Becoming a building envelope expert

By Emma Peterson. 

Why the key to navigating a challenging market isn’t tied to price or margins, but rather stronger client relationships and higher-value services. 

Our modern market poses quite a few unique challenges to professionals across the roofing and construction industries. From supply chain disruptions to workforce shortages, it can be hard to position your business for profitability and long-term growth. To learn how contractors can find new opportunities and success in the modern market, we brought John Kenney of Cotney Consulting Group onto an episode of CoatingsTalk™.  

The main advice John had was to avoid price cutting and lowering your margins. He elaborated, “Right now, we’re seeing some markets tighten and bid lists grow more crowded as more contractors chase fewer projects. But what I warn everyone is that lowering your margins or price cutting is not the answer.” What is the answer, then? John points to being selective and thinking proactively. He shared, “What contractors need to do is to find the right type of work that fits the marketplace. There's always work out there if you are ahead of the market enough to realize it.” 

And right now, the right type of work for many contractors is tied to roof coatings and waterproofing. John explained:  

The strongest opportunities right now are tied to helping owners manage and extend the life of their existing assets. And the truth is, not enough roofers are taking the time to learn and become experts in this. There are some that dabble in roof coatings, but to really find success you need to go and think in terms of the broader building envelope. 

What does that mean? It means don’t just learn how to slap a coating on a roof. Instead, learn how to service that coating and waterproof the rest of the building. As John put it, “To succeed today, you need to be the contractor that can wrap all those walls together and provide everything in terms of service and maintenance. Why? Because clients today want more than a contractor, they want an expert who will build a relationship with them and help them with everything.” He went on, “And for contractors, being that one-stop shop makes you less dependent on one-time re-roof opportunities and sets you up for long-term success, even in a challenging market.”  

Listen to the whole episode or Watch the recording for more advice on navigating modern market challenges.