13 Reasons Roofing Businesses Fail: Causes & Solutions

According to some stats, 80% of roofing contractors never make it to year 3, and 95% close down after 5 years. Some sources cite slightly different numbers, with 85% of roofing companies failing before year 3 and 90% out of business by year 5.

We've all heard these claims, but rarely do we ask for the causes and solutions. We sifted through 60 different user responses and found out why their businesses failed. Today, we'll help you keep your roofing company afloat!

How Many Roofing Companies Fail?

According to various surveys and user experiences, only 50% of roofing companies survive the first year, and 95% of companies fail by the fifth year. There are no accurate statistics or surveys that authenticate these claims.

Some analysts have misapplied stats from a survey on the survival rate of private sector construction businesses in the roofing industry. However, those stats do not apply because general construction and roofing are worlds apart.

The most accurate statistics that we have are from minor surveys and user experiences. Surprisingly, most business owners of existing and defunct roofing companies highlight similar hurdles and timelines. 

13 Common Reasons for Roofing Business Failures (With Case Studies)

People go out of business and leave behind lessons for other business owners. We analyzed a total of 60 different responses from business owners. The results might shock you:

Rank	Reason	Failure %	Timeline
1	Poor Financial Management	20%	Slow (1 to 3 Yrs)
2	Cash Flow Problems	18.3%	Fast (Wks to Mo)
3	Craftsman Not Businessman	13.3%	Slow (2 to 5 Yrs)
4	Price Competition	11.7%	Medium (6Mo to 2 Yrs)
5	Overspending	8.3%	Medium (1 to 2 Yrs)
6	Staffing Problems	6.7%	Slow (Limits Growth)
7	Insurance/Lawsuits	6.7%	Fast (Immediate)
8	Poor Marketing	5.0%	Medium (Cycles)
9	Embezzlement	5.0%	Catastrophic
10	Growing Too Fast	5.0%	Fast (3 to 6 months)
11	Legal/Tax Issues	5.0%	Medium to Fast
12	Personal Life Issues	5.0%	Variable
13	Lack of Systems	5.0%	Slow (No Growth)

 

1. Cash Flow Constraints

A staggering 20% of people highlighted poor cash flow management as the main reason why roofing companies fail. Countless new business owners fail to understand the industry-standard payment timelines.

It leads to an overestimation of their financial buffer and cash flow constraints. Here's how the scenario plays out:

1. You complete jobs, but wait 45+ days to get paid
2. Workers expect weekly paychecks regardless
3. Materials must be purchased upfront before starting
4. Money runs out before payments arrive
5. New businesses can't get supplier credit lines
6. You sell your truck to make payroll
7. Can't take new jobs because money is tied up
8. One or two non-paying clients can bankrupt you
9. Bills pile up faster than payments come in
10. You're constantly operating with almost no cash
11. You go broke while customers still owe you thousands

Solution

Here's a quick rundown of some common solutions to this problem:

• Require deposits upfront (30-50% before starting work)
• Get progress payments at milestones (tear-off complete, halfway done, etc.)
• Negotiate net-30 terms with suppliers instead of paying up front
• Build a cash reserve equal to 3-6 months of expenses
• Use business credit cards strategically for short-term gaps
• Factor invoices or use invoice financing for immediate cash
• Screen customers for creditworthiness before starting
• Have written payment terms with late fees built in
• Keep a line of credit open for emergencies only
• Track accounts receivable daily and follow up aggressively
• Consider residential work with same-day payment over slow-paying commercial

Finally, separate your personal and professional finances. Open separate accounts under your LLC to manage payroll and other business expenses.

2. Poor Financial Management

Lack of experience leads to bad financial management. 18.3% of business owners blamed poor finances for the failure of their roofing companies. Surprisingly, we expected the percentage to be much higher.

