AI is reshaping roofing from the roof down

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Roofing leaders explore how artificial intelligence can turn property data, estimating and everyday workflows into faster, more efficient operations. 

Artificial intelligence is rapidly moving from an emerging technology to a practical business tool for roofing contractors. During this Coffee Conversations® webinar, Heidi J. Ellsworth spoke with Denver Riggleman CEO of RIIG Technology and Piers Dormeyer CEO of Eagleview about how contractors can use AI to improve estimating, analyze data and create more efficient operations. 

For Denver, the opportunity lies in combining speed with stability, security and highly customized solutions. Rather than forcing contractors into standardized software workflows, he sees AI giving companies the ability to build tools around their individual requirements. Emphasizing that technology still depends on human expertise, Denver said, “It still is about people to make sure those AI functions are being applied properly.” 

Piers sees a similar opportunity in roofing, an industry he believes has always been willing to embrace technology when it provides genuine value. Reflecting on the industry’s adoption of new tools, Piers said, “You make technology work. You make it easy. People are going to find value in it and they’re going to adopt it.” The challenge, he explained, is creating technology that is intuitive, solves an actual problem and provides a strong return on investment. 

That evolution is visible in the growing use of aerial imagery, structural measurements and property data. With AI, contractors can potentially connect that information with their own customer and operational data to answer questions, identify opportunities and automate workflows. Those capabilities could change how companies approach estimating, canvassing, customer outreach and back-office operations. 

Even with those possibilities, Piers cautioned contractors against adopting AI without first identifying what they want it to accomplish. Offering a practical approach to implementation, he said, “You have to start with actual business problems and everybody’s business problems might be a little bit different, but start with an actual business problem that’s creating heartburn for you.” From there, he recommended establishing a performance baseline, selecting a measurable goal and testing a solution before scaling it across the business. 

For roofing companies exploring AI, the conversation pointed toward a practical starting place: understand the business problem, know what data is available and use technology where it can create measurable improvements. 

Listen to the podcast or Watch the conversation to learn more about how AI is changing roofing data, estimating and business workflows in this Coffee Conversations discussion.