The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in Australia, with able and savvy business starters advancing at the forefront of many industries. The roofing business is in constant demand as the housing market won’t stop expanding anytime soon, and the existing home market needs constant renovations. Roofing requires able hands on deck and a can-do attitude, where potential successful handymen must tackle any roofing challenge head-on. But asides from actual physical challenges, there are many not-so-tangible ones you need to fix before you get started!
1. Choose your field of expertise!
Roofing as a general construction business is a broad field, starting from you deciding if you wish to operate in a residential or commercial market. Then you can further find your niche by specialising in only gutter replacements or repairs. Or you can only focus on the roofs. Will you be working with shingles, solar or something else? Are you establishing yourself as a roof inspector, or will you be a specific worker?
Choosing between a broad range of services or catering to a specific niche largely depends on your expertise within the roofing industry. If you know how to do everything from the gutter to the complete roof overhaul, using any material available, then all the better for your starting business. If not, catering to a niche will allow you to specialise and build your name in the industry.
2. Draft a business plan
Before you nail your first shingle or lay your first tile, you need to get thru the paperwork. Many young businesses stumble and fall during this phase, but it’s not as daunting as others make it to be. A business plan lets you set your aim for the future, define your company and service, and your place on the market. It will help you crystalise the message you wish to send. It will also allow you to see your financial side, budget, income and expenses, painting a realistic picture and if your prospect will be profitable.
3. Prepare equipment
Your customers won’t wait. If you ask yourself: “For what?” the answer is “For anything.” Stocking up on various materials, backup tools and gear, with a stacked-up portfolio to cover you, is how you properly start your roofing business. You can consult with experienced and professional copper cladding from Sydney companies about some good industry standards. When your customer demands a certain roof or a service from your catalogue, you must have it in your storage at all times. While you order and obtain the necessary materials, time will pass, and customer dissatisfaction grows. Be prepared to tackle any demand thrown at your future business.
4. The human touch
Working with roofs is easy, working with people is much more demanding. Successful roofing companies realise that building relations with their customers is equally important as building a roof foundation. Being polite, functional and clean will leave a lasting impression and get your customers to recommend you to their circle of friends. When you’re able to beautifully style a roof and do it with a smile, such a positive word-of-mouth recommendation is worth its weight in gold. The roofing business is built on personal recommendations, where each job is a chance to grow your network of potential clients.
5. Get a team and set goals!
You’re not a one-man army. It’s realistic to expect your business to grow and expands, where you’ll need more workers to cover the incoming job offers. Also, some individual jobs may have a larger scale and need more hands on deck. You can start alone, but you won’t stay by yourself for a long time and preparing to expand your company can save you time down the road. Realistic year-by-year growth is expected, at about 3-5%. Expanding your team one employee at a time is better than hoarding. Taking small and mature steps may sound boring, but that’s how businesses expand, prosper and thrive in the long run.
It’s expected for anyone to be a little frightened and uneasy when starting a business. There are many unknowns, variables to factor in, new operations to learn and fields to conquer. Start by sticking to your solid sides and tackling each new challenge, one by one, as it appears. Before you know it, you’ll be laying your first roof!