The worst part of poor finances is that it only takes a few weeks to burn your enterprise. A few missed tax bills and insurance pile-ups can bring a strong company down very quickly. Here's how it happens:

1. You price jobs based on guessing, not actual costs
2. Don't track insurance, taxes, overhead, or vehicle expenses
3. Think bank balance is profit when it's already owed
4. Insurance quadruples when sales increase unexpectedly
5. Massive tax bills hit all at once
6. Accept every job without checking profitability
7. Don't budget for warranty callbacks
8. Small losses (theft, waste) go unnoticed and add up
9. Work 60 hours weekly, but somehow lose money
10. Can't understand why you're always broke despite being busy
11. Discover too late you're charging half of what's needed
12. Run out of money with no idea where it went

Solution

Manage your finances better. Hire a professional if you don't have the skills or knowledge for DIY bookkeeping. Other than this obvious answer, you should also:

• Use QuickBooks or similar accounting software religiously
• Track every single expense, no matter how small
• Calculate your true hourly overhead cost (total annual overhead ÷ billable hours)
• Create pricing formulas: Materials + Labor + Overhead + Profit Margin
• Set aside 25-30% of every payment for taxes immediately
• Budget for insurance increases when projecting revenue growth
• Create separate bank accounts for taxes, payroll, and operating expenses
• Review profit/loss statements monthly, not yearly
• Hire a bookkeeper or accountant, even when small
• Track job costing, compare estimated vs actual costs on every job
• Set up automatic transfers to savings for reserves
• Use job roofing CRMs to track materials, labor, and profitability in real-time
• Create a warranty reserve fund (2 to 3% of revenue)
• Say no to jobs that don't meet minimum profit margins

Entire countries have fallen prey to poor finances; a small company won't fare any better. Stay on top of finances and track small expenses. Being called tight-pursed is better than being called a failure.

3. Embezzlement and Theft

5% of roofing businesses fail because of embezzlement and internal theft. One manager or accountant with too much power picks a cent off every dollar. The cents turn into a dollar, and those dollars turn into bundles of thousands.

Eventually, the losses become too great to withstand, and your business crumbles. By the time you realize the problem, the culprit is already on a flight to god knows where. Here's one scenario to help you understand:

1. You trust someone to handle all finances
2. They steal small amounts you don't notice initially
3. They intercept mail to hide unpaid bills and taxes
4. Hundreds of thousands disappear over time
5. Financial reports are fake and hide the theft
6. They vanish suddenly on "vacation"
7. You discover massive debts and angry creditors
8. IRS freezes your bank accounts immediately
9. Can't make payroll, so crews quit
10. Legal fees drain the remaining money
11. IRS seizes your house and personal assets
12. 30-year business collapses in weeks
13. You're personally liable for millions, even after bankruptcy

Solutions

Never give one person too much power over your business. Hold yourself and every employee accountable for their spending. While it does depend on business structure, here are some things you can do to reduce theft risks:

• Never give one person complete control over finances
• Separate duties: one person writes checks, another reconciles accounts
• Review bank statements yourself every single month
• Use accounting software where you can see all transactions in real-time
• Require two signatures on checks over certain amounts
• Owner should personally review all tax filings before submission
• Get business mail sent to your home or PO box you control
• Run background checks on anyone handling money
• Use business credit cards with spending alerts sent to your phone
• Conduct surprise audits or reviews quarterly
• Get employee dishonesty insurance (fidelity bonds)
• Review accounts payable and receivable reports weekly yourself
• Never sign blank checks or give unrestricted access
• Meet directly with your CPA quarterly, not through staff
• Trust but verify, please check the IRS payment history online yourself

Keep the chunk of your business funds locked behind MFA accounts. Do not trust anyone, not even yourself. Human beings fall prey to scams, and having the right framework in place prevents instant disasters.

4. Lack of Business Skills

Good roofers aren't naturally good businessmen. A roofer will prioritize the quality of their work while forgetting about expenses, overheads, and costs. Companies need businessmen for management.

Not having business skills isn't your fault, but it is your fault if you refuse to learn them. Here's what will happen if you try to manhandle a business:

1. Great at roofing, terrible at business
2. Can't price jobs or calculate overhead
3. Don't return calls or handle paperwork professionally
4. Can't delegate because you trust no one else
5. Stuck working in the field daily
6. Have no systems or processes
7. Make all decisions reactively, never planning ahead
8. Can't grow beyond your personal work capacity
9. Think like an employee instead of a business owner
10. Resist learning business skills
11. Work increasingly harder without growth
12. Burn out or realize employment pays better

Solutions

Ensure financial accountability for everyone and everything, including yourself. Here's how you can do this:

