# How to get started in commercial



## KB FAMILY ROOFING

Hello 

My company has been in business since 2005 we have completed some small commercial jobs mostly from business owners in my community. We mainly find our business in residential new and re-roof. We have been wanting to get into commercial for a while now but are unsure about how to start.

How have you all found jobs in the past?

What do you find is a good method of finding the right jobs?


Mansfield Tx Roofing


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## 1985gt

Be the cheapest you can be, drop all your profit margins to 0. At least thats how the shinglers who wannabe commercial do it. Under cut the guys who have a high over head.


If you really want to. I would decide what types of systems you wish to install. Get training. Do it right and make a good name for your self. I would say start off with EPDM and/or S/A Mod bit. TPO and PVC will have a higher start up cost with the tools involved. 

It sounds like your starting off right. Do some smaller jobs and work your way up. *A Lot* of it is word of mouth. I wouldn't go after the bigger bid jobs until you have a few years experience under your belt.


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## Grumpy

I have an edge on the larger established commercial roofing businessed on some jobs for one reason. I have alot less over head. BUT the taller, more difficult and longer the job will take the larger established companies have an advantage because of said over head. The difference is the rental of equipment. I rent most of what I need on an as needed basis. I try not to pass on too much of this savings though  

I don't do nearly as much commercial as I would like. A large part of the reason is my ego. I have a very hard time working with GC's, consultants and the like. Even some property managers get in the way. If you get in good with any of the above, they'll throw you repeated work, but again my ego gets in the way. Therefore I have come up with the recipe that the only way I can really get serious about commercial is to hire someone already skilled and experienced with commercial roofing sales and let them do what my ego prevents me from doing.

The next part of the equation is getting the leads you need to keep the machine alive. That's goign to take a pretty hefty investment in marketing. The plan I have come up with for 2012 is the combination of direct mail and telemarketing. I would like to do direct email but to be honest there is just too many laws around that for me to mess with. But some people have told me it does work. I will be hiring ona firm to manage this for me so that I can focus on operations and allow them to remember the marketing. Sure it'll cost me more but the only differewnce between the plan I had for this year and next year is the fact that next year it'll actually get done. I simply did not have the time to put into it. I did one mailing and then got too busy. 

If you are into new construction, look into thebluebook and dodge reports. Also bid clerk.


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## charlotteroofers

We have been doing shingle and metal roofing for commercial buildings, mainly churches, schools and small to med businesses. We too are expanding into more epdm and durolast solutions right now.

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## Pie in the Sky

Would Bonding capabilities come into play for a smaller contractor on larger bid jobs? I know we always required a bid bond than a performance bond for public money projects.


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## 1985gt

Pie in the Sky said:


> Would Bonding capabilities come into play for a smaller contractor on larger bid jobs? I know we always required a bid bond than a performance bond for public money projects.


I don't think it would effect them much as a number of the smaller just gettting in to low slope types won't go after the bigger even medium sized stuff. Plus a number of the places I have seen will flat out reject a bid from a smaller less experience company due to the experience.


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## Pie in the Sky

We required 5 years experience in projects Of similar scope and scale of the project being bid. Kind of a catch 22 but put it at our discression.


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## roofermikeinc

*commercial roofing dinero*

I see your from the Windy City,Grump, and think you're so right about spending on marketing to penetrate the commercial roofing market,especially in the big city.Used to be you could just put a business card sized ad in the YP or the paper.People don't look there anymore,their all over the place! So you really have to spread it around a little and as they say in Miami,that takes mucho dinero...


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## shazapple

For our flat roofs we require you be a member of the local roofing contractors association along with a performance bond. Specialty roofs require manufacturer certification. Shingle roofs require 5 years experience, but only GC's tend to bid on those because everyone else is too small.


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## 1985gt

Pie in the Sky said:


> We required 5 years experience in projects Of similar scope and scale of the project being bid. Kind of a catch 22 but put it at our discression.


Thats pretty common here for public bid jobs. Weeds out the smaller company who may not have the capacity to do a certain type of project.


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## Grumpy

LOL anyone can get a performance bond and spend the $500 to joint he local R.C.A. Doesn't seem like much of a qualification. Also anyone can get manufacturer certified if you move enough squares or even just promise to move enough squares. Not much of a qualification if you ask me, truth be told.


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## 1985gt

Grumpy said:


> LOL anyone can get a performance bond and spend the $500 to joint he local R.C.A. Doesn't seem like much of a qualification. Also anyone can get manufacturer certified if you move enough squares or even just promise to move enough squares. Not much of a qualification if you ask me, truth be told.


True on all that but you forgot the part about X amount of years of experience or X amount of jobs with a similar system or both.  thats where they get you!


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## Pie in the Sky

and also I was spec'ing jobs in Montana and Wyoming for the past 6 years. If I didnt know you, you were in over your head. There are not alot of roofers. I worked in Philly equally as long and I met a new roofer every week. Same here in Denver, Theres more people in the metro area than there was in MT and WY combined...


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## JayCarter

KB FAMILY ROOFING said:


> Hello
> 
> My company has been in business since 2005 we have completed some small commercial jobs mostly from business owners in my community. We mainly find our business in residential new and re-roof. We have been wanting to get into commercial for a while now but are unsure about how to start.
> 
> How have you all found jobs in the past?
> 
> What do you find is a good method of finding the right jobs?
> 
> 
> Mansfield Tx Roofing


 
A good start on the marketing side is to focus on niche builders. For example a general contractor that only build's McDonalds restaurants or similar franchises. You can gain some experience but more importantly, the learning curve cost be offset and controlled because you are working on the same type projects. A solid base to work from.

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## shazapple

Grumpy said:


> LOL anyone can get a performance bond and spend the $500 to joint he local R.C.A. Doesn't seem like much of a qualification. Also anyone can get manufacturer certified if you move enough squares or even just promise to move enough squares. Not much of a qualification if you ask me, truth be told.


There must be a lot of lazy and poor roofing companies in my area, because there are a lot of roofing companies that cannot bid on our projects.


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## 1985gt

JayCarter said:


> A good start on the marketing side is to focus on niche builders. For example a general contractor that only build's McDonalds restaurants or similar franchises. You can gain some experience but more importantly, the learning curve cost be offset and controlled because you are working on the same type projects. A solid base to work from.
> 
> roofers toronto
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> toronto roofers
> roof toronto



That can be a hard area to break in to. A number of fast food chains and even retail outlets spec what roof has to be on the building. They generally have a couple of roofing contractors that are able to bid on their items.


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## Grumpy

shazapple said:


> There must be a lot of lazy and poor roofing companies in my area, because there are a lot of roofing companies that cannot bid on our projects.


 Yep, like when I talk to guys about various "open book" manufacturer certifications and they say "It's meaningless, anyone can get it." and I say "Then why don't YOU have it?" and they never have a response.


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