All You Need To Know About A Roofer Career

You think about becoming a roofer but want to get additional information before making your final career choice?

Great! Stick with me since I will show you everything you need to know about being a roofer in the following chapters.

Not only will you learn how much you can make as a roofer, but we will also talk about work-life balance, job satisfaction, job prospects, future outlook, educational requirements, duties and much more.

You will also find an FAQ section at the end of this article where I answer the most common questions about working as a roofer for you.

After reading this article, you will have a much better idea of whether you still want to become a roofer or rather want to work in a different field instead.

Without further ado, let’s get right into it!

What does a Roofer do?

Roofers install, repair and replace roofs of private and commercial buildings and make sure that houses can be used in a safe and comfortable manner.

They use a variety of different materials like tiles, wood, metal, bitumen or shingles and therefore need to have excellent knowledge of how to use those materials in a proper manner so that roofs last for many decades.

Responsibilities & Duties of a Roofer

• Installing new roofs
• Fixing existing roofs
• Replacing roofs
• Using various different materials to make roofs as stable as possible
• Using insulating materials to make houses energy-efficient
• Consulting clients on different roofing materials
• Choosing shingles, tiles, bricks and other suitable materials
• Ensuring the safety of roofing projects
• Performing roof inspections
• Estimating when roofs need to be replaced
• Installing solar energy systems
• Estimation of labor and material costs

What a Typical Day of a Roofer looks like?

Most roofers start their workday between 7 and 9 a.m.

The first thing they do when they get to work is getting instructions from their boss so that they know what projects they have to work on.

After packing necessary materials like tiles and shingles, roofers drive to their clients and maintain, repair and install new roofs.

They also often do roof inspections to make sure that everything is alright and a home can be used in a safe manner.

After working in this style for many hours, roofers usually finish their workday between 4 and 6 p.m.

Roofer Salary 2023

Roofer salary brackets 2023

Roofer salary 2023 by expert level

Roofer salary by state 2023 (average)

Job Security of Roofers

Roofers have pretty decent job security right now since due to the increasing world population, there is a growing demand for housing and therefore a growing demand for roofing services.

Thus, you don’t have to worry about getting unemployed as a roofer right now since you would find a new job pretty soon.

Future Outlook of Roofers

Not only do roofers have good job prospects right now, but they also have an excellent future outlook since there will be a significant shortage of qualified roofers just a few years from now and roofers therefore don’t have to worry about getting unemployed anytime soon.

Working Hours of Roofers

Roofers usually start their workday between 7 and 9 a.m. and finish their workday between 4 and 6 p.m.

Thus, roofers often come home from work rather early and have more than enough time to spend on their favorite hobbies or with their loved ones.

Job Satisfaction of Roofers

Many roofers are not really happy with what they are doing for a living since salaries are rather low and roofers also work in a pretty risky environment and may suffer from serious accidents at work sooner or later.

Promotion Opportunities of Roofers

Roofers have pretty poor promotion opportunities.

In fact, they often work in the same position for many years or even decades without getting the chance of being promoted anytime soon.

Career Levels of Roofers

• Roofer intern
• Roofer apprentice
• Junior roofer
• Senior roofer
• Manager of a roofing company
• Owner of a roofing company

Fields and Types of Roofers

• Roofers focused on private building
• Roofers focused on commercial properties
• Roofers specialized in public buildings
• Roofers with expertise in fixing roofs
• Roofers specialized in installing new roofs
• Roofers focused on replacing roofs
• Roofers specialized in eco-friendly roofs
• Roofers specialized in making roofs more energy-efficient
• Roofers focused on solar roofs

Educational Requirements for Roofers

Roofers don’t need any fancy education to be able to work in this field.

Thus, while many other people have to go to college, you can start your roofing career right after finishing high school.