• Take business management courses or workshops
• Join contractor peer groups or masterminds for learning
• Read books on business operations (E-Myth, Profit First, etc.)
• Hire a business coach who specializes in construction
• Partner with someone who has business skills you lack
• Use estimating software to systematize pricing
• Create checklists and SOPs for every repeated task
• Hire an office manager to handle admin while you focus on sales/production
• Schedule specific office time daily for business tasks
• Document your best practices so others can follow them
• Invest in CRM roofing software to manage customer communication
• Attend industry conferences focused on business, not just technical skills
• Work ON the business (planning, systems), not just IN it (roofing)
• Accept that delegation is necessary for growth
• Set business goals beyond "stay busy"

Learn like your life depends on it. Focus on management techniques, growth, sales, and everything else that you have the time for.

5. Overspending and Lifestyle Choices

Some owners believe they're entitled to a small spending spree. Some new clothes here, a car there on the company tab doesn't sound bad. Unfortunately, 10% of roofing businesses fail because of the owner's frivolous spending.

The trap of apparent comfort lulls owners into spending sprees. This overspending stresses your business expenses and causes cash flow problems. Here's how overspending can spiral into total business failure:

1. Buy $70,000 truck after one good month
2. Think "tax write-off" means it's free
3. Purchase expensive equipment during boom times
4. Develop substance abuse problems that drain money
5. Create loan payments that continue during slow periods
6. Look rich while drowning in debt
7. Upgrade everything, expecting more money to come
8. Have zero savings when the slow season arrives
9. Can't survive one bad month
10. Spend profits instead of building reserves
11. Forced to sell assets at a loss during the crisis
12. Business fails because money went to lifestyle, not reserves

Solutions

For starters, stop treating the company income and bank account like a personal piggy bank. Use company accounts for company expenses. Other than that, you should:

• Pay yourself a fixed salary, not "whatever's left over"
• Keep personal and business finances completely separate
• Wait 6 months after revenue increase before lifestyle upgrades
• Buy used equipment and vehicles, not new
• Finance only essential assets, not luxuries
• Build 6 6-month operating reserve before any personal spending increases
• Understand that tax deductions reduce taxable income
• Create a business budget and stick to it
• Set profit distribution rules (e.g., 50% reinvest, 30% reserves, 20% owner pay)
• Seek help for substance abuse issues immediately
• Have an accountant review major purchases before committing
• Drive a modest vehicle - customers care about quality work, not your truck
• Delay gratification - invest in business growth first
• Track personal spending to see where money actually goes

Please remember, looking rich and being rich are very different things. A rich business owner doesn't need to flaunt his wealth. Stop putting your hand in the cookie jar of long-term financial catastrophes.

6. Poor Quality Work and Employee Retention

Poor quality work is deeply interlinked with employee hiring and retention. Roofing businesses often hire inexperienced workers to reduce costs. The few experienced workers they do hire quit because they aren't valued adequately.

This leads to bad workmanship, lower workplace integrity, poor collaboration, and lower customer satisfaction. These factors led to the failure of 8.3% of roofing businesses. Here's how everything goes from bad to worse in this scenario:

1. Can't find workers who show up reliably
2. Employees get addicted, drunk, or quit suddenly
3. Train workers for weeks, and they quit after months
4. Poor work creates expensive warranty callbacks
5. Can't bid bigger jobs without a reliable crew
6. No-shows force job cancellations and angry customers
7. Must do all work yourself
8. Accidents and injuries spike insurance costs
9. Waste time managing drama instead of business
10. Can't afford competitive wages to keep good workers
11. Stuck in permanent hiring mode
12. Growth is permanently capped at personal capacity
13. Burn out and close the business

Solutions

Understand employee needs, skill levels, and pain points. Make your company attractive to skilled workers and give employees the respect they deserve. Here are some things you should consider:

• Pay above-market wages to attract and keep quality workers
• Offer benefits (health insurance, retirement, paid time off)
• Create performance bonuses tied to quality and reliability
• Drug test before hiring and randomly after
• Check references thoroughly, don't skip this step
• Start with a trial period before full commitment
• Create clear job expectations and consequences in writing
• Invest heavily in training - make it worth their while
• Build a positive company culture that people want to stay in
• Recognize and reward good performance publicly
• Create advancement paths so workers see a future
• Use recruiting agencies for pre-screened candidates
• Offer retention bonuses for staying 1 year, 2 years, etc.
• Provide company vehicles and tools so they don't need their own
• Build relationships - know your workers' families and lives
• Fire fast when someone isn't working out - don't drag it out
• Cross-train employees so you're not dependent on one person

7. Insurance Claims and Lawsuits

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, every 1 in 5 construction-related injuries is fatal. That's why every roofing business needs ample workers' compensation and general liability insurance.

