16 Telling Roofing Industry Statistics You Should Know (2022 Update)

The roofing industry is booming, and it has ebbed and flowed over the past few decades. Hearing word of mouth from other roofing professionals is one thing, but seeing hard data about the industry is another. 

Just how good of a projected future does the roofing sector have? We’ll break down 16 key roofing statistics you should know!

1.) The roofing industry is expected to reach nearly $20 billion in 2021. (Market Research)

There will always be houses in the U.S., and those houses will always need roofs. Because of this, the roofing market is showing no signs of slowing down.

$20 billion is an impressive figure and one that shows just how crucial roofs are today and that their importance will continue as more homes are built in the future. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more stable industry right now.

2.) Between 2015 and 2020, the roofing industry grew an average of 2.7% each year. (IBIS)

Branching off the previous stat, here we have one that relays how consistent the growth has been—an impressive average of 2.7% growth each year. To show just how impressive this 2.7% is, consider the growth of the automobile in the U.S. during that time, which consistently fluctuated between around .5% and -1.5% year to year.

The home industry, on which the roofing sector heavily relies, is also seeing some good growth. It is expected to grow by about 1% each year. Once again, it’s safe to say the roofing industry’s growth, combined with that of the home industry, proves it is one of the most steady sectors.

3.) According to a survey of roofers in 2018, 65% of them reported growth in sales and revenue. (Kingdom Roofing)

It may seem like there isn’t enough growth within the industry to go around simply because there are a lot of roofing companies and contractors out there. But that isn’t true. A strong 65% of roofers in a recent survey said they experienced growth in both sales and revenue.

While that does leave 35% who broke even for the year or dipped in sales, the overall industry is still strong. In fact, many new roofers are still popping up each year and becoming profitable shortly after.

4.) 65% of respondents also said they’re starting to look into augmented and virtual reality solutions for their business. (Kingdom Roofing)

Even though it may not seem like roofing companies need to be innovative since their services are relatively straightforward, that hasn’t stopped 65% of roofers from at least thinking about investing in augmented and virtual reality.

Such tools can help roofers more accurately estimate the job cost and how much materials they’ll need, which homeowners will greatly appreciate. Cutting-edge roofers will set themselves up for even more profits, as well as position themselves as leading in the area of customer service.

5.) Roughly 80% of roofing business owners have experienced a 10% increase in labor costs over the past couple of years. (Kingdom Roofing)

One specific area that is cutting into profits for most roofers is labor. Of course, that shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, as that is generally applicable to a lot of industries—especially those that cannot automate.

While assembly lines may be taken over by robots, we’re a long, long way away from robot roofers. If you’re considering starting a roofing company, don’t let these labor costs deter you too much.

6.) 78% of respondents indicated that employee referrals were the best way to find needed workers. (Kingdom Roofing)

This stat goes to show just how strong the network of roofers is. More often than not, when a company brings on a new roofer, it’s because they have a connection already at the company who can vouch for their work.

This is both good and bad. It’s good because it can save a roofing company time and money on finding an employee the old-fashioned way. But, it sometimes makes it difficult for people to break into the industry as a roofer.

7.) 68% of industry professionals that responded are expecting solar-related sales to remain consistent, with only 25 percent expecting the green option to experience significant growth. (Kingdom Roofing)

Solar is an interesting topic within the roofing industry, and there isn’t a clear consensus on where the solar sector will be over the next 5 or even 10 years. Traditional roofers don’t see it growing too much, and instead, it will remain a niche within the roofing industry.

However, a quarter of roofers do expect there to be significant growth for solar. Which one will it be? Only time will tell.

8.) Roofing replacements make up a large portion of the overall North American roofing market, making up over 90% of both the market’s volume and value. (BCC Research)

By far, replacements are the largest portion of the roofing market. This makes sense, as there are so many homes throughout North America that were built a long time ago and need to swap out their old roof for a brand new one.

While roofs, on average, do last a really long time, they will eventually need to be replaced. This creates a cycle where there will always be a large number of homes that need roofs replaced each and every year.

9.) The average hourly wage for roofers is $20.57, with a yearly average of $42,780. (CSCE)

Roofers can make some pretty decent cash. Keep in mind, those are average figures, which means you can also make a lot more than the 42k list. But, new roofers can expect to make less than that. After they acquire more years of service under their belt and become more skilled and educated, they can start making more money.

10.) Estimation software is currently used by 57% of roofing professionals, with 43% utilizing aerial measurement. (Kingdom Roofing)

If you’re not using some sort of estimation software right now, your roofing company is definitely in the minority. Nearly 60% of roofing professionals currently use estimation software, with another 43% utilizing a tool for aerial measurement.

So, while the roofing industry may not be as innovative as other industries, there is still plenty of opportunity for upgrading the tech and solutions roofers use.

