By Jesse Sanchez. 

Automated invoice review can help contractors catch pricing discrepancies, reduce administrative work and protect profitability. 

For contractors managing a growing volume of material purchases, even small invoice discrepancies can add up quickly. On this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Heidi J. Ellsworth spoke with TW Woodward of InvoiceIQ about how technology can help contractors verify vendor pricing and uncover costs that might otherwise go unnoticed. 

As companies grow, TW explained that one of the biggest challenges is finding enough time to review every invoice line by line. Contractors may have negotiated pricing with vendors, but frequent material price changes and differences between purchasing channels can make it difficult to confirm whether each invoice reflects those agreements. Describing the challenge facing busy back offices, TW emphasized, “You just don't have enough time in the day to set somebody down and try and go line after line to look for where your money's missing.” 

InvoiceIQ is designed to automate that review process. Contractors upload vendor price lists, including multiple versions based on effective dates and invoices can then flow into the system automatically. From there, the technology compares individual line items against the appropriate pricing information. TW explained, “It matches it to the price list. And then it starts going line by line by line by line, just saying, 'Hey, is this the right SKU? Is this the right price?'” 

Each week, the platform generates vendor-specific reports highlighting discrepancies that may warrant further review. TW shared that one roofing company identified $500 in potential overcharges during its first week using the system and later received credit memos from the vendor. 

Beyond recovering money, the verification process can also provide greater confidence in contractor-supplier relationships. With documented pricing available for comparison, contractors can address discrepancies without relying solely on manual reviews or uncertainty. Reflecting on that benefit, TW noted, “It can certainly remove that from the equation,” referring to the distrust that can develop when pricing discrepancies repeatedly arise. 

For contractors, that visibility can support more accurate job costing while reducing the administrative burden of checking repetitive purchases. Rather than replacing an existing accounting or business management platform, the technology is intended to address a specific back-office challenge through a largely automated process. 

Listen to the podcast or Watch the conversation to learn more about how automated invoice verification can help contractors uncover pricing discrepancies, protect job profitability and bring greater confidence to vendor relationships! 

By Jesse Sanchez.

Clear processes, measurable goals and accountability can help roofing contractors strengthen commercial service operations in the year ahead.

As roofing contractors set goals for 2026, Service First Solutions owner and founder Tracey Donels sees a professional service department as an important part of building a stronger operation. During this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, he joined host Heidi J. Ellsworth to discuss how contractors can establish, expand and manage service departments with clearer expectations and more intentional planning.

For contractors starting a service department, Tracey recommends first defining the process from the initial customer call through invoicing. Every step should have an assigned responsibility as well as a backup when that person is unavailable. When setting goals around those processes, Tracey emphasized the importance of being specific, explaining, “It's really hard to develop a plan to be better than last year.” Rather than aiming broadly for improvement, contractors can establish defined targets and determine the daily, weekly and monthly behaviors required to reach them.

One opportunity for growth is recommended repairs. Instead of responding to a leak and leaving once the immediate problem is resolved, service teams can identify additional conditions that may require attention. This gives contractors an opportunity to help customers address problems proactively while developing additional service work and strengthening the long-term customer relationship.

Established departments can take goal setting further by reverse engineering their revenue targets. Contractors can examine historical revenue sources, closing ratios, average contracts and the number of customers or proposals needed to achieve their objectives. Accountability then keeps those plans moving forward. Tracey stressed the value of measuring performance, noting, “I'm a firm believer in scorecards.” Team members should understand what they are responsible for, know the numbers connected to those responsibilities and discuss why a goal was missed when results fall short.

Contractors can also strengthen their service operations by connecting with roofing associations, other contractors and structured peer groups. Seeing how successful departments approach staffing, processes and everyday challenges can provide practical ideas while giving teams a clearer picture of what is possible. Reflecting on the value of visiting other roofing companies and learning from peers, Tracey shared, “Sometimes you have to see it before you can be it.”