Unfortunately, some business owners choose to forego insurance coverage. Naturally, 6.7% of business owners lose their businesses due to insurance claims and lawsuits. Here's how it happens:

1. Worker gets seriously injured
2. Insurance costs double or triple overnight
3. Can't get work with poor insurance ratings
4. Prices become uncompetitive due to insurance costs
5. Customer sues for poor workmanship
6. Legal defense costs $50,000+ even if you win
7. Warranty work wasn't budgeted, drains cash
8. Poor installations create expensive callbacks
9. Bad reviews destroy a reputation
10. New insurance policies squeeze profit margins
11. Personally liable without adequate coverage
12. One major claim bankrupts an entire business
13. Insurance becomes unaffordable or unavailable

Customers can also sue you for various reasons. For example, an angry customer might believe you're the culprit for his roof falling after a heavy storm. Always have safeguards for worst-case scenarios.

Solutions

Successful roofing companies give workers a sense of security through insurance coverage. Doing this reduces the risk of lawsuits and unnecessary damages. You can safeguard your businesses and employees by:

• Implementing and enforcing a rigorous safety program
• Requiring daily safety briefings and proper PPE usage
• Getting adequate insurance coverage (GL, workers comp, umbrella policy)
• Budgeting insurance costs as a percentage of revenue, not fixed costs
• Documenting everything with photos before, during, and after jobs
• Using detailed written contracts with clear scope and warranties
• Investing in quality training to reduce workmanship defects
• Creating quality control checklists for every job
• Inspecting work before final payment and customer sign-off
• Have customers sign completion/satisfaction forms with photos
• Address customer concerns immediately before they escalate
• Set aside 2 to 3% of revenue for the warranty reserve fund
• Work with an insurance broker to find the best rates and coverage
• Join trade associations for group insurance rates
• Maintain an excellent safety record to keep premiums low
• Consider higher deductibles to lower premiums (if you have reserves)
• Get certificates of insurance from all subcontractors

8.  Price Competition and Unlicensed Contractors

Countless new businesses compete on prices with unlicensed contractors. Sometimes, they even hire unlicensed contractors to beat prices. Unfortunately, 11.7% of roofing businesses fail because of this price battle.

This happens more frequently with small businesses, which use low prices as their unique selling point (USP). Here's how this usually happens:

1. You bid a fair price
2. Get undercut by an unlicensed roofer paying $10/hour cash
3. They don't pay insurance, taxes, or licensing
4. Can't match their prices with legitimate costs
5. Customers only choose the cheapest option
6. Forced to drop prices below sustainable levels
7. Profit margins disappear completely
8. Start cutting corners to match prices
9. This damages reputation and creates problems
10. Market floods with unqualified "roofers"
11. Legitimate contractors can't compete with rule-breakers
12. Work is divided among too many competitors
13. Work harder for less until bills can't be paid
14. Go broke competing on price alone

Solution

The easiest solution is to compete on value and quality instead of price. Sell your services, not the price of your services. Here are some things you should do:

• Never compete on price alone
• Create professional branding that looks premium
• Get manufacturer certifications and display them prominently
• Build a portfolio of before/after photos and testimonials
• Focus on education - teach customers what quality looks like
• Offer better warranties than competitors (workmanship + manufacturer)
• Target higher-end customers who value quality over price
• Build relationships with insurance agents and property managers
• Show customers your insurance, licensing, and credentials
• Explain what's included in your price vs. the cheap competitors
• Specialize in premium materials or difficult projects
• Create financing options so price is less of a barrier
• Use professional proposals with a detailed scope of work
• Follow up persistently because customers like it
• Get reviews and ratings on Google, Yelp, and industry sites
• Report unlicensed contractors to the authorities
• Network for referrals instead of competing in the open market
• Create service agreements for annual inspections and maintenance

Most of these solutions are also linked to brand awareness and marketing. For example, a lack of marketing means you'll be forced to compete on prices. You should build customer trust and out-value the competitors.

