Cotney Consulting Group
Beyond math and measurements
By Emma Peterson. The importance of strong estimating practices in managing risk, protecting profitability and setting projects up for success. Estimating is the foundation of roofing projects – without an accurate assessment of a project, and the costs related to it, it's difficult to expect a project to go smoothly. ...
How roofing contractors can adapt to a tighter market
By Jesse Sanchez. Industry leaders explain why financial discipline, diversification and customer education matter as roofing businesses navigate economic and insurance pressures. During a live Coffee Conversations® discussion at the Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Association (FRSA), roofing professionals examined the pressures impacting contractor success across the United States. The ...
The legal side of the outdoor industry
By Emma Peterson. Learn how a simple documentation system can save you a huge legal headache down the line. Across the outdoor industry, whether you work on landscaping design, pool maintenance or some other area outside, there is one consistent challenge – navigating the legal side of operating a business. ...
Operational excellence is not an accident — it is built every day
By John Kenney, Cotney Consulting Group. The best roofing companies are the companies that prevent more emergencies from occurring in the first place. After more than 45 years in the roofing industry, I have learned that successful roofing businesses rarely become successful because of one major decision. They improve ...
Before you add solar panels, understand the roof beneath them
By Cotney Consulting Group. Solar can be a sound investment, but only when the roof beneath it is treated as part of the same project. Solar panels can be a smart investment for many homeowners and building owners. They may reduce energy costs, support sustainability goals and add long-term value ...
The next generation of Canadian roofing leaders will need more than technical skill
By Cotney Consulting Group. Technical skill may earn someone the opportunity to lead. It does not automatically prepare that person for leadership. The roofing industry has always depended on people who understand the work. They know how systems fit together, how water moves, where details fall short and what it ...
When the economic signals don’t agree
By John Kenney, Cotney Consulting Group. How roofing contractors should plan for slower growth, uneven demand and continued volatility. If you are having trouble deciding what the economy is telling you right now, you are not alone. The signals do not agree. Total nonfarm payroll employment declined by 23,000 jobs in ...
The specifications are not the entire scope
By Cotney Consulting Group. Roofing contractors are often told to follow the specifications, and they should. But the specifications are not the entire scope. Drawings, specifications, addenda, contracts, supplementary conditions, manufacturer requirements, referenced standards and actual site conditions may govern a roofing project. Each document may contain part of the ...
The best roofing companies do not just complete projects — They learn from them
By John Kenney, Cotney Consulting Group. Every roofing project teaches the contractor something. The question is whether the business captures that lesson or allows it to disappear when the job is finished. Some lessons are obvious. A material may perform differently than expected, access may prove more difficult than the ...
Q&A – Managing moisture with ventilation
With condensation forming inside their home, this person came to our experts for answers. Elizabeth, a homeowner from Tennessee, recently asked our experts a question about ventilation and moisture management: I have gable vents on my house and my old roof have wirly birds. When they installed my new roof they put ...
