By: Madison Davis

If you’re a roofing company owner trying to grow, one of the biggest strategic decisions you’ll face is where to focus your energy: insurance work or retail jobs.

Both models can be profitable. Both have their pros and cons, but they require different skills, strategies, and systems to scale.

So how do you decide which lane is right for your business?

Let’s break it down, and then examine the perspective we often see investors take.

1. Insurance Work: Volume, Speed, and Claims Expertise

Storm work can bring in a flood of leads… literally. If you’re positioned right after a big storm, insurance jobs can generate massive revenue fast.

Pros:

• High volume in a short period of time
• Often less price-sensitive since the insurer pays
• Homeowners are motivated to act quickly

Cons:

• Highly competitive (especially in storm-chasing markets)
• Requires deep knowledge of insurance claims and paperwork
• Payouts and timelines can be inconsistent

Best for:

• Teams that move fast and scale up crews quickly
• Businesses that are comfortable working with adjusters and documentation
• Owners who thrive in high-speed, high-competition environments

2. Retail Roofing: Relationships, Branding, and Margins

Retail work is the long game. You build trust with homeowners, earn referrals, and close sales based on value – not just weather events.

Pros:

• More control over pricing and margins
• Builds long-term brand equity in your market
• Creates consistent, year-round opportunities

Cons:

• Requires more upfront marketing and sales effort
• Customers are more price-conscious
• Longer sales cycle

Best for:

• Businesses focused on brand, reputation, and referrals
• Teams with strong consultative sales skills
• Owners who want long-term consistency over quick hits

3. Can You Do Both?

Absolutely. Many roofing companies use storm-driven insurance work to fuel growth and rely on retail to stabilize their cash flow. They land a beachhead in a new market following a major storm and set up shop long term to also grow retail over time.

If you pursue both business models:

• Make sure your marketing speaks to both types of customers
• Train your team to handle each sale differently
• Track your margins, close rates, and timelines for both models

The key is intentionality. Know which model you’re leaning into at any given time and build the systems to support it.

4. Investor’s Perspective

As a team regularly helping roofing businesses identify opportunities to improve, grow, and create value, we maintain close relationships with investors in the roofing space. This includes both investors looking for strategic acquisitions and partnership oriented investors who come alongside owners to help them scale and grow their business. From the investor’s lens, both insurance and retail models can be attractive, but for different reasons.

Retail revenue is often seen as more predictable and margin-rich, making it a valuation enhancer due to its recurring nature and brand equity. For example, we are currently working with a client who performs only retail re-roofing in high-end markets and expect this business to garner a premium multiple vs others in its markets.

In contrast, insurance work, while lucrative, can be viewed as more volatile and event-driven, which may detract from valuation unless paired with strong systems and historical performance.

Check out this quick visual identifying the ten things investors always ask us about when evaluating a roofing business: What Makes a Roofing Company Great.

Final Thoughts: Pick Your Model, Then Master It

There’s no “one right way” to grow a roofing business. But the fastest way to spin your wheels is trying to serve every customer, everywhere, with no clear strategy.

Focus creates leverage. Whether you lean into insurance, retail, or a hybrid model, success comes from committing to the systems, training, and branding that make it work.

---

Want to learn more?

• Click for Roofing Industry Insights
• Connect with Madison on LinkedIn
• Book a call with Madison