9. Lack of Control on Growth

We've all had those bouts of greed where we say yes to almost every gig. Research shows that 5% of roofing businesses fail because of bad growth management. It makes sense because not every job is feasible for your business.

Overextending your resources and crews can lead to stress, attrition, and poor workmanship. Hiring new resources quickly means a drop in quality and management. Here's a simple scenario to help you understand how it happens:

1. Business booms, selling 10 roofs weekly
2. Say yes to everything
3. Spend $600k on materials and labor in 6 weeks
4. Haven't collected payment on most jobs yet
5. Hire quickly, get unreliable workers
6. Quality control completely breaks down
7. Use untested subs who do poor work
8. Projects are delayed due to overcommitment
9. Customers are angry about delays and quality issues
10. Systems collapse under volume
11. Spending faster than money arrives
12. Multiple disasters happen simultaneously
13. Reputation destroyed
14. Business collapses from too much, too fast

Solutions

Learn to say no and control your greed. We all want our businesses to grow quickly, but compromising quality isn't worth it. Here are some things you should do:

• Set the maximum number of concurrent jobs and stick to it
• Don't accept new work when already at capacity
• Hire and train during slow periods, not during boom
• Grow by 20 to 30% per year, not 300%
• Vet subcontractors thoroughly before the busy season
• Build systems and processes before scaling up
• Require larger deposits when taking on more work
• Hire project managers before adding more crews
• Create a waiting list rather than overcommitting
• Monitor cash flow projections weekly during growth
• Maintain quality standards even if it means turning down work
• Document processes so new employees can follow them
• Implement job management software before you need it
• Keep 3 to 6 months' expenses in reserve before expanding
• Test new crews on small jobs before giving them large ones
• Schedule conservatively - under-promise and over-deliver
• Saying no to bad work is saying yes to good work

These basic tenets apply to every business, irrespective of its industry. For example, we have a limited number of seats for each class. We can only exceed our current limit when we hire and train new teachers.

10. Inadequate Marketing

Running a roofing company isn't always about hammering nails and sweating throughout the day. In fact, you'll most likely never grow if you only focus on the onsite skills instead of marketing.

About 6.7% business owners listed poor marketing as a major pitfall for their business. Companies with great crews went out of business because people didn't know about their services. Here's why poor marketing can destroy your business:

1. Rely only on word of mouth
2. Great month, then 6 weeks with no work
3. Can't afford to keep workers during gaps
4. No system for consistent leads
5. Can't close sales when you get them
6. Look identical to competitors, customers pick the cheapest
7. Can't explain why you're worth more
8. Sales team wastes marketing budget
9. Lose 75% of bids
10. No relationships with key referral sources
11. No pipeline when the current work ends
12. Scramble for work instead of working
13. Feast-or-famine makes cash flow impossible
14. Famine periods eventually last too long

Solutions

Formulate a robust marketing strategy for your brand and business. Diversify your income streams and increase your visibility. Here are some marketing recommendations for new and old business owners:

• Invest in a professional website with SEO optimization
• Run consistent Google Ads or local service ads year-round
• Develop relationships with 5 to 10 insurance agents for referrals
• Create a CRM system to track and follow up with leads
• Learn sales skills by taking courses or reading sales books
• Develop a sales presentation that demonstrates value
• Use professional proposals with photos and testimonials
• Follow up with every lead at least 3 times
• Ask every satisfied customer for referrals and reviews
• Network with property managers and HOA boards
• Create email marketing campaigns for past customers
• Offer maintenance programs for recurring revenue
• Track marketing ROI and double down on profitable methods
• Build email list and send seasonal tips/reminders
• Use social media to showcase completed projects
• Attend local business networking events regularly
• Partner with complementary businesses (HVAC, siding, etc.)
• Create a referral rewards program for past customers
• Market during the slow season when competitors aren't
• Build pipeline goal: always have 30 to 60 days of work scheduled

Good marketing is one of the best ways to get more roofing jobs. It builds awareness and brings customers to your doorstep instead of vice versa.

