The 5 core roofing roles
Every scaling roofing company needs to hire against these roles distinctly. Generic 'roofer' hires produce misaligned expectations and fast churn:
| Role | Primary metric | Base + upside |
|---|---|---|
| Sales rep (canvasser) | Sits booked / week | $0 base + 5–8% commission |
| Sales rep (inbound) | Close rate × ticket | $40–60K base + 3–5% commission |
| Crew lead | Squares/day + quality | $25–35/hr + per-job bonus |
| Installer | Squares/day | $18–28/hr or piece rate |
| Project manager | On-time completion × margin | $60–85K base + margin bonus |
Where to find hires
For crews: Indeed, Craigslist Jobs, Facebook groups (local roofers/tradesmen), Spanish-language boards in most markets, trade schools, referrals from current crews (pay $500–$1,500 referral bonus after 90-day retention).
For sales reps: LinkedIn, Indeed, roofing industry Facebook groups, referrals from suppliers and manufacturer reps. Best hires often come from adjacent trades (windows, gutters, solar sales) — same skill set, less noise.
For project managers: LinkedIn is dominant. Recruit from GCs, larger roofing companies, or promote a top salesperson with operational aptitude.
Job posts that attract
Bad post: 'Roofers wanted. Experience required. Apply within.' Attracts nothing. Good post: 'Experienced Roofing Crew Lead — $80–110K/year, weekly pay, company truck, full benefits, home every night. We install 400+ roofs a year in [city]. Looking for a crew lead who can run a 4-person team, complete residential shingle roofs to spec, and maintain our 4.8-star customer rating.'
Include: pay range (drives 2–3x more applications), benefits, geographic scope, schedule expectations, growth path, and one paragraph on culture.
The 15-minute phone screen
Never bring someone in-person without a phone screen. The 15-minute call: (1) walk me through your last 3 roofing jobs, (2) what's your commute range, (3) what's your target income, (4) what would make you leave a job you love. Red flags: vague job history, unrealistic pay demand relative to experience, negative talk about last 2+ employers.
Compensation structures that retain
Piece rate for crews ($X/square installed) with quality bonus (add $Y if passes final inspection and gets 5-star review) outperforms hourly on production and quality simultaneously. Sales reps: draw against commission for first 90 days, then full commission with weekly minimum guarantee.
Retention hack that costs almost nothing: pay weekly (not bi-weekly). In a trade with tight household cash flow, weekly pay is a genuine differentiator.
30-60-90 day onboarding
Documented onboarding cuts 90-day turnover in half. Day 1: paperwork, safety training, company overview, meet team, tour warehouse, take-home safety manual. Week 1: shadow a top crew or top rep. Week 2: run tasks with a mentor. 30 days: first solo work, weekly 1-on-1 with manager. 60 days: performance check-in against KPIs. 90 days: formal review, pay adjustment if warranted, referral bonus payout to whoever referred them.
What actually retains roofers
Not free swag or ping-pong tables. The three things that retain: (1) predictable schedule — no last-minute weekend calls, published schedule 2 weeks out, (2) functional equipment — nail guns that work, trucks that start, materials on-site when crews arrive, (3) consistent pay — no delayed paychecks, no unexplained deductions. Fixing these three eliminates most trade turnover.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much should I pay roofing sales reps?
Commission-heavy: $0–$60K base + 3–8% of gross sale. Top reps in strong markets earn $200K+. Bad comp plans cap earnings artificially — don't.
Where do I find bilingual crews?
Facebook groups (Spanish-language local roofer groups), church bulletins in Hispanic communities, La Voz papers, and current crew referrals. Bilingual crew leads are the single biggest hire in most metros.
How do I stop good crews from leaving to start their own company?
You mostly can't stop the best ones — plan for it. Retain longer by offering ownership stake, top-of-market pay, and stable schedules. Assume 5–10% of tenured crews will start competitors annually.
Should I offer benefits?
Health insurance is now nearly required to hire quality above installer level. Cheap group plans start ~$400/employee/month with company covering 50–70%.
What's the fastest way to hire during a storm?
Storm-chasing crews (traveling teams) available via industry Facebook groups and staffing agencies specializing in roofing. Higher cost, lower loyalty — use for surge, not backbone.
How do I fire someone in a small crew without losing the whole team?
Document performance issues in writing, have a witness present at termination, and pay through end of week. Communicate clearly to remaining team what standards weren't met — usually crews respect the decision if the person wasn't pulling weight.