Listen to the podcast or Watch the conversation to learn more about setting measurable goals, building stronger processes and creating accountability within a roofing service department!

By Jesse Sanchez.

Connected data, adaptable processes and artificial intelligence can give roofing contractors stronger visibility into their operations and help them make more informed business decisions.

Technology can help roofing contractors grow, but only when it supports the way their businesses actually operate. On this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, host Heidi J. Ellsworth spoke with Matt Parks, founder and chief product and innovation officer of ContractorHub, about the operational challenges contractors face and how technology can help address them.

Before developing ContractorHub, Matt spent 20 years as a home services consultant and later helped scale a roofing company from a little more than $6 million to nearly $19 million in revenue over three years. When he returned to consulting, he began seeing familiar challenges across roofing companies. Reflecting on those recurring issues, Matt explained, “The main operational challenges that I saw that kept coming up revolved around accountability within the organization and culture.”

Those challenges helped shape ContractorHub, which Matt describes as more than a customer relationship management (CRM) or project management platform. The system is designed to connect business information, processes and existing software while giving contractors greater flexibility in how they operate. Emphasizing the importance of having reliable information in one place, Matt said, “You need one place that you can look at and trust that all the data in that system is accurate across the board.”

That connectivity becomes increasingly important as companies adopt artificial intelligence (AI). Matt distinguished AI from basic automation, noting that automation can trigger routine actions while AI can use broader business information to provide more contextual responses. Describing the opportunity created when the two work together, he shared, “When you start to combine AI and automation, that's where things get extremely powerful.”

ContractorHub was built with AI so that information across a project can work together while existing sales, production, financial and other systems remain part of the workflow. For contractors evaluating technology, Matt recommends looking beyond immediate needs and considering whether a platform can grow with the company, connect with existing tools and provide dependable data for decision-making.

Listen to the podcast or Watch the conversation to learn more about how connected technology, reliable data and AI can support stronger roofing operations and long-term business growth!

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Consolidating technology can improve workflows, visibility and daily operations for roofing contractors. 

On this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, host Megan Ellsworth sat down with Lauren Harmon of R3NG Roofing and Gutters and Aaron Weinstein, co-founder and CEO of Terial, to discuss how the contractor’s transition to Terial has progressed since its initial rollout.  

When Lauren first began evaluating the platform, switching software meant placing significant trust in a new technology partner. Months after implementation, the company has moved more of its operations onto the platform than originally expected. Lauren explained, “I think because it was so easy to use, we really just started using it across the board a lot more quickly than we expected to.” 

R3NG now uses Terial across service, production and sales, giving team members access to scheduling, customer relationship management, daily tasks and project information in one place. The consolidation has also allowed the company to eliminate other technology tools as more workflows have moved onto the platform. 

The proposal builder proved particularly important. R3NG initially expected to continue using its previous project management software for proposals while Terial developed its own solution. Instead, the feature arrived sooner and with more functionality than the team anticipated. Describing the team’s reaction, Lauren shared, “We’re so happy. It’s better than the one that we were using.” 

For Aaron, feedback from contractors like R3NG is central to product development, particularly when determining which tools and improvements will deliver the most value. Describing Terial’s approach, he said, “When we have great ideas from partners, we implement them fast.” That collaboration has already helped shape features within the platform, allowing Terial to develop its technology around the real-world workflows and needs of commercial contractors. 

That partnership extends beyond individual features. Terial also conducts business reviews that examine customer data, including scheduling and invoicing timelines, to help companies measure performance against their own goals. 

For Lauren, the experience has reinforced the idea that contractors should expect technology to actively improve their businesses rather than simply exist within them. Offering advice to other contractors evaluating their software, she emphasized, “If you’re on a software right now that just kind of exists because you think it has to, then you’re probably paying for something that you just shouldn’t be paying for. A software should be adding to your business.” 