11. Tax and Legal Issues

Fear the IRS like a vampire fears garlic or something along those lines. Countless companies underestimate taxes on payroll. The taxes mount up with interest and suddenly you have hundreds of thousands in back payments.

According to our research, 5% of business owners experienced failures because of taxes and legal issues. Here's how it generally happens:

1. Skip payroll taxes to cover operations
2. IRS adds penalties and interest
3. Small problems become massive debts
4. IRS demands hundreds of thousands suddenly
5. Bank accounts frozen immediately
6. Can't make payroll or buy materials
7. Personally liable for payroll taxes forever
8. IRS takes your house and car
9. Working without a license means no legal protection
10. Customer refuses to pay an unlicensed contractor
11. Must tear out and redo unpermitted work
12. Legal fees drain every dollar
13. Criminal charges or jail time
14. Business dies during legal battles

Solutions

You must make a plan for taxes and possible legal battles. Do not overextend your bank and never remove your first line of defense against tax battles. Here are some things you should definitely do:

• Pay payroll taxes immediately
• Do not use tax money for anything else
• Set up automatic tax payments through the EFTPS system
• Hire a payroll service (Gusto, ADP) to handle taxes automatically
• Get proper business licenses before starting work
• Pull permits for every job that requires them
• Keep a separate tax savings account and don't touch it
• Work with a CPA who specializes in construction businesses
• Make quarterly estimated tax payments on time
• Maintain proper corporate structure (LLC or S-Corp)
• Keep personal and business finances completely separated
• Get legal advice before signing major contracts
• Have an attorney review contracts and agreements
• Stay current on licensing requirements and renewals
• Join trade associations for legal resources and advice
• Get professional liability insurance (E&O coverage)
• Document everything in case of disputes
• If you get behind, call the IRS immediately to set up a payment plan
• Never ignore IRS letters and respond to everything
• Consider a tax professional for monthly bookkeeping

Successful roofing businesses know how to stay on the good side of the IRS. It all starts with keeping everything above the table and tax sheets clean.

12. Personal Life Problems

A problem can come knocking on your door at any point in time. As a business owner, you have to be prepared. You should have backup plans for life problems, which include sickness, divorce, death, and succession. 

About 5% of people listed various personal problems as the reason for their failure. Surprisingly, a majority listed a lack of spousal support and divorce as a hurdle. Here's how it plays out:

1. Marriage fails due to business stress
2. Divorce takes half of everything
3. Business assets are divided up
4. Lose the capital needed to continue
5. Stress causes depression or substance abuse
6. Can't focus on business decisions
7. Owner dies without a succession plan
8. No one can step in and run it
9. Everything depended on the owner's knowledge
10. Business collapses immediately
11. Family fights tie up business in disputes
12. Forced sale at the worst possible time
13. Personal and business problems compound
14. Combined weight destroys everything

Solutions

Learn to manage your personal life and business in the same breath. Here's how you can do it:

• Get a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement protecting business
• Structure business ownership to protect from divorce (consult an attorney)
• Keep business and personal finances completely separate
• Get key person life insurance that pays off business debts if you die
• Create a succession plan
• Have a buy-sell agreement if there are partners
• Document all processes so the business can run without you
• Consider a co-owner or COO who can step in if needed
• Maintain work-life balance to protect marriage and health
• Seek counseling for stress, addiction, or mental health issues
• Build a strong management team that isn't entirely dependent on you
• Create an operating manual with all critical information
• Tell spouse about business stresses
• Take vacations and time off to prevent burnout
• Have estate planning done (will, trust, business succession)
• Regularly communicate with family about business plans
• Consider selling a minority stake to a key employee for continuity
• Don't let business consume the entire identity and relationships
• Join peer support groups for contractor business owners

Prenups are necessary even if you trust your spouse. They're a protective measure for your spouse, partners, legacy, and the people who work for you. 

13. Lack of Systems or Planning

A lack of planning is one of the most common hurdles for new roofing businesses. Furthermore, 5% business owners listed it as the prime cause of their business failure. Businesses cannot grow without planning and execution.

