By Emma Peterson. 

Enter for an opportunity to access top-tier educational sessions, networking events, luncheons and an industry-leading trade show floor. 

RoofersCoffeeShop® is partnering with Western Colloid to send five professionals to the 2026 Western Roofing Expo (WRE)! Known as the premier regional roofing and waterproofing event in the United States, WRE is a trade show hosted by the Western States Roofing Contractors Association (WSRCA). The show, which runs September 27-29 at the Paris Las Vegas, features education, networking and more. 

The five (5) lucky winners of our contest will be given an all-inclusive package ($500.00 value, travel and hotel not included) to the show. This package includes access to:  

• Western Roofing en Español sessions: This year’s show will have four seminars and two lunch-and-learn sessions taught in Spanish! Topics range from hiring the right roofing team to maximizing commercial claims. And the incredible speaker list includes Amparo Sancen of Latinos En Roofing, Monica Vornbrock of the GLO Group and Imelda Perez from CertainTeed. 
• Educational sessions: As for the English-language education sessions, this year’s show boasts four different blocks of session.  
  • The first block (8:45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. on Monday, September 28, 2026) will feature a variety of speakers including The Coffee Shops™’ own Heidi J. Ellsworth!  
  • Some highlights of block two (10:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. on Monday, September 28, 2026) include John Kenney of Cotney Consulting’s estimating session and Trent Cotney of Adams and Reese’s risk mitigation class.  
  • In block three (8:45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 29, 2026), you’ll want to make sure to catch the WSRCA Young Roofing Professionals Committee’s roofing roundtable, led by Malarkey Roofing Products’ Rachel Garcia as well as Paul Reed of Roofers in Recovery’s mental health talk.  
  • And in block four (10:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, September 29, 2026), our friends Mindy Dahlquist (TRA Snow and Sun), Brian Chamberlain (Carlisle Construction Materials) and Tracey Donels (Service First Solutions) will all be hosting informative and engaging sessions. 
• Trade show floor: As always, the trade show floor promises to be a great opportunity to see the latest innovations and newest technology in the industry as product demos will be hosted on the hour. And, per tradition, roofers will walk free on the show floor – making it an unmatched opportunity for peer-to-peer networking.  
• Legislative luncheon: The first of the two luncheons that will be held at this year’s show, the legislative luncheon will be hosted by Craig Brightup, The Brightup Group, and Chad Collins, National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA). It will dive into key changes and developments happening in Washington, D.C. that relate to roofing. 
• Annual luncheon: As for the second luncheon, this is your opportunity to hear from the WRE 2026 keynote speaker – Shereen Thor. Shereen is a comedian turned coach whose keynote will be a great resource to professionals and business owners in all parts of their careers. 

Want a chance to win access to all that and boost your business at WRE 2026? Enter the RoofersCoffeeShop and Western Colloid Spin to Win contest! The contest will close August 22, 2026, and announced live on the August 24, 2026 Weekly Blend episode. 

By Emma Peterson. 

Learn about all the events, seminars and exhibitors that will be at this year’s Western Roofing Expo. 

Navigating today’s roofing industry can be a bit of a challenge. Whether you’re facing more extreme storms in the field or juggling labor issues and material shortages in the office, it can be hard to stay up to date with the information and tools you need to succeed. Luckily, the Western States Roofing Contractors Association (WSRCA) hosts a two-day event designed to help professionals handle all those issues and more – Western Roofing Expo (WRE).  

This premier regional roofing and waterproofing event boasts a two-day trade show, over two dozen education seminars, multiple engaging luncheons, The Roofing Games™ shingling competition, golf and sporting clays tournaments, a live auction, product demonstrations and more! Keep reading to learn about what to expect from this year’s show, which will be held September 27-29, 2026 at the Paris Las Vegas! 

The core of the show 

The core of the show occurs on Monday (9/28) and Tuesday (9/29) with 30 seminars planned, two luncheons organized and a trade show floor that is free for contractors to attend. 

The seminars at WRE are a great way to upgrade your skills! Experts from across the industry will be teaching about everything from business management to technical developments. And if you’re a part of The Coffee Shops™ family, there will be a lot of familiar faces like Trent Cotney of Adams and Reese, Amparo Sancen from Latinos En Roofing, John Kenney from Cotney Consulting Group and our very own president, Heidi J. Ellsworth!  