Listen to the podcast or Watch the conversation to learn more about how the right software partnership can simplify workflows, consolidate technology and give contractors greater visibility into their operations! 

By The Coffee Shops®. 

The most vulnerable part of the building envelope can determine whether or not a roof survives a major storm. 

For many roofing professionals, the roof field often gets the most attention during design and installation. Yet according to Jason Hildenbrand, director of private label and OEM sales for Carlisle Architectural Metals, the roof perimeter is where performance is often won or lost. 

In one Read Listen Watch® (RLW) sponsored by Hickman Edge Systems, Jason explained why perimeter edge metal is such an important part of a roofing system. “Perimeter edge metal; it's essentially the termination and transition between the roofing membrane and other building envelope components,” he said. When installing coping, fascia, drip edge, flashing or gutters, the goal is the same: securely terminate and protect the roof system at its most vulnerable locations.  

That vulnerability becomes even more significant during severe weather events. According to Jason, “We know from decades of research and data that the roof edge itself is really the most vulnerable part of the building envelope because that's the area where the roof and the wall transition is subject to the highest pressure.” As wind speeds increase, uplift forces increase dramatically, placing exceptional stress on perimeter areas and corners. 

To illustrate the importance of proper edge securement, Jason shared a real-world example involving two adjacent buildings. One had recently been reroofed with a code-compliant extruded edge system while the other had not. Approximately 30 days later, an EF3 tornado struck the area. 

The results were striking. Jason explained that the newly reroofed building remained largely intact while the neighboring structure suffered catastrophic roof loss. “The membrane stayed intact on the newly reroofed building because the perimeter edge metal protected it,” he said. 

As severe weather events continue to impact more regions, protecting the roof edge is becoming increasingly important. For contractors and building owners alike, understanding how edge systems perform under extreme conditions can help reduce risk and improve long-term building resilience. 

Listen to the recording or Watch the full webinar to learn more about roof edge performance and wind resistance.

By Emma Peterson. 

A look at the economic market, the industry outlook and more.  

In a new episode of Contractor Outlook™, Heidi J. Ellsworth sits down with Alex Chausovsky, the president and CEO of 3DM Consulting (a business and operations advisory firm), for a discussion about the state of the economy and construction industry going into the last quarter of the year.  

Alex began the conversation by highlighting the macroeconomics, saying, “Macroeconomically speaking, the economy has been nothing short of remarkable in terms of its ability to withstand... Think about things like the 2025 tariffs. They were hugely disruptive but at the same time we’ve seen companies adjust their prices, manage their margins and keep going.” And in a year with even more market upsetting events, like the war in the Middle East, remembering this resilience is important. As Alex put it:  

Everyone was really afraid because of those tariffs at the beginning of the year and it wasn’t as bad as we thought it might be. Economically speaking, the war is definitely a negative, but at the same time, it's not destroying the market... Looking at industrial production, which is a key benchmark for contractors and other B2B players, it’s still growing at a 1.5% pace year over year.  

This growth is very minimal, especially in the context of a GDP that, adjusted for inflation, is closer to 2.5-2.7%, but what that number does show us is that the industry is still here, that there are contractors still getting work, even with the struggles.  

How do you ensure you are one of the contractors getting work during this stressful time? Alex says it’s all about adaptability and scenario planning. He explained, “As we look out towards 2027, contractors should be asking themselves, what does my business look like? What does my supply of materials and components look like? What does the pricing environment look like? What do my energy costs look like? And how do I position myself where the demand is?”  

He gave an example of what this planning might look like, sharing, “If you look at data center spending through the end of 2025, it's bigger than all single-family housing, it's bigger than all factory construction, it's bigger than all industrial machinery.” He went on, “For contractors looking at this and trying to plan, they should look at their business and ask themselves, ‘Do I have the right people to be able to adapt with it as this market evolves?’” And if they don’t have those people, they need to find ways to get them, whether that’s hiring new talent or training your existing crew. Because operating in a market as complex as ours today is all about thinking ahead and having the right people in the right place.  

