By Emma Peterson.

Siding is a natural extension for contractors looking to expand their offerings, strengthen customer relationships and increase project value while leveraging existing building envelope expertise.

siding has become a key value-add for many contractors for many reasons, including the fact that homeowners prefer one-stop, do-it-all contractors. To learn more about the rise of siding offerings in the roofing world, Heidi J. Ellsworth spoke with Josh Wilens of QXO, Alex Birnbaum of QXO and Kristina Hill of HomeShield Roofing & Exteriors in an episode of Coffee Conversations®.

Making the jump

Siding is actually more similar to roofing than it might sound on paper. Both are parts of the building envelope and key to keeping water, weather and other elements out of homes and buildings. Further, many of the suppliers and distributors that contractors know and trust, like QXO, not only carry roofing materials but also carry siding materials.

In fact, Josh shard that at QXO they’re actually working with organizations like the Polymeric Exteriors Products Association (PEPA) to provide training to help ease the transition into this field:

In terms of the training, a lot of the groundwork is already there for roofers and we just need to raise awareness. In prior days, some contractors didn't even know that we sold certain products in our locations. We've been working with PEPA and some other internal resources to really develop training materials for contractors to help them know about siding and how they can add it to their roofing operations.

A strong market

And not only is it an accessible market, it’s a thriving one. As Alex described, “The exciting thing is there's never been more types of siding or more products out there and a lot of them come with innovative new features.” Alex went on to give some examples, sharing, “Fiber cement is something people are really excited about. It is really durable, has a nice look and for markets like the Southeast and Southwest, where termites are an issue, the market is really looking for this kind of thing.”

Another factor that makes the market demand for siding strong is the return on investment it offers. Kristina explained, “I have lots of conversations with people who are wanting to sell their home or boost their curb appeal and I always tell them that siding is really a great way to do that. Roofing in my area gets 26% recoup on your investment where vinyl siding is 88% and fiber cement siding is 101%.”

Value to contractors

The combination of the accessibility of siding installation and the strong market for siding makes this expanding into siding a valuable move for contractors. Kristina has experienced how valuable expanding into siding is firsthand at HomeShield Roofing & Exteriors, sharing, “We offered a few types at the beginning, mostly vinyl siding and then Hardie and LP...But because the demand has been there, we’ve expanded way more in the years since.”

Listen to the whole episode or Watch the recording to learn more about adding siding to your business offerings.

By Cayden Wemple.  

See what experts are saying about how to plan your remodel in this unprecedented housing market.  

According to an article by Strictly Business, home prices in Lincoln, Nebraska are up 7.6% as compared to a year ago. On average, homes in Lincoln also sell just five days after being on the market compared to 11 days last year. These trends aren’t just happening in Nebraska, they are being seen throughout the country. While some families are selling their homes to capitalize on these market trends, others are holding on to their homes to try and gain more equity. And because of this extra equity that homeowners are starting to see, they are putting more money into remodels.  

Strictly Business sought out to find more information about these remodels from established institutions, including HomeShield Roofing and Exteriors. A representative from HomeShield Roofing and Exteriors, Kristina Hill told the publication, ““At HomeShield, we try to make the [remodeling] process as easy (and fun!) as possible. We love taking your vision and creating your dream home. We will help check with your neighborhood associations to ensure that the changes you’re looking to make fall within the parameters they have set out.”  

One of the trends that Kristina is seeing is adding stone to the exterior of the home, “Recently, we have been seeing a lot more homeowners adding stone to the exterior of their home,” said Kristina. “According to the 2021 Cost vs. Value report for remodeling, by adding stone veneer to the exterior of their homes, homeowners recoup 97% of the job project costs when reselling. It’s an easy way to boost curb appeal and with so many different options to choose from, you can really change the look of your home.” 

Kristina had some excellent advice to offer up to first-time remodelers too, “I’d suggest taking a few minutes and making a list,” said Kristina. “On your list, include groups of items that are top-priority, ones that are a like-to-have, and then a list that are dream items. This will help you set your budget and have realistic expectations. We’d also suggest having a budget and being completely upfront with your contractor about what you are hoping to spend. That way, we can guide you to products that will help achieve the look you are going for without breaking the bank.”

RCS Influencers celebrates its seventh year of giving back to the roofing industry. 

