Off-Season Opportunities: Certifications and Trainings to Elevate Your Roofing Business

How Residential Roofers Use Winter Months to Gain Competitive Certifications
While winter commonly signals a slowdown in roofing jobs, it presents many opportunities for roofers to improve operations and focus on professional growth. Cold weather and fewer daylight hours leave you with more time to work on business tasks you simply can’t get to in the spring and summer.
One of those tasks is obtaining certifications that give you a competitive edge. Winter is an ideal season to invest in certifications and training programs that improve your skills, expand your service offerings, and help you and your team stand out in a crowded market.
Consider the following certifications that will elevate your roofing business in the next busy season — and future years as well.
Part 107 License
The Part 107 license issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is one of the most worthwhile investments roofers can make. This certification allows you to legally operate drones for commercial purposes — opening the door for your business to take advantage of sophisticated drone technology that changes the game for your productivity, sales, customer satisfaction, and more.
Obtaining the Part 107 license requires that you pass an exam, but doing so is easy if you follow five simple steps. Get all the details about how to pass the exam in this guide. Here is a snapshot of the methodology:
- Take a practice exam to discover your baseline level of knowledge.
- Choose a study method, such as online courses or written materials.
- Learn how the test is formatted and identify knowledge gaps from your first practice exam.
- Take another practice exam — or as many as you want.
- Schedule the exam and be sure to bring all the required documentation.
This license grants you a Remote Pilot Certificate and demonstrates that you “understand the regulations, operating requirements, and procedures for safely flying drones," according to the FAA. The benefits of this certification are wide-ranging for roofers:
- Improved safety: Drone solutions allow you to capture high-resolution images of roofs so you can conduct inspections from the safety of the ground.
- Better accuracy: Drones capture details the human eye often misses. For example, Cornerstone Restoration in Florida found that EagleView AssessTM drones detected 240 impact marks on a roof where a human inspector detected only 50.
- More jobs done in less time: By avoiding time-consuming site visits and physical roof inspections, you can generate estimates faster and complete roof work at a more rapid pace.
- Powerful marketing: You can use aerial imagery from drone solutions as part of your marketing efforts — showcasing how your business works with advanced technology to deliver better results for customers.
- Stronger sales: Depending on the drone solution provider you choose; you can take advantage of additional tools that help you kickstart sales before spring.
OSHA Safety Certifications
It’s critical for roofers to complete certifications for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as safety is a cornerstone of any successful roofing business. The off-season is the perfect time to ensure you are compliant with OSHA requirements and aligned with all the protocols necessary to maintain workplace safety.
Manufacturer-specific Certifications
Boost your credibility with customers by obtaining certifications in specific roofing materials. Some manufacturers offer specialized training in their products, and completing these programs allows you to advertise your expertise in these materials. It also ensures you’re updated on the latest installation techniques.
Planning Your Off-season Growth Strategy
To make the most of winter training for residential roofers, take a structured approach using these three steps.
Step 1: Identify Gaps in Your Services
Examine your current offerings and operations to pinpoint areas for improvement. Is your sales cycle taking longer than it should? Are there services you wish you could provide but don’t have the certifications or knowledge to do so? Identifying these needs helps you figure out what training will support your growth.
Step 2: Research Training Opportunities
You may be able to complete training programs and obtain certifications through online courses so you can learn at your own pace. There may also be opportunities at local trade schools that would be better suited for your staff and their varied learning styles.
Step 3: Allocate Budget and Time
Once you’ve chosen your program or course of study, ensure you have a budget in place for training costs, testing fees, and any required tools. It’s also a best practice to build training time into your winter schedule. Even though your schedule might be a blank slate, plan out the pace at which you’ll complete a program — especially if it’s an online one — to give yourself enough time for all the modules.
Jumpstart Spring Roofing Work in Winter
By focusing on certifications and training in your off months, you’ll position your business for a competitive start to the busy season. With a license like Part 107 under your belt, you’ll be able to take advantage of advanced technologies that help you improve safety, speed up job completion, and sell better. Winter training for residential roofers is an investment in your long-term growth.
Download EagleView’s guide The Top-5 Ways to Prepare for Roofing Season for more ideas about how to maximize the winter months. The slowest time of year can bring big returns when the weather warms up.