For example, a new company without an onboarding process will have more lapses in customer relations. Lack of plans also leads to delays and loss of revenue. Here's how it might play for new roofing business owners:

1. Start with no business plan or research
2. Don't know if enough customers exist
3. Everything done ad hoc, no standards
4. Quality depends on who shows up
5. Knowledge leaves when employees quit
6. Every day spent firefighting, not preventing
7. Can't train employees effectively; nothing is documented
8. Get comfortable, stop adapting to changes
9. No metrics to track problems
10. Every customer gets a different experience
11. Can't scale beyond personal involvement
12. Business drifts from original vision
13. Work in constant chaos until burnout
14. Never escape survival mode and fail

Solutions

The simplest solution is to have a full-fledged plan. Even a few pages of documentation for internal procedures streamline work procedures. Here's how you can do it:

• Write a simple one-page business plan with clear goals
• Research your market before starting (competition, demand, pricing)
• Create checklists for every repeated task
• Document your processes in written SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures)
• Use project management software (JobNimbus, AccuLynx, Roofr)
• Implement estimating software for consistency
• Create templates for proposals, contracts, and invoices
• Schedule weekly planning time - don't just react
• Set annual goals and review progress quarterly
• Track key metrics (close rate, average job size, profit margin, etc.)
• Create a customer journey map and standardize the experience
• Use time-blocking to ensure you work ON business, not just IN it
• Join peer advisory groups for accountability
• Hire a consultant to help build systems initially
• Use the franchise model as a template, even if independent
• Read books on systems (E-Myth, Traction, Scaling Up)
• Create a training manual for new employees
• Schedule quarterly strategic planning sessions
• Implement a continuous improvement mindset
• Survey customers regularly for feedback and improvement ideas

Many roofing businesses fail to manage roofing projects because they don't have a plan. Contact a consultant, conduct market research, look for pain points, and find solutions. You can't grow your business without these basic steps.

Realistic Case Study of Roofing Business Fails

In realistic cases, two or more factors will combine to cripple your business. For example, a lack of business planning causes cash flow issues and a lack of customers. What better way to understand it than through a real case study?

Overview of Failed Roofing Business

The case study in question is of an established roofing company that crumbled due to framework issues. Here's an overview of the business:

• Started 30+ years ago as a small commercial roofing operation
• Grew to become the #24 largest commercial roofing contractor in the US
• 4 repair crews, 7 full-time installation crews, multiple specialized divisions
• Had contracts with major clients (400+ 7-Eleven locations across 3 states)
• Won multiple manufacturer awards
• Generated millions in revenue annually

Growth Phase (Successful Years)

The company started with small jobs and built industry-wide relationships with property managers. The growth continued after the company:

• Landed major contracts that kept crews busy year-round
• Invested in equipment like gutter and panel machines
• Opened a warehouse for material storage and rare material inventory
• Sold materials to other roofers at a markup to generate extra revenue
• Created a tool shop selling discounted tools to employees and other contractors
• Bought rental properties near the shop, rented to employees (including ex-cons)
• Built a strong company culture and treated employees exceptionally well

Issue Creation Phase (Pre-Downfall Years)

The company followed every rule of success and grew exponentially. Unfortunately, they failed to control their business framework. Here's what happened: 

• Company grew so large that it needed a massive office expansion
• Hired an HR director, receptionists, and an executive assistant
• Hired a marketing assistant for better management
• Hired 3 accountants: one for Accounts Payable (AP), one for Accounts Receivable (AR), and one for Payroll
• Added "superintendent" role (person with no real title or duties)

While doing this, the company made one critical mistake. Their current framework gave the Head of Accounting (HA) too much control over finances. It gave employees in the right positions the ability to commit fraud.

Undiscovered Problem Phase (Downfall Years)

The company was focused on growth and did not conduct internal audits. During this phase, the HA had absolute unchecked control over finances. Here's what caused the downfall, according to the account of a former employee:

• Accounts Receivable (AR) would get checks from customers
• AR would add them to the company system
• AR would then pass them to the Head of Accounting (HA)
• Accounts Payable (AP) would make checks to pay the vendor
• AP would add these checks to the system and pass them to HA for mailing
• HA was responsible for ensuring money reached the bank and the post office
• HA began intercepting payments and pocketing them
• Small amounts ($1k-2k) went missing regularly
• Missing amounts were written off as tool repairs or restocking
• This continued undetected for years

Everyone in the company was getting a fair share. Income was growing, and no one bothered to check taxes and receipts.