RoofersCoffeeShop, the award-winning website where the industry meets for technology, information and everyday business, announces the 2023 RCS Roofing Influencers.    

Each month RCS Influencers respond to a topic that is hot in the roofing industry such as material shortages, working with distributors, technologies to help contractors succeed, leveraging association memberships and more. Information is shared through interviews, videos and articles on RoofersCoffeeShop. The Influencers represent all facets of the industry including contractors, associations and industry manufacturers and service providers. Their contributions are recognized in a special section on the site called RCS Influencers.   

“Each influencer brings a unique perspective to issues that are of importance to roofing contractors and the overall roofing industry,” stated RCS President Heidi J. Ellsworth. “They are committed to sharing their expertise to advance the industry and help others find success. We are thankful and appreciative of their contributions.” 

We are proud to announce the following 2023 RCS Influencers: 

1. Charles Antis – Antis Roofing & Waterproofing 

2. Trent Cotney – Adams & Reese 

3. Kendall & Chris Ekerson, Brandon & Nalani Smith – SA Roofing 

4. Tammy Hall – CFS Roofing Services 

5. Kristina Hill – HomeShield Roofing & Exteriors  

6. Joe Hoffman – Hoffman Weber Construction 

7. Rae Fistonich – Chinook Roofing 

8. John Kenney – Cotney Consulting Group 

9. John Kiesel – Division 7 Roofing 

10. Lee Lipniskis – Levello Construction 

11. Steve Little – KPost Roofing & Waterproofing 

12. Wendy Marvin – Matrix Roofing & Home Solutions 

13. Mandy McIntyre – Level Up Consultants 

14. Arty Molinari – Tremco Roofing & Waterproofing 

15. Michael Pickel – Texas Traditions Roofing 

16. Ashley and Seth Pietsch – Integrity Insurance & Bonding Inc 

17. Greg Serevetas – USA General Contractors Corp.  

18. Marty Stout – Go Roof Tune Up 

For more information on the 2023 RCS Influencers, meet them here.   

About RoofersCoffeeShop 

As an award-winning website and online community, RoofersCoffeeShop is committed to being a roofing professional advocate by supplying consistent information, education and communication avenues for all roofing professionals, and especially contractors, while promoting the positive growth, education and success of the roofing industry overall. Visitors to the site continue to find excellent opportunities for sharing information while participating in important ongoing conversations concerning new technologies, safety and the overall roofing trade. From the rooftop to the board room, RoofersCoffeeShop is “Where the Industry Meets!” For more information, visit www.rooferscoffeeshop.com. 

By HomeShield Roofing & Exteriors. 

When it comes to maintaining a roof, here’s why annual inspections are key. 

Editor’s note: The following information can be used to share with your customers on why they should maintain their roofs. 

Last year’s storm season brought quite a bit of damage to roofs across the Midwest. Even if your roof seems it’s in good shape, it’s always a good call to have it inspected. If you live in a place where storms are not that common, you’ll still want to get a roof inspection every two years. Whenever you do get your roof inspected, you’ll want the inspection done by a reliable and well-trained company, such as HomeShield Roofing & Exteriors. 

“Your roof is your building’s first line of defense,” said Kristina Hill, co-owner of HomeShield. “Neglecting the roof for the short term can result in things like leaks, mold and increased energy bills. Over time, these build up to become costly in the long term and can build into things like severe water damage, decreased employee safety, and decreased property value. This results in a pretty hefty repair bill!”  

HomeShield reported metal roofing as becoming the more popular alternative to traditional asphalt shingle roofs. Metal roofs offer a sleek, modern look, last 40-70 years when properly installed, and use reflective paints to reflect solar radiant heat, reducing your cooling costs by 10-25%.  

Furthermore, Kristina cautioned home and building owners to be knowledgeable about their material warranty and to find a roofing contractor you can trust. Material warranties specifically cover material defects from manufacturing, which represent less than 1% of reported roof failure. The most common causes of roofing system problems are due to poor installation, damage from severe weather and lack of seasonal maintenance – all of which are not covered under your manufacturer material warranty.  

“More than 80% of all roofs are replaced prematurely because building owners think their responsibility is over after the roof is installed,” said Kristina. “That is why it is so important to select a local, vetted, insured and trusted roofing contractor to partner with for the long-term.” 

Learn more about HomeShield Roofing & Exteriors in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directory or visit www.homeshieldroofingandexteriors.com.