As for the luncheons, WSRCA has organized two invaluable luncheons for WRE attendees. The first will be hosted on Monday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and is presented by the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA). Craig Brightup, The Brightup Group, and Chad Collins, NRCA, will take this opportunity to talk to attendees about the key developments in Washington D.C. that are impacting the roofing industry.  

The second luncheon will run at the same time (11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.) on Tuesday and is sponsored by Malarkey Roofing Products. This luncheon gives attendees an opportunity to hear from the WRE 2026 keynote speaker – Shereen Thor. Shereen is a comedian turned coach who has worked with organizations like Google, Pandora, Slack, Safe Place For Youth and The Social Justice Learning Institute. Her keynote will be a great resource to professionals and business owners in all parts of their careers.  

And last but not least, the trade show floor will be open both Monday and Tuesday. This is a great opportunity to see the latest innovations and newest technology in the industry as product demos will be hosted on the hour. At that same demo stage there will also be the return of the much-anticipated Roofing Games on Tuesday!  

The trade show is a great opportunity to talk to representatives of leading companies around the industry. And the best part? The exhibit floor is FREE for contractors and roofers to attend! We’ll be in booth 12, so make sure to stop by and say hi, and we have countless industry friends who will be around the floor, such as Anchor Products (815), APOC (609), BITEC (151), Brava Roof Tile (840), Carlisle Architectural Metals (509), Drexel Metals (509), Equipter (826), Integrity Insurance & Bonding (360), Lakeside Construction Fasteners (154), New Tech Machinery (356), PABCO Roofing Products (703), Rocket Equipment (638), RoofScope (822), Sentry Building Innovations (150) and VELUX (361). 

Additional events and more 

In addition to the core two days, there are extra events both before (Sunday, 9/27) and after (Wednesday, 9/30). On Sunday, the Davis Memorial Foundation will host two tournaments, one sporting clays tournament and one golf tournament. The proceeds from these events go directly to the Davis Memorial Foundation Scholarship Fund. The scholarships from this fund have helped more than 195 aspiring high school, undergraduate and graduate students pursue their dreams. These events have their own registration and their own fees. 

And on that Wednesday, the International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants will host a special education day. This event runs from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and will elevate attendees’ expertise in the building enclosure industry. It features two courses, one about the fundamentals of roof assemblies and the other highlighting key updates to international codes. The registration and fees for this education day are separate from general registration. 

Get registered and reserved 

Registration for the 2026 WRE is now open! You can register online, again the show will be held at the Paris in Las Vegas, Nevada from September 27-29, 2026. Being at the Paris, there are many options for hotels nearby. WSRCA has worked specifically with the Paris Las Vegas, Planet Hollywood and Horseshoe Hotel to get discounted room blocks that start as low as $91.  

Not sure if you can make the registration fee work in your budget? RoofersCoffeeShop® is partnering with Western Colloid to send five professionals to the show for free! By entering our contest, you get the chance to win an all-inclusive pass to the show, which gives you access to the trade show, annual luncheon, en Español content, educational sessions and the legislative luncheon.  

Learn more about the 2026 WRE show!

By Emma Peterson. 

Articles of interest from June 2026. 

As the second fiscal quarter of the year comes to a close, it’s hard to believe we’re coming up on the halfway point of 2026. And the number of articles The Coffee Shops™ crew has published in that time (over 2,300 across all sites) can attest to how busy of a year it’s been. Of those thousands of articles, over 350 of them were posted in June alone. So, to help you keep up with all the news and information, we’ve rounded up the top ten articles from June.  

Our list starts off with an article highlighting Adams and Reese’s Trent Cotney’s May 2026 construction law updates and an article diving into a new Workforce Pell Grants that “could help roofing contractors recruit, train and grow the next generation of skilled workers.” 

From there, we have a wide variety of articles highlighting everything from the National Women in Roofing (NWIR) Oregon Council’s work coordinating a roof replacement for a Portland homeowner in need to how metal roofing protects against wildfires and the role of the Metal Construction Association (MCA) in the industry. 