How to become a Roofer

1. Inform yourself about the advantages and disadvantages of being a roofer
2. Apply for an internship at a local roofing business
3. Make a good impression during your roofer internship
4. Stay in touch with your roofer colleagues
5. Finish high school with decent grades
6. Apply for roofing jobs in your region
7. Master the job interview
8. Sign your labor contract
9. Work hard and get lots of experience
10. Start your own roofing company

Character Traits you need as a Roofer

• You should not be afraid of heights
• Willingness to work with your hands
• You should be client-focused
• You should be trustworthy and reliable
• Ability to work on yourself
• You should be able to deal with critical feedback in a healthy manner
• Patience helps you solve complex problems
• Persistence helps you push through difficult periods of your roofer career
• Willingness to get dirty at work
• Willingness to work in a field where you don’t make great money

Roofer Skills

Hard Skills for Roofers

• Excellent knowledge of how to install roofs
• Expertise in fixing roofs
• Knowledge of how to replace roofs
• Knowledge of how to make roofs energy-efficient
• Expertise in using latest insulating materials
• Expertise in installing solar roofs
• Knowledge of laws, rules and regulations related to roofing
• Math skills help you run your roofing business in a profitable manner
• Digital skills help you promote your business

Soft Skills for Roofers

• You should be a good listener to figure out what clients want
• You should be open to critical feedback
• Client orientation is crucial to stay in the game in the long run
• Good organizational skills help as well
• Good time management skills help you get things done in the roofing world
• People skills help you lead a team
• Empathy helps you understand your clients
• You should be a team player
• Ability to forecast future roofing trends

Exit Options for Roofers

Since roofers are pretty specialized, they have rather poor exit options.

While roofers can also often work as construction workers, they have a pretty hard time switching to a completely different field since they often lack the skills necessary to do so.

Roofer – Similar Careers

• Construction worker
• Welder
• Carpenter
• Tiler
• Insulation worker
• Metalworker
• Solar installer
• Drywall installer
• Window cleaner

Roofer Career FAQs

Is working as a roofer physically demanding?

Working as a roofer can be physically tough since you will have to work with your hands all day long and also have to lift heavy stuff on a regular basis.

Consequently, your back may hurt quite a lot after you come home from work and you may also have to deal with spinal problems sooner or later.

Is working as a roofer mentally demanding?

Being a roofer is not heavily mentally demanding.

While you will have to use your brain at work to avoid mistakes that could lead to serious outcomes and to assure overall safety, you will still not have to work on complex problems like professors or financial analysts have to do on a regular basis.

Is it dangerous to work as a roofer?

Working as a roofer can be risky since you may suffer from serious accidents at work sooner or later.

Quite often, roofers just fall off a roof and break their bones.

If you are pretty unlucky, you may even lose your life and you should therefore make sure that you are willing to work in a risky environment before you decide on becoming a roofer.

How long do roofers stay in their jobs?

Roofers stay in their jobs for many years since they are pretty specialized and often have a hard time finding a job in a different field.

Is it easy for roofers to find a new job?

Since roofers are in high demand right now, roofers have a pretty easy time finding a new job and almost have freedom of choice regarding whom they want to work for.

Is it hard to switch from being a roofer to another field of work?

While roofers are pretty good at installing and repairing roofs, they are also pretty specialized and have a pretty hard time finding a job in a different industry since they often lack the skills needed for working in a different field.

Do roofers have a high social status?

Although roofers do an important job for many people to make their lives as comfortable as possible, roofers still have a rather low social standing compared to judges or dentists who are often much more admired by the general public.

Can you help out your family and friends as a roofer?

You can help out your loved ones as a roofer since you can install, fix and replace the roofs of your family and friends who will often be really grateful for your support since they can save lots of money and also know that they get support from a reliable and experienced person.

Can roofers work remotely?

Roofers are not able to work remotely since they have to install and repair roofs in person.

Consequently, they have to spend lots of money and time commuting to work and back and will also be less flexible compared to financial controllers or other people who work in classical office jobs and can work from home on a regular basis.

Is it easy to find a partner as a roofer?

Since roofers are not able to make good money and also have a rather low social standing while they also have to deal with significant risk of accidents at work, they are not considered good providers and will have a rather hard time finding someone for a long-term relationship.

Do roofers have to work on weekends?

Roofers don’t have to work on weekends and can use this time for making nice weekend trips with their family while bartenders or train drivers often have to work during Saturdays and Sundays and don’t have this luxury.

Do roofers have to work on holidays?

Roofers also don’t have to work on holidays.

Instead, you can use those days to spend on your favorite hobbies or just relax in your garden with your favorite people.

Do roofers have to work at nighttime?