Listen to the whole episode or Watch the newscast to learn more!  

Por The Coffee Shops®.  

Las personas antes que las ventas, los sistemas antes que la velocidad y el liderazgo antes que la expansión. 

En este episodio de Almuerzo y Aprendizaje, Jessica Bravo conversa con Andres Beltran, fundador de Build Lead Win y speaker de SRS Para Latinos. Durante la charla, Andres comparte estrategias prácticas para ayudar a los contratistas de techado a fortalecer sus negocios mediante sistemas efectivos de ventas, liderazgo y desarrollo empresarial.  

Con más de una década trabajando junto a contratistas de roofing, Andres ha visto de primera mano los desafíos que enfrentan las empresas cuando su crecimiento depende únicamente del dueño. Por ello, promueve un enfoque basado en procesos claros, equipos sólidos y una visión a largo plazo. Como él mismo explica, “Mi pasión verdadera es ayudarle a construir a las empresas que no dependan únicamente del dueño, sino de sistemas, de liderazgo y de procesos que les permitan crecer de forma sostenible.” 

Uno de los mensajes centrales de la conversación es que el crecimiento no ocurre por casualidad. Para Andres, las empresas que logran avanzar de manera sostenible son aquellas que toman decisiones intencionales, establecen metas claras y crean sistemas que les permiten operar de forma consistente, independientemente de quién esté al frente. Como resume durante la entrevista, “El crecimiento de una empresa de roofing se tiene que diseñar.”  

Desde la implementación de procesos de ventas hasta la formación de líderes dentro de la organización, Andres enfatiza la importancia de construir una estructura capaz de sostener el crecimiento a largo plazo. Esto incluye documentar procesos, capacitar continuamente a los equipos y desarrollar una cultura donde las personas tengan las herramientas necesarias para asumir responsabilidades y generar resultados.  

Para los contratistas que buscan llevar su negocio al siguiente nivel, el mensaje es claro: el éxito no se mide únicamente por las ventas. Construir una empresa preparada para el futuro requiere invertir en las personas, fortalecer el liderazgo y diseñar sistemas que permitan crecer de manera consistente y sostenible.  

Escucha el episodio completo para aprender cómo los sistemas, el liderazgo y la capacitación continua pueden ayudar a llevar tu empresa de roofing al siguiente nivel.

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Understanding material, durability, warranty and availability can help contractors choose a pipe collar designed to protect vulnerable roof penetrations. 

Roof penetrations can create vulnerable areas where leaks develop, making the products used to protect them an important consideration for roofing contractors. On this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Karen Edwards spoke with Mike Bothman, owner of Wil-Mar Products, about what contractors should consider when selecting pipe collars and how the smallest component can play an important role in a roofing system. 

When standing at the distributor's counter comparing options, Mike recommends starting by having a conversation with the people who regularly hear feedback from installers. He explained, “The distributor they’re working with probably gets more feedback than anyone else.” Contractors can then ask what the product is made of, what warranty comes with it and who manufactures it. 

Wil-Mar Products manufactures its pipe collars from ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber and offers sizes ranging from three-quarter inch to four inches. For contractors looking to reduce concerns around roof penetrations, Mike emphasized the value of choosing a product designed for durability. He said, “If I get a pipe collar either on for repair or from the get-go, I don't have to worry about that penetration because of the quality of the product.” 

The company also warranties its pipe collars for the life of the roof system. Mike said his confidence in continuing that warranty came partly from former Wil-Mar Products owner Marianne Sumter, who shared her experience with the product during his purchase of the company. Recalling those conversations, he noted, “She said she's never had a claim.” 

Portability can also make pipe collars useful for service work. Contractors can keep multiple sizes in their trucks without taking up significant space, making them readily available for repairs or new installations. The products are available through major distributors including ABC Supply, SRS and QXO, as well as smaller distributors and contractors can request free samples through RoofersCoffeeShop®. 