Rounding out our list is our top three articles of June. In third place is an article our friends at Roof Hub wrote all about optimizing operational efficiency by using AI Smart Templates. Second goes to an article I wrote about how contractors can build trust and generate leads in a digital world. And first goes to Cotney Consulting Group’s article sharing a 5-year readiness playbook for roofing contractors. 

Top 10 articles from June 2026 

10 - Construction law insights and updates from May 2026 by Emma Peterson. 

9 - Workforce Pell Program could strengthen roofing’s workforce pipeline by Heidi J. Ellsworth. 

8 - Why government affairs matter to every roofing professional by Heidi J. Ellsworth. 

7 - Roofing community rallies for Oregon homeowner by The Coffee Shops™. 

6 - Maximizing fire resistance with metal by Anna Lockhart. 

5 - MCA advances technical leadership, expands market opportunities and builds momentum for 2026 by Heidi J. Ellsworth. 

4 - Navigating a new normal by Emma Peterson. 

3 - AI smart templates by RoofHub. 

2 - Word of mouth still works – It just looks different by Emma Peterson. 

1 - A 5-year readiness playbook for roofing contractors by Cotney Consulting Group. 

By Emma Peterson. 

Trent Cotney breaks down where AI is useful; and where it can lead you into trouble.  

It seems like artificial intelligence (AI), specifically generative AI, is the only thing anyone is talking about these days. To learn more about its role in roofing and construction operations, Megan Ellsworth sat down with Trent Cotney of Adams and Reese for a Coffee Conversation discussion of what contractors need to know about the technology as it continues to evolve.  

One of the most common places you see companies, whether in the trades or beyond, using AI is in customer service and marketing. But those aren't the only places it can be used. Trent explained, “AI is great in marketing and service, it saves time and money. But where it really is transforming the industry is in estimating, material management, scheduling, forecasting and job costing. That’s where it’s really giving people a competitive advantage.”  

How exactly does AI play into these areas? A great example is scheduling software. Trent shared:  

I had the opportunity to see some scheduling software that used AI and what it did was look at the efficiency of each crew member on each crew with each system, and determine, based on their upcoming projects, what crew should be matched where for most efficiency. And then if, for some reason, a project is suspended or ends, it automatically fixes that. So, the amount of efficiency that you are gaining on that equals money. And if you're not using it, someone else is and you can’t adequately compete.  

It is important to note that even with incredible benefits like this, AI is not a perfect solution for everything. Trent highlighted three main reasons to be cautious about AI – accuracy, risk and compliance. He elaborated:  

AI is a lot like a golden retriever, it wants to please. But it will come up with stuff in order to do that. I can think of at least three cases where lawyers used AI, it came up with false citations and those lawyers were sanctioned. So you have to independently verify it for accuracy... As for legal compliance, you need to remember that your searches on these open AIs, like ChatGPT, are available, even ones that get deleted. It’s all publicly discoverable so you have to make sure no one is uploading confidential information that puts you at risk.  

Trent’s best advice for using AI effectively while managing these concerns? Guardrails. He explained, “The best thing you can do from a compliance standpoint is put up some guardrails about its usage and make sure everyone knows its limits. AI is a tool and the issues occur when people use it as a definitive. You have to put eyes on its outputs because it won’t spot issues that aren’t there. If you put an issue in front of it, it can solve that, but it doesn’t know the holistic picture. It’s a tool and that’s how you have to use it.”  

Listen to the rest of the conversation or Watch the recording to learn more about safe and effective AI use in the industry.  

Por Emma Peterson, traducido por Jessica Bravo.  

Un vistazo a las conexiones, conversaciones y el sentido de comunidad que se vivieron en FRSA 2026. 

A principios de junio, Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Association (FRSA) celebró su esperada Convención y Expo. Considerado el evento regional de roofing más grande de Estados Unidos, reunió a cientos de expositores y miles de asistentes en el Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center de Kissimmee, Florida, para tres días de educación, networking y diversión. 

El evento comenzó con una Recepción de Bienvenida patrocinada por nuestros amigos de Adams and Reese, que incluyó comida y barra libre. Fue una excelente manera de marcar el inicio de la convención y prepararse para los días de actividad que estaban por venir. ¡Y vaya que fueron días ocupados! 