Since roofers work in a classical 9 to 5 job, they don’t have to work in the late evening or at nighttime.

Consequently, roofers have enough time to spend on their hobbies or to meet up with their favorite people after work.

Do you have to travel as a roofer?

Apart from commuting to your clients, you don’t have to travel as a roofer while many other people like consultants are away from home for business trips quite often.

Are roofer pensions good?

Due to the rather poor money roofers make during their active careers, most roofers don’t receive good pensions and therefore have to deal with significant financial problems once they quit their jobs and retire.

Are roofer salaries going up?

Roofer salaries have not been going up significantly over the past years and chances are that this trend will continue in the near future.

Thus, if you want to make really good money, you should not become a roofer but rather work as an investment banker instead.

Can you have a positive impact on society as a roofer?

While you can do good for many people, you will still not have the same big social impact as teachers who can really change the lives of many people on a daily basis.

How long does it take to become a roofer?

Since you don’t have to get fancy college education, you can become a roofer right after finishing high school.

However, you will still spend a few years on your apprenticeship before you can call yourself a mature roofer in an official manner.

Is it difficult to become a roofer?

Since you don’t have to meet fancy educational requirements, becoming a roofer is not difficult and almost everyone can work in this field.

Thus, as long as you are passionate about roofing, you will have a good chance finding a job in this industry sooner or later.

Do you need to be smart to work as a roofer?

Since you don’t need to get a fancy degree for becoming a roofer, you also don’t need to be smart to succeed in this field.

What’s much more important is that you are willing to work with your hands and that you are also a reliable and trustworthy person so that clients recommend your services and you can stay in the game in the long run.

Do roofers have a good work-life balance?

Roofers have pretty decent work-life balance since they don’t have to work on weekends and holidays and also come home from work relatively early most of the time.

Consequently, they have enough time to spend with their families or on their favorite hobbies.

Do roofers have to work many extra hours?

Roofers don’t have to work many extra hours.

Once their shift is over, they just quit their workday and get back to work the next morning while many other people who work in demanding positions in the corporate world have to deal with lots of time pressure and have to work much overtime on a regular basis.

How to maximize your chances of becoming a roofer?

The more experience you get in the roofing industry at a rather young age, the more value you can provide to roofing companies and the more likely you will find a job in this field.

Thus, you should start working as an intern at a local roofing company to maximize your chances of getting a job later on.

Can roofers work part-time?

While roofers might be able to work part-time in theory, most roofers still have to work full-time since their hourly wage is pretty low and they would not be able to make a living from a part-time job in this field.

Do roofers work indoors or outdoors?

Roofers work outdoors on a regular basis.

Hence, you should not be afraid of working outdoors during times of bad weather and should also be ok with working in the cold or during times of extreme heat.

What does the workplace of a roofer look like?

Roofers fix, maintain and replace the roofs of clients.

Thus, you will work outdoors on the roofs of clients and should therefore not be afraid of heights and also willing to work in a hands-on manner to stay happy with your roofer job in the long run.

Do you have to look good for working as a roofer?

You don’t need to look good for succeeding as a roofer.

In fact, your looks don’t matter as long as you are really good at what you are doing and provide enough value to your clients.

Is a roofer career beneficial for your private life?

Being a roofer is not beneficial for your private life since you will work in a pretty risky environment and accidents at work are quite common.

Moreover, you will also not be able to make good money and your partner may therefore start cheating on you sooner or later.

Do you need a college degree for becoming a roofer?

You don’t need a degree for working as a roofer.

Instead, you can start your roofing career right after finishing high school and can start making money at a rather young age while many of your friends will have to spend many years on college education to get their dream jobs.

Do you need to be certified to work as a roofer?

You also don’t have to be certified to work as a roofer.

What’s much more important than looking good on paper is that you have some talent for working with your hands and that you are also a reliable person whom clients trust and recommend to their families and friends.

How much does it cost to become a roofer?

Since you don’t need to get a fancy degree, you don’t have to spend lots of money on tuition and other expenses related to college but can rather become a roofer at virtually no cost and can even start making money from a rather young age.

Is being a roofer a good career?

