Comprehending how to estimate a roofing job and bid on it is the only way to win contracts and maximize profits! However, bidding is a big game because the results rely on how accurate the results are. In the USA, there is a lot of competition in the roofing industry and fluctuations in materials and labor prices. Additionally, the contractors end up over bedding which results in the loss of profitable projects.
So, to estimate a roofing job you need flawless proposals to create a sustainable balance between the cost of the construction materials and the service you are providing to the client. Nowadays, contractors only outsource, reliable and experienced cost estimating services companies. Hence, it is highly recommended to use advanced estimating software to evaluate materials, labor, and overhead. If you set a fair price, then you can win the jobs and grow your company!
DIVE IN TO EXPLORE STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURES FOR ESTIMATING A ROOFING JOB FOR YOUR NEXT PROJECTS TO PREVENT MISTAKES AND EARN GOOD PROFIT MARGINS!
Step-by-step guide to estimate a roofing job
1) Be clear about work Volume
You must be clear about the work volume to understand the details. For that, you need to talk to your clients, measure the roof, and have full knowledge of the regulations. Make sure to be sure about the type of projects, what they expect, and how much is their budget!
Moreover, most of the clients also specify which type of roof they want. So, you have to estimate things accordingly to evaluate the exact roofing job estimation.
2) Roof Inspection
Carefully inspect the Roof to understand any additional factors that can influence the cost. Certain types of roofs may need more materials and incur more labor expenses. If you are confused about what to look for then follow these instructions:
- Check for any damages
- Count the layers
- Check for any special components such as solar panels, or satellite dishes
- What is the condition of valleys, hips, ridges, and more?
3) Check roof measurements
You will get a precise number of squares to install a roof by checking the roof measurements. Let us show you how to calculate the number of squares:
- What is the external dimension of the house?
- Let’s say it is 35 ft x 60 ft, then divide by a hundred to get ground-level squares.
- Now you have measurements for a flat area, the next step is to determine the roof pitch.
- The roof pitch is determined by how deep it is and is expressed in a ratio.
- If it is 5:12 then this means that 5 feet is the height whereas 12 feet is the horizontal length.
- Now you need to multiply the number of ground-level squares by the pitch.
4) Material Expense
No, move on to evaluating the material expenses and estimate a roofing job. It all depends on the current market conditions, the higher the material cost, the higher will be the cost of roofing materials. however, whatever material you choose, you need to make sure that you are closing the best deals with the best supplier. The price difference depends on the supplier and the type of material. Typically, the rate ranges from $4 to $6.5 per square foot for asphalt shingles.
If you have a $4 per square foot rate to install asphalt shingles for a 23 square house then you may have to pay $10,000. If you are installing them at the cost of $4, you may have to invest in the following materials:
- Underlayment
- Vents
- Flashing
- Nails
5) Labour expense
After calculating the material expense now, it’s time to evaluate the right labor cost. For that, first, you need to know how many hours the job will take. After knowing, multiply that figure by the number of workers you are hiring for the job. However, now you will get the number of labor hours, let’s say it is 50 hours and it takes three people to complete the task. This means you need 150 hours to complete the roofing job.
Typically, the average rate of labor to complete a roofing job is almost $22 per hour. However, to calculate the total labor expenses multiply the hours by the hourly rate.
6) Do not forget to estimate the overhead
The overhead expenses include office rent, insurance, roofing tools, operations software, and so much more. so, the price you charge must also include these expenses to run a profitable business. but how can you monitor that? It is simple. Just calculate the overhead expenses per week. After that evaluate the weekly labor hours and then divide the hours with the overhead cost.
The last step is to multiply the hourly figure by the number of man-hours for the current project.
NOW IMPLEMENT THESE STRATEGIES AND GET THE MOST ACCURATE ROOFING QUOTE FOR YOUR PROJECTS UNDER BUDGET!
Final Thoughts!
To sum it up, you have to follow the detailed steps to estimate a roofing job otherwise a single misstep can derail your whole project. By following our guidelines, you can step up your game and win profitable contracts. Even then it is recommended to outsource construction estimating services to a well-known company and get a detailed breakdown of all project components.