Hubo innumerables sesiones educativas y oportunidades de aprendizaje, entre las que destacaron la sesión Table Talks de National Women in Roofing (NWIR) y el Almuerzo de Negocios de FRSA. Además, los asistentes pudieron disfrutar de eventos como el Beer Bust, patrocinado por Mid-Atlantic Roofing Supply y GAF, así como de la tradicional Foundation Auction. Por supuesto, también estuvo presente la amplia área de exhibición comercial, donde empresas líderes como GenFlex, Gaco, Elevate, MetalVue, Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings, H.B. Fuller, Marco Industries y Progressive Metals, mostraron sus productos y servicios para que los asistentes los exploraran entre sesiones y actividades. 

The Coffee Shops™ también estuvo presente con varios miembros del equipo operando un escenario de entrevistas (patrocinado por TAMKO) ubicado en el lobby de la expo. Una de ellas fue Jessica Bravo, coordinadora de nuestro programa En Español quien compartió un poco sobre su experiencia: 

FRSA es una de mis ferias comerciales favoritas del año. Como se lleva a cabo durante el verano, tiene un ambiente muy familiar y siempre es agradable ver a tantas familias asistir juntas. Este año tuve la oportunidad de ayudar a operar el escenario de entrevistas. Sentada detrás del equipo, con audífonos conectados a los micrófonos, pude escuchar conversaciones y entrevistas realmente interesantes durante todo el evento. 

Nuestra presidenta, Heidi J. Ellsworth, también compartió algunos de los momentos más destacados de la semana, "El escenario patrocinado por TAMKO sirvió como punto de encuentro para las conversaciones de la industria durante todo el evento, albergando más de 30 entrevistas con contratistas, fabricantes, distribuidores, líderes de asociaciones y profesionales del roofing de toda Norteamérica. Además, realizamos dos ediciones completas de Coffee Conversations, donde paneles de expertos analizaron tendencias, desafíos y oportunidades clave que actualmente impactan a la industria del roofing." 

Si deseas ver algunas de esas conversaciones, están disponibles bajo demanda en el canal de YouTube de RoofersCoffeeShop®.

By Emma Peterson.  

A look at the connections, conversations and community at FRSA 2026. 

At the beginning of June, the Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Association (FRSA) held their much-anticipated Convention and Expo. The biggest regional roofing show in the United States, the event saw hundreds of exhibitors and thousands of attendees come together at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Kissimmee, Florida for three days of education, networking and fun!  

The show kicked off with a Welcome Reception sponsored by our friends at Adams and Reese and featuring food along with an open bar. It was a great way to set the tone for the show and get ready for the business of the next few days. And the next few days were busy! 

There were countless education sessions and opportunities to attend, with highlights including the National Women in Roofing (NWIR)’s Table Talks session and the FRSA Business Luncheon, along with plenty of events to keep you busy, like the Beer Bust, sponsored by Mid-Atlantic Roofing Supply and GAF and the annual Foundation Auction. Not to mention the extensive trade show floor, featuring leading companies like GenFlex, Gaco, Elevate, MetalVue, Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings, H.B. Fuller, Marco Industries and Progressive Metals, that was waiting for attendees to explore between events and sessions. 

The Coffee Shops™ was in attendance with several crew members running a soundstage (sponsored by TAMKO) in the expo lobby. One such crew member, Jessica Bravo, our En Español program coordinator, shared a bit about the experience: 

FRSA is one of my favorite trade shows of the year. Since it takes place during the summer, it has a great family friendly atmosphere and it's always nice to see so many families attending together... This year, I had the opportunity to help run the soundstage. Sitting behind the equipment with headphones connected to the microphones, I was able to listen in on some truly great conversations and interviews throughout the event. 

Our president, Heidi J. Ellsworth, shared some highlights from the week, saying, “The TAMKO-sponsored sound stage served as a hub for industry conversations throughout the event, hosting more than 30 interviews with contractors, manufacturers, distributors, association leaders and roofing professionals from across North America. In addition, two full-length Coffee Conversations brought together expert panels to discuss key trends, challenges and opportunities impacting the roofing industry today.” 

