Roofing Contractor

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Executive Summary

Summit Roofing is a roofing company serving homeowners and small businesses in our county and the nearby towns. We repair leaks and storm damage, replace worn roofs and work with homeowners and their insurance companies when a storm causes damage. A bad roof is stressful and expensive, and homeowners often do not know who to trust. After a storm, out-of-town crews knock on doors, take deposits and disappear. We will win customers by being local, licensed and insured, giving a written price before work starts, standing behind our work and being honest about insurance. Here is what our numbers show. We expect sales of about $570,500 in Year 1, growing to about $2,279,800 by Year 5 as we add roofing crews and win more storm and replacement work. We expect a loss of about $24,100 in Year 1 while we build our customer base, then a profit from Year 2 (about $26,700), growing to about $299,500 by Year 5. We need $184,000 in total. That covers $55,000 in startup costs (a used truck and trailer, roofing tools, fall protection, opening supplies, license and bond fees, insurance and advertising) and a cash cushion of about three months of bills. I am putting in $30,000 of my own money, and I am asking for $154,000. The startup costs include a used truck and trailer for tools and materials. I am Elena Diaz, the owner. These numbers are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end of this plan, not promises.

Company Description

Summit Roofing will be a limited liability company (LLC) in Iowa, owned by Elena Diaz. We will work from my home, with the truck parked in my driveway and tools stored in a locked shed. What we believe. Be local, be honest, put every price in writing, never ask for a large deposit before materials are ordered, and stand behind our work. What we offer:
- Roof repairs for leaks, missing shingles and flashing. - Full roof replacements. - Storm damage inspections and help with insurance claims. - Gutters, vents and small exterior repairs. - Roofing for small businesses and rental properties. Licenses and insurance. Roofing rules vary a lot. Many states and cities require a roofing or general contractor license, a bond, permits and insurance, and workers' compensation once you have a crew. Our state requires a contractor license for jobs over $2,500, so I will get my license before taking larger jobs. We will carry general liability and workers' compensation insurance before any roofer climbs a ladder. On insurance claims, we never promise to waive a deductible, which is illegal in many states, and we never act as the homeowner's adjuster unless licensed to do so. Where things stand today. I have worked on roofing crews for five years, I have priced a used truck and trailer, and I have done weekend repair jobs for neighbors.

Problem & Opportunity

Homeowners near us need a roofer they can trust, especially after a storm. 1. Storm chasers. Out-of-town crews take deposits and disappear, leaving the homeowner with nothing. 2. Insurance confusion. Many homeowners do not know how to file a claim or what to expect. 3. Unclear prices. Quotes can be vague, and extras appear after work begins. 4. Poor workmanship. A roof that is installed badly can leak within a few years. How we know people want this. Five neighbors asked me for repair estimates after last spring's hail, and a real estate agent said she needs a roofer she can trust for her clients.

Products & Services

What we sell. 1. Insurance claim roof replacements. Replacing a roof after storm or hail damage, with the homeowner's insurance paying most of the cost. Our plan assumes an average of about $11,500 per roof in Year 1, rising to about $12,943 by Year 5. Materials and direct costs run about $7,800 per roof. We expect about 35 roofs in Year 1, growing to about 125 a year by Year 5. Insurance payments can take weeks or months, so we plan for slow payment. 2. Direct-pay repairs and replacements. Repairs and replacements paid for by the homeowner, with no insurance involved. Our plan assumes an average of about $4,200 per job in Year 1, rising to about $4,728. Materials cost about $2,600 per job. We expect about 40 jobs in Year 1, growing to about 140. Our prices. Inspection free. Repair from $350. Average roof replacement $11,000 to $14,000, depending on size and materials. How it works for the customer:
1. A free inspection and honest advice on whether the roof needs repair or replacement. 2. A written price that lists the materials, the warranty and the start date. 3. For insurance jobs, help understanding the claim, with no promises about what the insurer will pay. 4. A clean finish, with nails picked up with a magnet and a warranty on our work. Gross margin, explained. "Gross margin" is the share of each sale left after paying for materials and direct job costs. Our plan shows about 34% in Year 1. That money pays the owner and crew, vehicle costs, insurance and other bills.

Market Analysis

Who will hire us:
- Homeowners with storm or hail damage. - Homeowners with older roofs that are starting to leak. - Landlords, property managers and small businesses. - Real estate agents and home inspectors who need repairs fast. Where we will work. A service area close enough to reach customers fast, starting with our county and the two neighboring towns, within 30 minutes of my home. After a storm, being local is a major advantage. Season. Roofing is busiest in the warm months and right after storms, and slower in the deepest winter. We use the slower weeks for estimates, repairs and follow-up. Work depends on the weather, so we plan for delays. Our plan is careful on purpose. About 35 insurance roofs and 40 other jobs in Year 1 is a pace the owner and a small crew can handle well.

Competitive Landscape

Other choices customers have:
1. Larger roofing companies. Allied Roofing (a made-up name) charges about $11,000 for an average roof; known for quality, but slow to schedule. 2. Storm chasers. They arrive after storms and often leave, with no warranty to call on. 3. Handymen and unlicensed workers. Cheaper, but riskier for the homeowner, and often without insurance. How we will win customers: being local, licensed and insured, written prices, honest insurance guidance, a clean job site and a warranty on our work.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

How people will find us. - A free Google business listing with photos, and a simple website with a phone number that gets answered. - Asking every happy customer for a Google review and a yard sign. - Free inspections after storms, offered on a flyer or door hanger in the neighborhoods hit. - Relationships with real estate agents, home inspectors and insurance agents. - Before-and-after photos on social media and in neighborhood groups. Marketing budget. About $12,000 a year. The truck lettering, yard signs and website are paid for from startup costs.

