Tips to raise roofing profits

objection when the roofing is sold as part of an entire system. Sales should include flashings, roofing felt, tools, fasteners, vents, gutters, moss inhibitors and sheathing to replace damaged areas.

(3) Sell assurance.

If a customer is wary of undertaking a reroofing project himself or hiring an expensive contractor, he can compromise by doing a lot of the prep work himself to keep the professional's labor and bill down. Simple yet time-consuming tasks include tearing off the old roofing, dumping the debris, removing television antennae or satellite dishes, and protecting trees, lawns and shrubs.

Story at a Glance

Three-tab sales approach for asphalt roofing organic vs. inorganic, premaum shingles.

Asphalt Rooting Forecast

The market for asphalt roofing products will expand 2.57o annually to 24 million tons in 2000, valued at $5.3 billion, aCcording to the ,Freedonia Group.

Although a slowdown frorn the pace of the previous three years, gains will occur among the large number of single-family homes built in the 1970s and early 1980s now in need oftheir first roof replacement. Other growth factors include projected increases in building sizes and heightened complexity among roof designs that increase surface area.

Regionally, the strongest growth for asphalt product demand will be in the South Atlantic and Pacific, due to above-average population increases and heightened construction spending.