofing franchise opportunities. With so many benefits, today’s top roofing franchise brands are focused on leading the way into a profitable and service-oriented new future for roofing business owners across the nation.