11.) The market size of the roofing contractors industry in the U.S. increased faster than the construction sector overall. (IBIS)

The construction industry as a whole isn’t growing as fast as the market size of roofing companies. This is great news, as it shows that the roofing industry isn’t dependent on massive growth within the construction industry and can still be very profitable even if things are slowing down on that front.

It’s safe to say that the roofing industry is in a perfect position for long-term success. If you’re interested in joining the legion of roofers who are making great money in a steady industry, consider signing up for the Roofing Insights’ Roofing Business School.

12.) Roof replacements are perhaps the most important part of the roofing industry, making up over 90% of the market in terms of both volume and value. (BCC Research)

Roofing replacements make up 94% of the total volume in North American roofing projects, as well as 91% of the value. So why is this? Well, roof replacement is becoming more and more necessary as buildings that were constructed 25-50 years ago lose their integrity—particularly on the roof.

Many homes were built during that time period, so it was only a matter of time before they started needing roofing replacements. Of course, homes are continuously being built throughout each decade. For this reason, the roof replacement portion of the roofing industry will continue to dominate in terms of both value and volume.

If you’re a roofer that focuses on just storm damage repairs or new roof builds for new homes, then it might be time to consider getting in the roof replacement game. There are plenty of opportunities out there, as well as plenty of money to make.

13.) According to the 2019 US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 197,390 roofing contractors employed. (CSCE)

The roofing industry employs many, many folks. There will always be roofs, and therefore there will always be people who need to build those roofs. If you’re interested in making a career out of becoming a roofing contractor, there really isn’t a bad time to get started.

The industry will always be healthy. That being said, if you’re interested in starting your own roofing business, the time to start is now. The industry is fairly crowded at this time, and the number of roofing businesses will likely only increase from here on out.

14.) The distribution of the roofing workforce is as follows: 55% Roofers, 3.9% Roofing Helpers/Assistants, 3.7% Sheet Metal Workers, and 1.4% Carpenters. (CSCE)

As you can see, there are a fair amount of different jobs available for people looking to pursue a career in roofing. Obviously, the traditional title of “roofer” is the most popular option. But, it’s far from the only option available. Becoming a roofing helper is a great way to get into the industry if you’re still fairly new.

A roofing helper will do all sorts of small jobs that help the flow of the project. For example, they’ll unload materials from the truck and unroll roofing material. They’ll also ensure there is enough material for the entire roof and lift materials onto the roof using pulleys or ladders. They’ll also assist with clearing any debris from the roof and cleaning up the job site.

15.) Mobile and wearable communication devices are being used by nearly 30% of roofers today. Cloud services are being utilized by just over 20% of roofing contractors, and close to 20% are incorporating drones in their services. (Kingdom Roofing)

Yup, the times are indeed changing. Many roofing companies already use cutting-edge and advanced technology to assist in their jobs. This is important for two reasons. First, it makes their job easier. Easier, more streamlined work means they can get more jobs done faster, which homeowners will also appreciate.

It’s important that faster roofing projects don’t lead to lower quality. Fortunately, these technology solutions aren’t just for making work faster; they are for making it better. Take drones, for instance. Many roofing contractors utilize drones to help with estimating the size of the roof.

This is faster than manually doing so and is more accurate. Roofers can therefore streamline these portions of the roofing projects, as well as save money because they won’t be paying for materials that they don’t end up using. It’s a win-win!

15.) 57% of commercial roofing contractors believe that national training and certification programs will help benefit the industry. (Kingdom Roofing)

Closer to a 50-50 split than we’d like here at Roofing Insights, but 57% of roofing contractors believe that national certification programs are beneficial for the industry. From our perspective, we believe this percentage should be much higher. Creating standards will help lift up the industry as a whole. Roofs will be better, which in turn will make homes and the people that live in them safer. There are too many scam artists out there that pretend to be qualified roofers but are far from that.

While yes, an overabundance of certification and requirements can become redundant and create a high barrier to entry in the industry, as long as we don’t go overboard, it’s hard to see the downside.

16.) About 70% of owners employed full-time employees to complete the majority of their projects, while about 20% hired subcontractors on a regular basis. (Kingdom Roofing)

Having a full-time crew is often considered better than hiring subcontractors from a homeowner’s perspective, as full-time crews have experience working together, which homeowners see as an added bonus.

That being said, there are plenty of successful, reliable roofing companies out there that hire subcontractors. So, it can be done. If you’re considering working with a roofing company that uses subcontractors, just make sure to check out their reviews and past work to ensure it’s up to snuff.

We Look Forward to the Industry Continuing to Grow

These statistics are exciting, as all signs point to the roofing industry continuing to grow and develop over the coming years. We’re looking forward to seeing how modern technology and practices will impact the industry going forward.

Are there any surprising, interesting, or disappointing roofing statistics you’ve come across? Let us know in the comments, and we’ll add them to the list! Check out our blog for more helpful tips, tricks, and reviews about the roofing industry.