Operations Plan

How the business runs day to day. Estimates and jobs. The owner inspects roofs, writes quotes, works with homeowners and insurers and schedules the crew. In Year 1 we start with two crew members and grow to six by Year 5. Each job has a start date, a materials order, a dumpster or cleanup plan and a final walk-through with the homeowner. Equipment. About $40,000 to start: used pickup truck; enclosed trailer for tools and materials; roofing nail guns and air compressors; ladders, harnesses and fall protection; hand tools and shingle cutters; drone for roof inspections and measurements; tablet and estimating software; second set of tools and fall protection for the crew. We set aside about $5,000 to $6,000 a year for repairs and replacements. Upkeep. Safety. Roofing is dangerous. Every worker uses fall protection, wears the right gear and is trained. We follow safety rules for ladders, steep roofs and weather, and we do not work on a roof in rain, ice or high wind. Running costs in Year 1: materials overhead and equipment about $18,000, licensing and insurance about $14,000, sales and marketing about $12,000. Scheduling and billing. A simple scheduling and invoicing app on my phone, with customers billed in stages and insurance jobs billed when approved.

Management & Organization

Who runs the business. Elena Diaz, owner. As owner I will inspect roofs, write quotes, work with homeowners and insurance companies, schedule jobs and handle the money side of the business. I plan to pay myself $62,000 a year in salary in Year 1. Crew. Roofing crew members at about $42,000 a year each (or part-time pay): two in Year 1, three in Year 2, four in Year 3, five in Year 4 and six in Year 5. People who will help us: a bookkeeper or tax preparer, an insurance agent, and a free mentor from SCORE or the Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Maria Okafor serves as a key volunteer advisor.

Milestones Narrative

Our goals and when we plan to reach them. - Before starting: get the license, insurance and bond, register the business, buy the truck, trailer and tools, and set up the phone and website. Target start: March 2027, before storm season. - First year: complete about 35 insurance roofs and 40 direct-pay jobs, for about $570,500 in sales. - Year 2: add crew members, about $871,200 in sales, and a profit of about $26,700. - Years 3 to 5: grow to six roofing crew members and about $2,279,800 in sales by Year 5. Growth depends on hiring good people and winning the work, so treat the later years as goals, not promises. What we check every week: estimates given, jobs booked and finished, callbacks, insurance claims waiting for payment, materials and fuel costs, and cash in the bank.

Funding Request

How much we need and how we will use it. Total needed: $184,000. This number comes from the Funding Need Calculator in this plan. It adds up: - Startup costs of $55,000, listed item by item in the Startup Costs section (about $40,000 for the truck, trailer, tools, fall protection and software, $3,000 for opening roofing supplies, $1,500 for license, bond and permit fees, $7,000 for the first insurance payments, $1,000 for business setup and bookkeeping software, and $2,500 for truck lettering, yard signs and a website). - A cash cushion of about $129,000: the deepest cash dip in the early months plus about three months of bills, so slow weeks do not put the business at risk. Lenders call this "working capital." - Together that comes to about $184,000 (rounded up to the nearest $500), which is the total we are planning for. Where the money comes from: - My own money: $30,000. - Amount requested: $154,000. Kind of funding we are looking for: an SBA 7(a) loan through a local bank or community lender. How we will pay it back. We expect a loss of about $24,100 in Year 1 while we build our customer base, then a profit from Year 2 (about $26,700), growing to about $299,500 by Year 5. With this funding, the business has money in the bank every year of the plan. The loan is planned at 12.75% interest over 10 years, the most the SBA allows for a loan this size, so payments of about $2,277 a month are already included in our cash flow. What we are offering the lender: our truck and equipment as collateral and my personal guarantee A smaller first step, if needed. If we cannot raise the full amount right away, we can start smaller and grow into this plan: - Phase 1: start with roof repairs and small jobs on weekends and evenings with a licensed partner, using your own truck, while keeping your current job. Startup can be under $4,000. - Phase 2: once you have more jobs than you can handle part-time, buy the truck, trailer and fall protection and follow this plan. To plan the smaller start, make a copy of this plan (use Duplicate) and lower the numbers to match. All numbers in this plan are estimates. We will update them as real results come in.

Appendix Notes

Documents to attach before you send this plan:

- Your resume (one page is fine) and any licenses or certificates. - A personal financial statement (a list of what you own and what you owe; lenders usually provide a form). - Business registration papers and your EIN (your business tax number from the IRS, free at irs.gov). - Proof of insurance, or a quote. - Quotes for the truck, trailer and tools. - Your price list and a sample written estimate. - Photos of past work and references, if you have them. If you don't have any of this yet, no worries - let's continue. The assumptions behind our numbers (change them in the Financials section to match your own):
- Insurance Claim Roof Replacements: about $11,500 per roof in Year 1, rising to $12,943; about $7,800 per roof in direct costs; about 35 roofs in Year 1, growing to 125. - Direct-Pay Repairs & Replacements: about $4,200 per job in Year 1, rising to $4,728; about $2,600 per job in direct costs; about 40 jobs in Year 1, growing to 140. - Owner salary: $62,000 a year. Crew: $42,000 a year each, from two in Year 1 to six in Year 5. - Other yearly costs in Year 1: materials overhead and equipment about $18,000, licensing and insurance about $14,000, sales and marketing about $12,000. - Tax rate: 21%. - Every dollar amount is an estimate. Replace them with your own quotes and research.

Startup Costs