As housing markets across the country, now is a great time to consider following your dream of starting your own company in construction, home maintenance, and home repairs.
As housing markets continue to recover across the country, now is a great time to consider following your dream of starting your own company in construction, home maintenance, and home repairs.
In our new article series, HomeAdvisor analyzed its proprietary data on the demand for contracting and construction work and project costs to determine the top cities for starting or expanding your business.
Roofing contractors, this article is for you: We looked at HomeAdvisor’s data for roofing projects and particularly the costs to install a roof, then factored in demand indicators such as home ownership rates and the ages of the houses in the market. Thirteen metro areas ranked above the national average – in other words, there are 13 hotspot markets you may want to consider when opening or expanding your roofing business!
Top 10 Metro Areas for Roofing Companies
1. Los Angeles, CA
While Los Angeles has above-average demand and costs, its appeal is the sheer size of the market: It is the second largest market in the country, second only to New York, N.Y. (but without the Big Apple’s high concentration of apartments and condos). The city’s housing stock is mature, with 85% of its houses built before 1990. As an added bonus, Los Angeles is #14 on HomeAdvisor’s list of top cities requesting roofing contractors.
Average roof installation cost in Los Angeles: $7,721
2. Seattle, WA
Seattle is one of the most expensive housing markets in the country, with higher costs – and profits – for roofing work. Not only are repair and replacement opportunities ample in this market where 66% of houses were built before 1990, but new construction opportunities continue to emerge as Seattle’s population grows. While the average roofing job price is within the budget of most homeowners who live there, five-figure jobs are common.
Average roof installation cost in Seattle: $8,584
3. Miami, FL
Revenue is king for roofing contractors in this section of the Sunshine State. Even though Miami is home to more affordably-priced houses than Seattle, it boasts a costlier average price tag for roof installations. Miami is a large market with 71% of its housing stock originating before 1990, and contractors willing to travel throughout the state can also take advantage of demand surges after summer storms and other severe weather.
Average roof installation cost in Miami: $8,998
4. San Jose, CA
Like Miami, revenue and a strong implicit demand make San Jose an attractive market for roofing contractors. Further adding to its appeal, it also has the highest average cost for a roof installation. While requests for roofing contractors through HomeAdvisor have a lower rate than most of the cities on this list, almost 80% of the city’s houses were built before 1990, which implies steady demand for repairs and replacement.
Average roof installation cost in San Jose: $11,512
5. Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia may be the most balanced city among the top 20 listed here: This large market has a high homeownership rate, steady home values, and is second only to Houston in requests for roofing contractors through HomeAdvisor. Although its average cost for roof installation is lower than the other cities on this list, consistent high demand should lead to business success.
Average roof installation cost in Philadelphia: $6,545
6. Sacramento, CA
Sacramento has high home values, steady demand, and high revenue for roofers, making it a great location to consider when starting or expanding your business.
Average roof installation cost in Sacramento: $8,927
7. Chicago, IL
Chicago is a huge market – one of the top five in roofing contractor requests through HomeAdvisor – and with 77% of its housing units built before 1990, the demand for repairs and replacement should continue to grow.
Average roof installation cost in Chicago: $6,920
8. Denver, CO
As one of the hottest housing markets in the country, Denver offers plenty of opportunities for new construction along with above-average demand for repairs and replacements.
Average roof installation cost in Denver: $7,409
9. Portland, OR
Like Denver, Portland is another hot housing market with above-average demand and excellent revenue opportunities for roofers.
Average roof installation cost in Portland: $7,332
10. Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis has the highest homeownership rate of the cities on this list, driving demand for high-quality roofing contractors in a large market.
Average roof installation cost in Minneapolis: $7,265
Honorable Mentions
The San Francisco, San Diego, and Milwaukee metro areas also rank ahead of the national average in HomeAdvisor’s rankings. San Diego may seem a somewhat surprising inclusion, but its growing demand (#13 in HomeAdvisor’s list of top cities requesting roofing contractors) and mature housing stock indicate a great opportunity and a market that we expect to jump into the top 10 in the next few years.
Rounding Out the Top 20
- San Francisco, CA
- San Diego, CA
- Milwaukee, WI
- New York, N.Y.
- Houston, TX
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Buffalo, N.Y.
- Detroit, MI
- Tampa, FL
- Jacksonville, FL
Methodology
Our analysis looked at HomeAdvisor’s top 100 cities requesting roofing contractors. Each city was matched to a metro area, and HomeAdvisor provided project cost data based on actual project costs as reported by HomeAdvisor members. Demand and project cost made up half of a weighted ranking; the other half used Census data on homeownership rate, median home value, percent of detached/single family housing units, overall market size, and percent of housing stock built before 1990.
Images courtesy of Pixabay
The Top 3 Kitchen Projects: What the Pros Need to Know 
Best Asphalt Shingles – A Buyer’s Guide 
What Should Be Included in a Contractor Agreement Form? 
Rubber Roofing – Benefits & Alternatives 
Should You Layer Shingles on Your Roof? 
Nowadays most contractors give free estimates, but this is the only website I found where I got approx estimate directly.this will help me plan for roofing installation or roofing repair.keep this work on.