How to Order Roofing Supplies More Efficiently

In recent years, several factors like the COVID-19 pandemic, overburdened infrastructure, port congestion, a lack of available jobs, and unemployment have changed the traditional way of ordering roofing materials.

There’s not much you can do about a pandemic, but you can build better processes when it comes to ordering roofing materials and supplies.

Efficiently ordering roofing supplies guarantees product availability, minimizes waste, and ensures that you’ll have a thorough record of products utilized to help anticipate future needs.

This article will look at techniques you can use to order roofing supplies efficiently, as well as how Roofr can help you. Let's dive in.

Why you should order roofing supplies online

Contractors nowadays are constantly dealing with both the industry-wide rising costs of materials and the uncertain availability of products on the market. Here’s why they should consider ordering supplies online.

Easy access and cost savings

By ordering roofing supplies online, contractors can take advantage of the convenience of distant sourcing and online market competition with online vendors. It’s easy to quickly compare rates, and you’ll likely discover that buying roofing materials online is much cheaper.

Convenience and fast delivery

Additionally, you'll get the materials delivered straight to your client's doorstep. This makes renting a vehicle and making numerous trips from the supplier to the homeowner unnecessary. 

Whether you order metal roofing online or other materials, online orders for roofing supplies can be delivered typically in less than 48 hours. This is advantageous in rural locations, or for those who prefer to stay at home rather than go out and about. 

Platforms like Roofr speed up the roofing process

Whether you’re ordering online or sourcing your supplies elsewhere, calculating the amount of materials needed doesn’t have to be a chore. Technological solutions like Roofr make material estimates a breeze.

Look for platforms that auto-calculate material quantities and costs from measurement reports. Roofr, in particular, lets you conveniently compare available material options from major manufacturers.

Roofr also has material ordering capabilities built into the platform! That means you can measure your roof, determine your material needs, and order those materials all in one single tool.

3 tips on ordering roofing supplies more efficiently

Here are some tips to order roofing supplies more efficiently.

1. Keep a digital copy of your order

After you order roofing supplies, make sure you keep a digital copy of your order. Many things can go wrong with paper documentation. 

For starters, they can be easily misplaced or damaged. Having a digital copy of all vital documentation has several advantages, which include:

You'll never lose a material order again

The roofing sector moves quickly. The majority of contractors often travel between project sites and offices. As such, files may be misplaced along the way. You could also lose valuable, crucial records if your company experiences a fire or flood. 

Digital storage using platforms like Roofr, on the other hand, enables remote access to secure off-site backups. You can save time by not having to look through paper files for crucial data.

Easy to update by you and your team

‍A printed document can only be modified by making changes to the file and printing the paper again. Digital materials are easy to change as new data or information is obtained. 

Additionally, it is changeable by numerous parties. Contractors, subcontractors, and architects can share documents to ensure that everyone involved in the project is kept in the loop about everything happening on the job site. 

Reduce paper use

‍Excessive printing has been proven to have adverse effects on the environment. By using less paper, toner, and ink and opting for digital documentation, your company will be greener while also saving money.

2. Give access to the crew to double-check material orders

During shipping procedures like after you order metal roofing, problems like missing or damaged products can occasionally occur. By giving crews access to material orders, they’ll be able to see these problems as soon as they arise. 

Sharing material orders and other pertinent papers with teams also enables them to stay informed and identify issues early.

3. Use aerial measurement reports

Aerial measurements, used by platforms like Roofr, provide roofing companies with several benefits, including the ability to generate measurements without stepping foot on the actual roof. 

They can help roofing contractors create the most precise estimates and material orders. They also ensure:

Accurate numbers: Proper reports on roof measurements remove the element of speculation. You can arrive at a meeting or a house with precise numbers, which can be used to inform material orders and crew schedules. This eliminates the need to eyeball calculations and minimizes the risk of error.

‍More precise crew scheduling and material ordering: When ordering materials, you can significantly reduce waste if you have exact figures from the start. Being precise with material drop times, personnel scheduling, and downtime can result in cost savings.

Safety: Aerial measurement reports remove the need for estimators to climb onto a roof to obtain measurements and images. These reports significantly boost the safety of your estimator or sales representatives.

‍Seamless CRM integration: Some software programs for aerial reporting are simple to integrate with your company's business management platform

Using reports that automatically fill in estimated fields will save your sales representatives and office staff a significant amount of time. These reports also ensure that all your paperwork is completed accurately and that all required report sections are covered.

Benefit from quick reports from Roofr

For as low as $15, services like Roofr can measure any structure and produce a report in 24 hours or less. You can even upgrade to a subscription plan to access a quicker turnaround time if you need the report sooner.

Users of the service can utilize aerial measurement data to fill out estimates and even order materials with the same tool. In doing so, you can rest assured that the data will always be accurate.

After you order roofing supplies, consider making use of technological platforms to streamline your operations. Platforms like Roofr allow you to create stunning branded proposals that give your customers the confidence to sign on the dotted line. Register with Roofr today or book a call to see our tools in action.

‍