Since roofers have to work in a pretty risky environment where accidents at work are quite common and are also not able to make good money from what they are doing, being a roofer cannot be considered a good career when taking all relevant factors into account.

Is it easy to start your own business as a roofer?

It is relatively easy to start your own business as a roofer since you don’t have to spend lots of money upfront.

However, you should still work for a roofing company for a few years to get enough experience and build a strong client base so that your transition to working self-employed will be much easier.

Can roofers teach themselves?

Roofers can teach themselves many things they need to succeed in this field.

Yet, you will still learn a lot from experienced colleagues at work during your apprenticeship and teaching yourself will often not be enough to deliver great quality work.

Do roofers make good money?

Roofers don’t make good money from what they are doing.

In fact, many roofers even struggle to make enough money to cover their basic expenses and if money and luxury are really important to you, you should not become a roofer but rather work in the financial or medical industry instead.

Is it ever too late to become a roofer?

Since working as a roofer is physically demanding, you should not start your roofer career too late since your body may no longer be stable enough to do all the exhausting work that comes along with this job.

Do roofers have to quit their careers early?

Due to the physical nature of this job, many roofers suffer from spinal problems sooner or later and therefore have to quit their careers relatively early.

What is the hardest thing about working as a roofer?

The hardest part about being a roofer is that you always have to fear getting involved in accidents at work and that you also have to deal with fear of heights on a regular basis.

Can you provide for your family by working as a roofer?

Since roofers don’t make good money, they also have a pretty hard time providing for their families, especially in case they live in pretty expensive regions where rents and living costs are high.

Will roofers suffer from old-age poverty?

Since roofers don’t make good money and also receive pretty poor pensions, many of them suffer from old-age poverty and are no longer able to pay their bills once they quit their active careers and retire.

Can roofers retire early?

Most roofers are not able to retire early since they are not able to make enough money during their active careers and have to work until they reach official retirement age and sometimes even longer to be able to pay their bills.

Do roofers get a fixed or variable salary?

Employed roofers mainly get a fixed salary.

However, if you have your own roofing business, your income will greatly vary with the number of jobs you get and you will therefore have to deal with significant income swings.

Can you get rich as a roofer?

Since roofers make pretty poor money, it is almost impossible to get rich as an employed roofer.

Thus, if you want to become wealthy or even rich, you would have to start your own roofing company or rather work as a risk manager or doctor instead.

Do roofers need a second job?

Due to the rather poor money roofers often make from what they are doing, many roofers need a second job to pay their bills, especially in expensive regions where living costs are pretty high and a roofer salary would not be enough to make a living.

Do you get continuous training as a roofer?

While you get lots of training during your apprenticeship, you will no longer get continuous training once you become a mature roofer most of the time and it will be on you to hone your craft to provide the best possible service to your clients.

Do you get sick pay as a roofer?

Most roofers don’t get paid in case they get sick.

Consequently, you should save money during good times which you can use during bad times when you get sick and are no longer able to make money so that you are still able to pay your bills.

Do roofers have a high level of responsibility?

Roofers have high levels of responsibility since mistakes on their side may lead to serious adverse consequences for their clients.

For instance, if roofers don’t work properly, shingles may fall off the roof and may hit passengers.

Can roofers work abroad?

Roofers are not able to work abroad since they have to be present at their workplace in person to install, fix and maintain the roofs of their clients.

Thus, they have to commute to work and back every day, which not only costs lots of time but also adds up to lots of money in the long run.

Is it stressful to work as a roofer?

Being a roofer is not that stressful.

Even though you might have busy times when you need to get lots of work done within a rather short period of time, you will enjoy rather relaxed workdays for the majority of the year and most roofers don’t complain about suffering from excessive stress levels at work.

Is it boring to work as a roofer?

Working as a roofer may become boring if you are not passionate about roofing since you will do many things over and over again.

In such a case, you should rather strive for a career in which you are more interested in to stay motivated with what you are doing in the long run.

Is being a roofer hard?

While working as a roofer can be hard from a physical point of view, it is not hard on a mental level since you don’t have to stress your brain a lot compared to many demanding office jobs out there and if you love hands-on work and don’t like sitting in an office all day long, working as a roofer might be a great career for you.

Are roofers at risk of burnout?