If you want to check out some of those conversations, they are available on demand via the RoofersCoffeeShop® YouTube channel!

By Emma Peterson. 

From Florida to California, Trent shares key regulatory and legislative information for contractors.  

As a partner at Adams and Reese law firm specializing in roofing litigation and arbitration, Trent Cotney sits at the forefront of legal and regulatory changes that are impacting contractors and other roofing professionals. And every month he shares some of the most important news through his Cotney Briefs. Here’s what he highlighted in June 2026. 

1 – Florida building permit and inspection rules 

On July 1, 2026, Florida’s CS/CS/HB 803 law will go into effect. Among many things, this law will change building permit and inspection rules. For example, it requires that a “local government that issues building permits to exempt an owner of a single-family dwelling, or the owner’s contractor, from obtaining a building permit for work valued at less than $7,500 on the owner’s property.” It also creates some exemptions for temporary residential hurricane and flood protection walls or barriers that meet specific conditions. 

What this means for contractors: Contractors operating in the state of Florida need to make sure their permitting checklists are up to date with these changes, especially in relation to small or temporary residential protection projects. 

2 – Project cost of completion case 

The case of Corotoman, Inc. v. Central West Virginia Regional Airport Authority centers around the removal of a large knoll at the end of the runway of Yeager Airport in Charleston, West Virginia. The issue arose when the Airport Authority was found to be in breach of proper removal and there was a disagreement over the cost of completion that should be awarded to Corotoman.  

The case moved up to the West Virginia Supreme Court who held that: 

(1) the gross disproportionality rule may apply in breach-of-construction-contract disputes; (2) gross disproportionality is measured using the diminution-in-value approach, which calculates the difference between the property’s value without the contracted work and its value if the work had been performed; (3) the breaching party bears the burden of invoking and proving gross disproportionality; and (4) if the breaching party fails to prove gross disproportionality, the non-breaching party’s proven measure of damages applies. 

What this means for contractors: In layman’s terms, this case sets a precedent that the cost to complete a project is the measure of damages for breach of contract, unless the cost is grossly disproportionate to the value of the property, as in Corotoman, Inc. v. Central West Virginia Regional Airport Authority, where the loss in value of property should be used as the measure of damages. 

3 – AAA’s new AI Arbitrator process 

AAA has a new AI arbitrator process that uses an AI tool to summarize submissions, organize evidence, prepare analysis and identify issues. From there, a human arbitrator reviews, revises and finalizes the decision. The switch to this process as the Initial Decision Maker (IDM) is aimed to help parties obtain faster initial decisions so they can continue performance without forfeiting a future right to later dispute resolution.  

What this means for contractors: With the switch to this process, Trent recommends including a provision related to using AAA’s AI Arbitrator process as the IDM into contracts. Here is a sample of what he suggests:  

The Parties designate the American Arbitration Association’s AI Arbitrator process as the Initial Decision Maker (“IDM”) for Claims arising out of or relating to the Contract, if available for the Claim at issue.  

The AAA AI Arbitrator process shall mean AAA’s AI-assisted dispute resolution process in which artificial intelligence assists with document review, issue identification, dispute summarization, analysis, and proposed decision preparation, subject to review and issuance by a human AAA arbitrator.  

Either Party may submit a Claim to the IDM. The Parties shall submit position statements and supporting documents in accordance with AAA’s AI Arbitrator procedures.* 

*Read the whole provision.

4 – Construction law in California  

California has long been one of the most difficult regulatory environments for contractors to operate in because of the different legal hoops contractors must jump through to build projects, maintain labor and control margins. One example of these hoops is the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) which “allows an aggrieved employee to pursue civil penalties for alleged Labor Code violations on behalf of the state.” On paper this might seem fine, but in action it turns simple wage-and-hour issues into complex representative litigation.  

Another example is California’s worker classification rules, such as AB 5. This rule in particular relates to when companies claim a worker as an independent contractor rather than an employee. The problem with AB 5 is its rigidity in relation to contract, licensing, scope, registration and independence. It is so rigid it increases risk and cost related to using independent contractors, even when working on projects that require specialty trades, project-based work and flexible staffing. 