Listen to the podcast or Watch the conversation to learn more about the questions contractors should ask when selecting pipe collars and how the right material, warranty and availability can help protect roof penetrations! 

By The Coffee Shops®. 

How hands-on training, field support and peer learning help contractors apply coatings knowledge. 

While certification is a crucial element of roofing education, the next step is learning how to apply that knowledge in the field. In one episode of Roofing Road Trips®, James Conneely of ASC Building Materials explained that training is designed to give contractors both technical context and practical experience. 

“Anyone is eligible to come to our training sessions,” James said. “Usually, we see contractors and roofers here in Colorado.” The program includes “about five hours of classroom time plus hands-on experience,” with instruction on acrylic and silicone chemistries, roof conditions, substrates, preparation and when specific systems make sense. 

The hands-on portion is especially important because it turns classroom information into jobsite practice. James said attendees learn how to three-course around penetrations and transitions, perform adhesion tests and understand how material thickness connects to warranty options. He described the process of gridding a roof, measuring coverage and using a mil gauge to confirm coating thickness. 

Still, James emphasized that certification is only the beginning. “The learning continues from there,” he said. By involving ASC Building Materials after training, contractors can continue building knowledge on actual roofs, where unexpected conditions often appear. “There's no two roofs that are exactly the same,” he said. 

That ongoing education is increasingly important as technologies and materials continue to evolve. James pointed to silicone as an example, noting, “Ten, fifteen years ago, silicone was in its infancy as far as being used on roofs.” 

Certification also creates space for contractors to learn from one another. "That's how the best practices are shared,” James said, referring to certified installers who attend trainings and share jobsite efficiencies. He added, “I learn a lot from our installers, the guys that are actually doing it every day.” 

Together, classroom training, hands-on practice and continued field support help contractors build confidence, serve property owners more effectively and expand their coating capabilities. 

Listen to the entire podcast and Watch the recording to learn more about hands-on coatings certification. 

By Jesse Sanchez.

Slippery single-ply membranes and changing project specifications are bringing more attention to snow retention on commercial roofing systems.

Snow retention is often associated with steep-slope residential roofing, but low-slope commercial roofs can face similar risks when snow and ice begin to move. On this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, host Karen Edwards spoke with Robert Alvarez, representative for Anchor Products, about why contractors and building owners should consider how snow leaves a commercial roof.

Snow guards and snow fences are designed to keep snow and ice on the roof so they can melt or leave in a more controlled amount instead of shedding in a large mass. Explaining the purpose of these systems, Robert shared, “It’s going to hold ice and snow up on a roof, so it comes down in a more measured manner.”

That consideration can be particularly important on single-ply roofing systems, including thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and ketone ethylene ester (KEE), which Robert described as especially slippery. Even roofs with minimal slope can experience sliding snow, and Robert emphasized that significant accumulation is not always necessary to create a concern. He noted, “You can have a snowfall that’s very minor and still needs snow retention. Even with a low pitch, that stuff will still slide off.”

Although there is no universal code requiring snow retention, Robert said some municipalities are beginning to include it in project requirements. Building owners must also consider what can happen below the roof when snow or ice sheds onto people, vehicles or equipment. Robert cautioned, “The liability is on the building owner.”

Designing a snow retention system begins with understanding the conditions of the individual project. Anchor Products considers factors including eave-to-ridge dimensions, roof pitch and local snow loads when determining appropriate spacing for brackets and anchors. Its commercial options include a two-pipe snow fence system as well as a unitized system for smaller areas requiring spot retention.

For contractors, understanding how membrane type, roof slope and snow load influence snow movement can help make snow retention part of the planning process rather than a response to unexpected shedding.

Listen to the podcast to learn more about how thoughtful snow retention planning can help manage snow and ice on low-slope commercial roofing systems!