Since roofers don’t suffer from lots of stress at work, they are also not at great risk of burnout or other mental or emotional problems.

Is there a dress code for roofers?

There is no official dress code for roofers.

Instead of having to wear fancy suits or dresses as many other people have to do on a daily basis, you as a roofer can wear whatever you feel most comfortable in.

What kind of roofers are paid the most?

The more experience you get in the roofing industry at a rather young age, the more value you are able to provide to roofing companies and the more money you will be able to make in the long run.

Thus, you should become a real expert in what you are doing to make decent money from your roofing career for many years to come.

What percentage of roofers are women?

Only 7% of roofers are women while a whopping 93% are men.

Hence, this industry is greatly dominated by men due to the physical nature of the job that is often not very attractive to women.

Do I need a mentor to succeed as a roofer?

You don’t need a mentor for succeeding as a roofer.

What’s much more important is that you have a real passion for working with your hands and that you are also willing to work hard on your skills so that you can provide enough value to your clients to stay in the game in the long run.

Do roofers have a high life expectancy?

Roofers have rather low life expectancy since they are at great risk of falling from roofs and also don’t make enough money to afford the best medical treatment in case of emergency.

Do roofers suffer from sleeping problems?

Since roofers work rather standard workweeks in a 9 to 5 environment, they come home from work relatively early and don’t suffer from sleeping problems related to their jobs most often since they are able to maintain a steady sleeping pattern.

What states are best for working as a roofer?

Since roofers make rather poor money across states, you should choose a state or a region where roofers are in high demand while living costs are still low enough to pay your bills from your roofing job so that you don’t have to work a second job.

Who do roofers work with?

Roofers work with many different clients and it is therefore crucial that you are a friendly and trustworthy person who delivers great results so that clients will come back to you many times and will also recommend your services to their families and friends.

Is working as a roofer cool?

Being a roofer cannot be considered cool.

However, you should still not care about what’s cool but rather choose your career according to your own personal preferences to stay happy with what you are doing in the long run.

Can you start a side hustle as a roofer?

Since you will have enough leisure, you will also have enough time to start a side hustle as a roofer.

For instance, you could start a YouTube channel or a blog where you talk about roofing problems and how to solve them so that you can build a huge audience and monetize it in the long run.

Do you have to be creative as a roofer?

You don’t need to be creative to succeed as a roofer since you will do most things over and over again and developing a certain routine is therefore much more important than being creative.

Do roofers suffer from being overweight?

Since roofers get lots of exercise at work and burn lots of calories, they are not at great risk of suffering from being overweight but will stay relatively fit due to their jobs.

How employable are roofers?

Due to the booming housing industry, roofers are pretty employable right now and don’t have to worry about getting unemployed anytime soon.

Are roofers happy with their jobs?

Most roofers are not happy with what they are doing for a living since they are not able to make good money from their jobs while they still have to expose themselves to significant risk of suffering from accidents at work.

Is working as a roofer exciting?

Being a roofer is not that exciting since you will have to do many things over and over again and a certain routine will replace your initial excitement pretty soon.

Can you have a positive impact on our environment as a roofer?

Since roofers just care about installing, fixing and maintaining roofs, you will not have a great positive impact on our environment as a roofer.

What are the pros and cons of working as a roofer?

If you still think about becoming a roofer, you should also have a look at additional pros and cons of a roofer career.

Sources

https://www.statista.com/statistics/756436/leading-contractors-in-roofing-industry-by-revenue-us/

https://www.statista.com/statistics/567069/us-demand-for-roofing-share-by-segment/

Interviews and own research.

About the author

My name is Andreas and my mission is to educate people about the different career paths that are possible in our current state of the world. In my opinion, people often make the mistake to choose their profession solely based on how much money they can earn from it instead of doing what makes them really happy.

This is quite sad and I just want to give people a more objective picture of how a fulfilling career could look like. I did the same when I started working in consulting after finishing my Master’s degree in Economics. However, I’ve quit pretty soon after that since I haven’t found true meaning in my job.

Now I can do what I really love to do and I want to enable as many other people as well to go this exciting path towards happiness instead of money.

I conducted various interviews with employees to give you a good impression of what working in different fields will look like and that you can make the best possible decision regarding your future career choice.

Wanna support my blog? Share it!