Roofing is one of those essential services that people require from time to time. Whether you’re a homeowner in the suburbs or a farmer with several barns on your property, you’ll eventually need roofing services. Of course, roofing itself is broad, consisting of several types of services. For instance, a roof inspection is crucial to many property owners and would-be buyers. People need to know the state of a building’s roof to make some important financial decisions. This is one example of commercial roofing. You can learn more about the service here.
Apart from the professionals that provide the roofing services, most people are not familiar with how much money roofers actually make.
Like any career, roofers usually consider the earning potential of pursuing this line of work. Even with a passion for such hands-on work, the remunerative aspect is always crucial.
Average Salary of Commercial Roofers
Unlike many other occupations, the earnings of a commercial roofer can vary drastically. For instance, 19 dollars an hour is the average going rate for commercial roofing work. This translates to a yearly salary of a little over $38 000.
Commercial roofers at the bottom of the food chain can bring in about $22 000 a year, given that their hourly rates are at $11. Contrast that with those at the very top who make about $29 an hour. This equals over $60 000 a year. This wide disparity in earnings has to do with several factors. Crucial among these factors is experience. Many roofers that are considered novices typically earn below the average rates until they’ve established themselves in order to begin commanding higher rates.
A typical commercial roofer’s journey begins with attending a training program in the form of an apprenticeship. This can range anywhere between two to four years. During this time, a roofing apprentice gets to learn the ropes by attending classroom lessons while getting hands-on experience by doing some roofing tasks under the supervision of a professional one. His hands-on training is usually a paid one, thereby incentivizing the apprentices. This kind of formal apprenticeship may not be open to everyone. For instance, you may need a high school diploma to be eligible for attending formal roofing classes at an institution of higher learning. There are instances of those that want to become roofers choosing to become a helper to an accomplished roofer in order to learn the trade. The apprentice usually shadows the accomplished commercial roofer for a significant period, picking up tricks and skills of the trade along the way. Regardless of how a commercial roofer acquired their skills, experience is key to getting better pay than the average rates.
In addition to experience, location is also a critical factor in determining a commercial roofer’s earning potential. A commercial roofer in Florida, for instance, can make an average of $16 an hour. A roofer with a similar experience in Minnesota could earn about $24 for the same task. Even within a given state, rates may vary depending on the city. For example, a commercial roofer in Rockford, Illinois, can earn up to $67 000 a year while another one in Chicago can make about $51 000 yearly. This is despite the two cities being within less than a 100-mile radius of each other.
Making More Money as a Roofer
While going through a formal training program is one of the most reliable ways of raking it in as far as commercial roofing goes, it is by no means the only way. As mentioned earlier, your location is a crucial factor. If you want to make close to six figures a year as a commercial roofer, you may have to relocate to a state or city where the rates are higher. It helps to conduct some research before deciding to move to a new location in search of better pay as a roofer.
The type of roofing services you offer will also determine how much money you make. For instance, if you’re a commercial roofer that specializes in truss building, you can’t expect to make more than $50 000 a year. The same applies if you’re a roofing laborer. To make much more than this salary range, you can specialize as a roofing contractor fixing roofs for large commercial properties. This makes it more likely that you’ll earn close to $100 000 a year.
All in all, a commercial roofer can expect to make the average salary as a novice roofer. With time and experience, they can earn more.