What this means for contractors: California’s regulatory environment is well intentioned, but often in contradiction with the reality of working in the field. Contractors operating in California should ensure that they have a proactive compliance strategy that reviews everything from arbitration agreements and worker classifications to safety programs and payroll practices to avoid issues.  

Read more from Trent’s June 2026 brief.

By Emma Peterson. 

Employment attorney Benjamin Briggs answers common roofing labor classification questions. 

Recently, Benjamin Briggs of Adams and Reese stopped by The Coffee Shops™ for an episode of Roofing Road Trips®. Benjamin is a board-certified labor and employment attorney with over a decade of experience helping roofers navigate employment laws. He shared, “I've been practicing law for maybe 15-16 years now. But for the last decade, I've pretty much exclusively been a labor and employment attorney for roofers, about 90% of my clients are roofers.” 

And over that decade of work focusing on roofing, Benjamin has fielded almost every question related to employment law that could come up. Here’s his answers to some of the most common ones.  

Why is roofing employment law so complicated?  

There are a couple factors that Benjamin highlighted to answer this question. For one, 90% of roofing employees are non-traditional. He explained:  

Roofing industry professionals are not your traditional in-office workers. They're project managers, superintendents, salespeople, field crews, etc. You have a dynamic where with some of these workers where there's just not as much daily contact. There's not as much oversight and it's easy for some things to be lost in communication, whereas in other industries you've got the bulk of your employees in the same office. 

Two, roofing is really unique. Benjamin elaborated, “A lot of different things can come into play with roofers that are somewhat unique to that industry, things like OSHA issues, workers comp situations, immigration challenges, work authorization, ICE issues, language barrier, etc.”  

So, when you combine these unique situations with that non-traditional structure, it creates a complex employment landscape to navigate legally.  

Who is conducting employment audits?  

Another common question Benjamin gets is, “Who is looking into my employment records? Who’s auditing companies looking for mistakes?” Like the other question, there are multiple answers. Benjamin shared:  

[Audits] can happen a lot of different ways. One that I’ve seen commonly is a crew member gets injured, hires a workers comp attorney and that attorney gathers documentation, realizes that their client is misclassified and expands from there...It could be a worker who gets let go, they're upset and they see an ad from an attorney asking them if they’re being paid for OT and they call the number. Then, that attorney looks into everything and if they’re misclassified, you have a lawsuit...I’ve also seen the Department of Labor conduct audits, some triggered by things like IRS issues and others that are completely random. 

What can roofers do to ensure their employment practices are compliant?  

With the combination of such a complex landscape and so many ways issues can arise, employment law can feel like a bit of a minefield for roofers. But just because it’s a challenge to navigate, doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Benjamin highlighted some of the first steps roofers can take to protect themselves from employment law issues and misclassifications:  

The first step is to reach out to an experienced employment attorney. Think of it like a health issue, I’m not going to try to solve it on my own, I’m going to seek out a doctor and specifically one that specializes in whatever area I need. That’s what an experienced employment attorney can do for your business – they are specialized in helping roofers like you understand the issues, navigate the options and build a productive game plan. 

Want to learn more about employment law? Listen to the full podcast or Watch the recording of the whole conversation with Benjamin. 

By Emma Peterson. 

Attorney Kyle Rea answers common questions about getting a roofing contracting license.  

In a new episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Megan Ellsworth had the chance to sit down with Kyle Rea, an attorney from Adams and Reese law firm, to ask him some of the most pressing questions roofing contractors often have about licensing.  

Do I need a license?  

It might sound like a basic question, but it is an important one, and the answer is a bit more complicated than you might think. Kyle explained: 

It's important to know what the laws are in the state that you're doing business. There are some states that have really overarching, strict licensing laws when it comes to roofing. And there are other states where it is totally the wild, wild west, and they don’t even require a license. 

The crucial thing to understand is that licensing laws are based on where projects are, not where you are headquartered. As Kyle put it, “You gotta be careful. If you operate out of one state and start inching closer to another state, you have to know their requirements. Because you could be doing something perfectly okay in the one state and totally wrong for the other state.”  

How do you keep up with the different requirements? Kyle recommends calling building departments. He explained, “They're going to give you the stock response of ‘I'm not an attorney and I can't give you legal advice,’ but they can still give you resources that you can utilize to kind of make that determination.” Licensing board websites are also a great resource.  