Discovered Problem Phase (Downfall Years)

The HA knew that things were reaching a head-on collision. Naturally, he decided to bail before discovery. Here's what happened:

• HA took a vacation, cashed out all PTO, and never returned
• After the second no-call/no-show, management began an audit
• Discovered HA had been stealing $1.8 million in payroll taxes
• HA had also been intercepting vendor payment mail to hide the theft
• HA fled to Ethiopia to evade the law
• IRS showed up after discovering unpaid payroll taxes
• Froze all company bank accounts during the investigation
• Could not make payroll for 2 weeks while waiting for a large customer check
• Payroll lapse for 2 weeks caused immediate consequences
• Department of Labor investigation launched
• 3 of 7 crews quit and left

Intensifying Problems Phase (Downfall Years)

In real-time situations, one problem leads to another one. For example, in this case, embezzlement led to cash flow problems and legal battles. According to the employee's account, things went from bad to worse because:

• Owner was married and had built rental properties as a business safety net
• Planned to sell properties to pay off IRS debt and set up a payment plan
• Wife divorced him during the crisis
• Divorce settlement took most of his rental properties
• Lost the financial cushion that could have saved the company
• With no rental properties to liquidate, the owner had no funds to settle with IRS
• IRS refused to work with him on a payment plan
• IRS set a deadline for a lump sum payment
• Owner couldn't possibly meet the deadline while keeping the business running
• Owner prioritized keeping employees employed and paying manufacturers
• IRS determined owner had commingled personal and business funds too much
• IRS removed corporate liability protections for the owner
• IRS began seizing personal assets (house, car, properties)

In this case, the owner's personal problems were interlinked with his business. It all spiraled downwards after one slight lapse in judgment.

Aftermath Phase (Post Downfall)

According to the employee, the situation got worse. The outstanding payments piled on, and the owner didn't have a way out. The aftermath was a tragedy:

• Owner's house included property his grandfather
• He had intended to pass it down to his oldest son
• Rather than let the IRS seize his family's legacy, the owner took his own life
• Insurance from a life insurance policy was intended to pass properties to heirs
• Oldest son sold property to pay legal fees for personal child-related charges
• Youngest son (who worked in the company his whole life) got nothing

The company, along with the owner's legacy, went bankrupt. We can only hope and pray that nothing similar happens to anyone else. Unfortunately, this is one of countless horrifying tales.

Every 9 out of 10 roofing businesses fail because they underestimate weaknesses. We might have to hear about even more gruesome tales until business owners learn how to analyze and streamline their businesses.

FAQs on Roofing Business Fails

What are the pain points of running a roofing business?

The main pain points of running a roofing business include high labor costs, weather-related delays, safety risks, inconsistent cash flow, and a lack of lead generation. Owners must manage skilled labor shortages, expensive materials, and liability insurance while maintaining customer satisfaction and steady project volume.

How much do roofing businesses make?

Roofing businesses make between $80,000 and $350,000 in annual profit, depending on company size, location, and services offered. Small residential roofers make around $50000 per year, while large commercial roofing firms can exceed $1 million in yearly profit.

What is the future of roofing?

The future of roofing focuses on sustainability, technology, and energy efficiency. Smart roofing systems, solar-integrated materials, and recycled composites are transforming the industry. Drones, AI inspections, and automation will improve accuracy and safety, while cool roofs and green installations will dominate new construction by 2030.

Bottom Line on Reasons Roofing Businesses Fail

Most roofing companies go out of business within the first 5 years. According to our survey, poor financial management (20%) and cash flow management (18.3%) are the two most common reasons for business failures.

Some of these problems, like bad marketing plans, are only relevant for new companies. Other reasons, like cash flow management, are relevant for all roofing companies. As a roofing business owner, the odds are always stacked against you.

Learn the ropes to run your roofing business and prepare for every variable. Don't know where to start? Join our roofing classes, where we help you build industry-wide connections with other business owners, vendors, and workers.