| Is it worth writing a lengthy business plan for your | | | | to comply with a number of other relevant regulations. |
| roofing startup? Business plan preparation can be time | | | | Don't forget that as well as purchasing all of the |
| consuming and many entrepreneurs are tempted to go | | | | necessary roofing equipment you will also have to |
| ahead without one unless they really need it to prove | | | | purchase materials for your first job. Clients will |
| the viability of ideas to partners or investors. | | | | typically pay a large chunk of your total invoice upon |
| Your roofing business won't be a huge, complicated | | | | completion of the job so you will have to foot the bill |
| business for a few years anyway so why bother? | | | | until you get reimbursed when they pay their invoice in |
| Well, while I would not suggest that you spend months | | | | full. |
| writing a 100 page report, it could be useful for you to | | | | Structure, Ownership and Management |
| have a 10 to 20 page document on your PC that can | | | | There are four basic options to consider for your |
| be your company blueprint for success. You can | | | | business structure and they include sole proprietorship, |
| make changes to it as you slowly learn more about | | | | partnership, corporation or limited liability corporation |
| the business. | | | | (LLC). |
| It will be the key document that sets out exactly how | | | | Outline how your business will be owned and make a |
| your business is run. If done properly you should | | | | note of the various parties that may have an |
| basically be able to hand this document over to | | | | ownership stake. |
| somebody when they buy your business and they can | | | | Set out a management structure so that there is no |
| take over with very little of your time needed to | | | | confusion among those involved with the business as |
| explain things to them. | | | | to who is responsible for managing each part of the |
| Here is a brief business roofing business plan template | | | | business. |
| to give you some ideas on how to put your own | | | | Marketing Plan |
| together. | | | | Identify your target market both by location as well as |
| Contents Page and Executive Summary | | | | other demographic factors and describe the kind of |
| This should be a summary of your entire roofing | | | | people or properties that make up your target market. |
| business plan. If you will be presenting the plan to | | | | Include the results of any market research that you do |
| interested parties then let them know the contents. | | | | or local industry statistics that you are able to gather. |
| Include a basic summary of your plans to start a | | | | Set out a detailed plan for your roofing business |
| roofing business. Outline the opportunities that you see | | | | marketing. This should include how you plan on getting |
| in the market and what you plan to do in order to | | | | enquiries, converting them into new accounts and |
| capture a piece of the pie for yourself. | | | | maintaining them over the long term. It should also |
| Background in the Roofing Business | | | | include brand development, pricing, advertising, a sales |
| Prove to yourself or others why you are cut out to go | | | | approach and other marketing methods. |
| into this business. List details on your education and | | | | Competitive Analysis |
| any relevant experience that you have had in the | | | | Write up profiles of your main local competitors and |
| roofing industry or in business in general. Outline your | | | | try to understand how they run their businesses. |
| reasons for wanting to start a roofing business. | | | | Borrow and adapt characteristics of their business that |
| Mission Statement | | | | work and look for weaknesses in their business |
| Set out your company mission or philosophy in a few | | | | models that you may be able to capitalize on. Figure |
| words or a short phrase. Try to think about what you | | | | out how you will differentiate your brand from theirs in |
| want to achieve with your business apart from profits. | | | | a way that allows you to stand out in the market. |
| You should be driven by a desire to deliver a quality | | | | Operations |
| service to people in way that satisfies them and | | | | Include details of the day to day operations of the |
| provides great value for them while still allowing you to | | | | proposed roofing business. Make a note of your office |
| meet your goals. What kind of products and services | | | | location, business administration and record keeping |
| do you want to deliver? How will you be different | | | | systems, plans to hire employees and procedures |
| from all the other roofing companies? | | | | regarding roofing installations or repairs. |
| Business Goals | | | | Financial Analysis |
| Set out the goals that you have for your business in its | | | | Outline some of the methods that you could use to |
| first few years. Set realistic targets that you know are | | | | obtain financing for your new venture. |
| attainable so that you won't be discouraged if you | | | | Create a spreadsheet that shows anticipated cash |
| don't meet them. Success can be measured by a | | | | flow forecasts over the first few years of business |
| number of metrics such as the total number of roofing | | | | for a variety of scenarios. You can then determine |
| jobs completed per month, the percentage of leads | | | | how profitable you think the business will be in a |
| that become new customers or the productivity of | | | | number of different economic climates. |
| your employees for example. | | | | You will be able to find many free business plan |
| Startup Requirements | | | | examples online but it can be harder to find a specific |
| List down all of the products and services that your | | | | sample of a roofing business plan. There are some |
| company will offer and then set out a list of equipment | | | | business planning software programs that you can buy |
| and inventory that you will need to get started. If you | | | | but they are usually just generic business plans that |
| need to buy a truck then you will be looking at | | | | have been adapted anyway. |
| minimum startup costs of around $20,000. | | | | Unless you can persuade other roofing business |
| Startup requirements will also include compliance costs. | | | | owners to share their plan with you then you really |
| Depending on what state you are operating out of you | | | | have to look at templates from other industries and |
| may need a contractors license, insurance, bonding or | | | | model your roofing business plan on them. |