If not every state requires them, why are licenses important?  

Kyle shared some thoughts:  

In the states that require it, it is essentially your permission slip to work. And not only does it outline that you can work, it also outlines what you can do...So you might be doing roofing, that might be the predominant major portion of the contract that you're engaged in, but if you find yourself kind of inching towards these other different trades, that could potentially get you in hot water. 

This might seem frustrating from the contractor's perspective, but it is often something that protects homeowners from bad actors looking to make a quick buck. At their core, licensing laws are consumer protection; their goal is to make sure that people can trust that the contractors they’re hiring are conducting their business in a strict and proper manner. 

What happens if you make a mistake with licensing?  

If you’re caught without a proper license or working beyond the bounds of your license, a range of issues can arise, from being held administratively responsible to criminal charges. Kyle explained:  

A state licensing board can come in and say, ‘hey, you overstepped your bounds.’ And this can lead to everything from your contract being voided, fines being posted against you, a revoking of your license, the placement of your operations on probation, etc. And in some cases, it can escalate even further, I think in every state other than New York, unlicensed contracting is considered a crime.  

How do I make sure all my licensing ducks are in a row?  

So, how do you avoid running into contracting license issues? First and foremost, make sure you’re following Kyle’s earlier advice and do your research about what you are required to have to work in different areas. Second, make sure that you’re aware of common pitfalls and friction points, such as:  

• Subcontractor licensure: Similar to contractor licenses, the rules for subcontractors can vary between states, but, according to Kyle, in general, “The majority of states are going to require that a subcontractor also be licensed to perform the work that you are asking them to do. So, it's not enough just for you to have a roofing license, but if a roofing license is required, your subcontractors also have to have those licenses.” 
• Scope creep: We’ve all had projects where customers just add ‘one more thing’ to the plan. This is normal, but Kyle highlighted that it is important that when they ask, “You take a moment to ask yourself, ‘Does this work that I'm being asked to do that may not necessarily be within the purview of what I normally do on a day-to-day basis? Does this require different licensure?’ And if it falls out of your license, you need to be confident and offer them a referral to someone else rather than just doing it yourself.” 

Listen to the whole episode or Watch the recording to learn more about navigating licensure. 

By Emma Peterson. 

Trent Cotney shares both his long- and short-term thoughts about the current state of the industry.  

Trent Cotney recently stopped by The Coffee Shops™ for a new episode of Roofing Road Trips® all about what’s new in the industry. Trent is a partner at Adams and Reese law firm with a specialization in roofing litigation and arbitration. Looking at the state of roofing today, he highlighted the diversity of the experiences of contractors, sharing, “Demand is uneven. There are certain sectors where things aren’t as good, like the Florida residential market. But there are also other areas where it's booming. Think data centers, military/federal work, commercial, even some residential markets.” 

What has caused such irregularity across the industry? Looking at the short-term, Trent pointed to things like residual post-COVID adjustments and rising gas prices. He explained, “There’s some post-COVID adjustment that's still happening, but bigger than that is the gas prices. The immediate impact of that is everything from fleet to shipping costs is doubled. That’s a big thing people are struggling with in our industry and outside of it right now.”  

As for the long-term factors impacting the state of the industry, things like oil inputs and manufacturing costs are top of mind for Trent. He shared: 

It goes beyond the gas price we see; it’s about the petroleum-based inputs for materials manufacturing. They’re going up, which is typical; prices always rise. But the rest of our industry isn’t adjusting margins for that, and the longer we aren’t adjusting for that, the more potential impact there is. 

Where will that impact be felt? In your bottom line. Trent explained, “It's basically another charge on top of what you had already priced in. So, as long as that remains there, you're against margins.” 

In the face of all these concerns, Trent always recommends going back to the basics of your business by prioritizing purposefulness and consistency. He explained:  

You can’t control wars or immigration policies, but you can make sure that you are showing up every day, sticking to the fundamentals and running your business appropriately. And what the last few years have shown is that the businesses that do that, that are purposeful and consistent, are the ones that will weather the storm of uncertainty better.  

Listen to the episode or Watch the recording to learn more about the state of roofing today.